Thou shalt not flub thy photo op, Sen. Kerry (Caught taking "communion" in Protestant Church)

Boston Herald ^ | Wednesday, April 7, 2004 | David R. Guarino

[presidio9]

Photo ops are the saving grace of many political campaigns, but Bay State Sen. John F. Kerry [related, bio] gaffed one recent opportunity - flouting Catholic doctrine by taking communion at a non-Catholic church.

The Democratic presidential candidate invited the press to services at the AME Charles Street Church in Roxbury Sunday. But the photos showed Kerry taking communion.

That, Catholics say, is a catechism no-no.

``Catholics should not receive communion in a Protestant church,'' said Sister Mary Ann Walsh of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. ``It's standard church teaching.''

Deal Hudson, publisher of the conservative Crisis Magazine, said, ``Kerry's attempts to woo the Catholic voter with such photo ops will ultimately turn off Catholics who value sincerity and honesty above superficial and vacuous symbolism.''

Kerry spokesman Michael Meehan said Kerry was merely participating in an ``ecumenical'' Christian service. ``He came at the invitation of the pastor, who invited all Christians to celebrate,'' Meehan said. ``Sen. Kerry is a Christian. He celebrated.''

Stephen Pope, a Boston College theology professor, said, ``As a matter of church law, Kerry broke the law of the church,'' but added that Kerry was in a ``no-win situation'' since taking or refusing communion would have offended someone.

[polemikos]

The first people to take communion were Jewish and they did not take it in cathedrals - they took it daily, with each other, in their homes . . . According to Acts 2 the Jews . . . breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart.

I just don't see your notion that "breaking of bread" is a meal. Read in context, Acts 2:41-47 is about the spirtual life of new Christians. This is especially true of "breaking of bread" in Acts 2:42. As "baby" Christians, they need to be nourished. Indeed, the Greek for "eat their meat" (Acts 2:46) can just as easily be translated as "partake of nourishment" which certainly describes a key spiritual aspect of Holy Communion!

Of course the Jews did not take this literally, because such a statement, in the literal sense, would have been a total aversion to Judiasm.

Except of course, this is literally what Jesus said. And further, in John 6, when Jesus used very explicit words, the Jews understood him literally. Interestingly, Jesus ALWAYS explained things to the disciples. Jesus starts off using the Greek phago ("to eat") (Jn 6:49, 50, 52, 53), which might have a symbolic meaning. But after the Jews dispute among themselves, Jesus changes verbs. He uses the Greek trogo (Jn 6:54, 56, 57, 58) which has the more vivid meaning "to chew, to gnaw". Jesus did not say "Oops, you took me literally." He explained it by moving away from any potentially symbolic meaning and vividy towards the literal. In other words, "Hey, I meant it!"

At the time of the Last Supper, there were over three dozen Aramaic words to say "this means," "represents," or "signifies," but Jesus used none of them. He said, "This is my body."

Imagine how much insight we could gain if we could speak with St. John himself and ask him what he understood our Lord to mean. Well, this is exactly what the Fathers of the Church were able to do. St. Ignatius of Antioch was a disciple of St. John, and St. Ignatius is not silent on the subject. He writes:

"They [the non-orthodox] do not confess that the Eucharist is the flesh of our Savior, Jesus Christ, flesh which suffered for our sins in which the Father in His goodness raised up again. They who deny the gift of God are perishing in their disputes." (Letter to the Smyrnaeans; 6:2–7:1; 110 AD)

This is further underscored by the "Lord's supper" ritual mentioned in I Cor. It is not about Passover or a Jewish rite of unleavened bread. It's about the "Lord's supper". It occurs whenever the church gathers. It is an accurate summation of the Catholic liturgy of the Eucharist "after the order of Melchisedek".

1 Cor 10:16 - "The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?"
1 Cor 10:17 - "Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread."

Further, in 1 Cor 11:20-22 Paul explicitly mocks those who treat the Lord's supper as a common meal in fellowship. And in 1 Cor 11:27 Paul makes clear that eating the bread unworthly is akin to killing Christ.

No. The "breaking of bread" is no common meal. The Catholic understanding can be traced back through 2,000 years of explicit teachings right to its source in sacred Scripture.

Y'shua is the lamb that takes away the sins of the world! (John 1:29), which by the way is one of the most amazing quotes in the Bible because the Jews had nothing to do with the world.

I agree completely that it is an amazing quote. My meager grasp of its transcendent grace devastates me beyond words. Which is why I would simply refer you back to Ex 12:46 to see why it is a completely Catholic verse fully supporting Holy Communion.

[TrueBeliever9]

I would simply refer you back to Ex 12:46 to see why it is a completely Catholic verse fully supporting Holy Communion.

