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Hi, Delores —
A Catholic is forbidden to receive communion at a Protestant church. Receiving communion is a sign of communion in faith and a bodily act that says:
"I am in communion with this group. I am one in faith with them."
So it would be:
- a lie
- a renunciation of your Catholic faith, and
- a cause for scandal.
The bread and wine, at such a church, is simply bread and wine, a reminder of the Last Supper, and to show any faith in it, as the Body of Christ would be idolatry. To accept it as the sign of the presence of Christ, as that congregation might believe it to be, means to accept a false teaching of the Eucharist.
- some believe Jesus is present spiritually in the bread
- some believe that He comes with the bread
- some believe it is simply a reminder
If one must attend a Protestant service on Sunday, out of respect for their beliefs and yours, the good thing to do is abstain from receiving. Of course, attending such a service does not satisfy your Sunday obligation to attend Mass.
Finally, I want to say that we are allowed to receive a valid Eucharist in a schismatic Church
(such as an Orthodox Church), if we have no Catholic Mass available.
Mary Ann
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