Cynically Optimistic

Excellent title...

IANAC, but IIRC, Catholics believe that Communion is more than a symbol. They believe that the bread/wine actually turns into the Body/Blood by the power of the Holy Spirit. So I guess their thinking is that, since she didn't really consume it, she didn't really commune with Christ? That doesn't really make sense to me, but I never did understand those cooky Catholics.

I'm going to hold my thoughts on the subject because they may come across as too inflammatory. I did want to offer one clarification, though:

One of the main differences between Catholicism and Protestantism revolves around the Sacrament of Communion. In the Catholic Church the Sacrament isn't symbolic. The bread and wine aren't meant to be representative of the body and blood of Christ. Rather, Catholics believe in transformation -- that is, the bread and wine become (or are at least filled with the spirit of) Christ. Additionally, the Sacrament itself isn't meant to be symbolic of the Last Supper. Rather, it's meant to be affirming of Christ within us all and of our hopes for eternal life.

So Communion within the Church is not, in fact, symbolic. Whether it's unfair or not, however, is a different subject altogether.

Evidently I posted my thoughts while Jerry was posting his. Anyway, there's the Catholic clarification.

I appreciate the clarification(s). Clearly, the amount of information I do not have about Catholic beliefs can fill volumes. Having been raised as a Lutheran, however, I was led to believe that many of the beliefs are shared with Catholicism (sp?). Plus, it's been forever since I've actually gone to church. I know that both of you have put a lot of personal thought and reflection into your own religions so I'd love to hear your thoughts on the topic, be it publicly or privately, as you feel comfortable. (Inflammatory or not)

We Catholics believe that the unleavened bread and the wine become the body and blood of Christ, and that Christ is entirely present in the forms of both the consecrated bread and the consecrated wine. So the girl in question can receive communion fully with just a sip of the wine.

We believe that the Last Supper was the First Communion, anticipating Christ's sacrifice on the Cross, and we try to use the same raw material that Jesus did.

From a traditional Catholic perspective, this girl's supposed first communion was of some value, assuming she was acting from a desire for greater unity with Christ. But consuming a host made from material of doubtful validity, consecrated by a priest rebelling against the authority of the Church, makes this a different and lesser form of communion.

~~~

If Jerry or Jeffrey haven't taken you up on your offer to talk about topics religious, and you are still interested, please feel free to email me at pax2003@hotmail.com. I love to read others' opinions on the subject, and blab my own, as time permits.