That sums it up!

[Elsie]

I Corinthians 12:27

Now you are the body of Christ

[presidio9]

Sure - but it is a lot tougher to throw a spiral.

Glad to see that you take none of this seriously. You are a an annoying troll, but I forgive you anyway, because I know what it means to be a Christian. Happy Easter.

[presidio9]

I think God laughs at a lot of the rules and traditions we try to force on each other.

And you are free to think that, but you will never be a Catholic as long as you do. Not that there's anything wrong with that, for the purposes of this conversation.

[presidio9]

The concept that communion should be taken with only one sect is ridiculous.

Again, you are free to think that. It is irrelevant to this conversation. What is important is that Kerry is calling himself a Catholic for political purposes. If he really believes that he is a Catholic, then he is committing a sin that for a Catholic rates somewhere in the neighborhood of murder.

[polemikos]

If he really believes that he is a Catholic, then he is committing a sin that for a Catholic rates somewhere in the neighborhood of murder.

Amen to that.

"Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord." -- 1 Cor 11:27

[RonDog]

Indexing related threads - for future reference:

Diocese gives nod for Kerry to receive Eucharist
			Posted by delacoert On News/Activism 04/10/2004 10:40:32 AM PDT with 14 comments The Boston Herald ^ | April 10, 2004 | Eric Convey
Chicago cardinal [George] would not withhold Eucharist [Kerry]
			Posted by Polycarp IV On News/Activism 04/10/2004 8:53:44 AM PDT with 63 comments CWNews.com ^ | Apr. 09 | CWNews.com
Diocese gives nod for Kerry to receive Eucharist
			Posted by Fifthmark On Religion 04/10/2004 8:39:21 AM PDT with 6 comments The Boston Herald ^ | April 10, 2004 | Eric Convey
Chicago Cardinal would not withhold Eucharist
			Posted by Canticle_of_Deborah On Religion 04/09/2004 4:15:11 PM PDT with 16 comments CWNews ^ | April 9, 2003
Bishop Bruskewitz will deny Kerry the Eucharist
			Posted by johnb2004 On Religion 04/07/2004 10:39:21 AM PDT with 33 comments www.renewamerica.us ^ | April 6, 2004 | Barbara Kralis

[RonDog]

Indexing related threads - fro future reference:

Analysts: Religious Faith Less of a Factor for Kerry (Kerry to Receive Communion)
			Posted by delacoert On News/Activism 04/09/2004 5:57:09 PM PDT with 28 comments FOXNews.com ^ | April 09, 2004 | Peter Brownfeld
Kerry WILL be given Communion at Easter Mass in Boston.
			Posted by delacoert On General Interest (Chat) 04/09/2004 5:24:38 PM PDT with 6 comments Fox Report | April 9, 2004 | FOX Report
Kerry's Easter Plans Include Catholic Service [& Communion! Time for a massive Catholic FREEP!]
			Posted by Polycarp IV On News/Activism 04/08/2004 5:53:31 PM PDT with 85 comments Yahoo! News (Reuters) ^ | 4/8/04 | Patricia Wilson
Thou shalt not flub thy photo op, Sen. Kerry (Caught taking "communion" in Protestant Church)
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[gravyfreak]

I think McGowan and everyone who is commenting on Kerry's brand of Catholism is forgetting an important point.
He is claiming to be catholic and identifying himself as such because he believes and sadly this is true that most catholics agree with him on the issues of contraception, abortion, the war in Iraq, remarriage etc otherwise what would be his point...he is trying to win. Most "Catholics"
do use contraception, are pro choice and have divorced and remarried and RECEIVE the EUCHARIST..of course they have separated themselves from God in doing this and their souls are in danger..but after all it's the blind leading the blind.

[gravyfreak]

unfortunately your priests do not have the authority to celebrate that remembrance which makes it more than a human work, so while you may think you are receiving the body and blood of Our Lord you are not. Your husbands mother is a wise woman

[Barnacle]

flouting Catholic doctrine by taking communion at a non-Catholic church.

Why would his taking communion in non-Catholic church surprise anyone? After all, he is a non-Catholic.

Sure he may say he is Catholic, but does saying you're something make you one?

I'd like to entertain your replies to this question, but I'm running late for my astronaut training course.

[twigs]

Very sad. And you are wrong.

[AdequateMan]

"Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord." -- 1 Cor 11:27

I have never felt worthy of it. It's too big a gift.

[AdequateMan]

I don't hold it against Kerry to disagree with the notion that Communion with a protestant is akin to murder.
What I don't like about him is the pompous, self-assured way he brushes aside all those he considers lesser to him.

John "Do you know who I am" Kerry.

[presidio9]