[metmom]

I heard that Catholics believe that the wine and bread actually beome flesh and blood when eaten at communion, when it’s actually just symbolic.

That's correct. It's called transubstantiation.

They tend to ignore Jesus comments that the words He spoke to His followers about eating His flesh were Spirit and life.

John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

[papertyger]

Oh, we don’t ignore “spirit and life.”

We just know it doesn’t mean “a convenient excuse to disobey.”