J.D.,

Thanks for your sharing.

I appreciate how bewildered it must make you feel to see how many churches, that could offer the fullness of Christ's sacrifice, in every way, but don't take the trouble.

Thankfully, that isn't the end of the story. More and more Catholic parishes are offering Communion under both species, because that is the fullness of Christ's command, take and drink . . . My pastor feels Communion should not be celebrated in a thrifty manner, thus we always offered Communion under both species.

The practice was common in the Early Church but fell out of practice as churches grew and logistics made it impractical. There has been, however, a general movement since Vatican II to make the liturgy more participatory for the laity, for better or worse, and as a result, this practice has been revitalized from a long absence.

You may find that there is a parish near you that offers Communion under both kinds.

Anyhow, if the Lord is leading you to consider becoming Catholic, don't let it stand in your way.
I'm sure you will find Communion under both species eventually.

Hope this helps. God Bless.

Bob Kirby

J.D.,

As my colleague Bob pointed out, there are many parishes that offer Communion under both species, as we say.  As you say, it is a fuller sign but not technically necessary. 

You can also go to an Eastern Rite Catholic parish, if they have one near where you live . . . Melkite, Maronite, Ukrainian, and so forth. They always give (and have always given) Communion under both species in the form of intinction where the Precious Body is dipped (or immersed) into the Precious Blood.

Eric

Hi J.D.,

I wanted to echo my colleagues comments and suggest you look into getting a cheap copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. I use to run a free program that sent Catechisms to seeking Protestants but no longer have the finances to do this any more.

I'm financially poor can could use some big donations.

Take care my brother!
Know you will be in my prayers.

Mike

HI J.D.,

You said:

• Can you ask to receive under both kinds in most Roman Catholic churches?

Each parish has its own approach as to whether it celebrates Holy Communion under one or both kinds, so to answer your question is No. You have to find a Catholic parish that celebrates under both species.

You said:
I don't want to hurt or discourage those around me. I teach Sunday School and I am on my Consistory.

• What faith denomination are you?

Either way, guided by the Holy Spirit, the Lord will give you the grace to answer whatever questions your friends and family may have. Remember Our Lord said in Scriptures, paraphrasing:

It won't be you speaking, it will be ME speaking through you.

Pray daily and trust in the Holy Spirit.

If you live in the United States, Yes, you probably have to wait until Easter to join the Church.

If you live in the United States, Yes, you probably have to wait until Easter to join the Church. The bad news: If RCIA has started already, you may have until the next time it starts up. It would be good to make an appointment with the pastor, one who is faithful to the Church. He can go over your options.

Mike

J.D. wrote:
Please forgive my impatience. I've probably asked too many questions; I feel like I am imposing.

No, no, not a problem — it's great to see such enthusiasm and we love answering questions from sincere people.

Mike, my colleague, replied:
If you live in the United States, Yes, you probably have to wait until Easter to join the Church. The bad news: If RCIA has started already, you may have until the next time it starts up. It would be good to make an appointment with the pastor, one who is faithful to the Church. He can go over your options.

In general, this is true but if you are already baptized, and especially if you are well-educated in the Catholic faith, you may be able to persuade the pastor to give you one-on-one instruction and admit you early. Ask around. (Also note that Christians do not technically have to go through RCIA . Often, candidates [as they are called, as opposed to catechumens who are unbaptized] are sent to the same classes, but it's a mistake to put a baptized person into the RCIA program. [The program involves rituals and other things in addition to classes.])

Also read and study the Catechism (cover-to-cover, if you can), which will show your earnestness to learn. Another Catechism that is good for someone from a Protestant (particularly an Evangelical/Fundamentalist perspective) is Basics of the Faith: A Catholic Catechism by Alan Schreck.

It does have one error in it which you should be aware of; it speaks of the Catholic Church as being part of the Church of Christ, whereas in fact we believe it is the Church of Christ (this is predicated on the translation of the Latin word subsistere), but other than that, it's an excellent resource.

While these are not teaching aids per se, you may enjoy and get benefit from conversion stories such as Rome Sweet Home by Scott Hahn and Surprised by Truth, Surprised by Truth 2 — and 3 edited by Patrick Madrid.

If you want common questions answered (particularly hostile questions), check out the Essential Catholic Survival Guide from Catholic Answers. This is a collection of all their tracts (which you can preview on their web site) and has a lot of good explanation of Catholic teaching, although it is a bit biased toward beliefs that Protestants challenge us on (rather than, say, the foundation of the faith).

Hope this helps,

Eric