Q&A Home > C > Holy Communion > Orthodox and Catholic

• How does the Orthodox Church differ from the Catholic Church in preparing to receive Communion? Does any Protestant Denomination believe in the Holy Sacrament of Communion?
• I go to a Catholic university and have been blessed to have a Coptic Orthodox Church near me to be able to go take Communion almost weekly. The university itself has several masses daily, and I serve in the university's liturgical choir, so either way, I go to the Catholic mass at least once a week for choir. I asked my father of confession whether or not we are allowed to partake of the Eucharist in Catholic Churches, and he said no (I also saw that this is the answer on the suscopts' FAQ page). I later asked, again my father of confession, whether we believe that the Eucharist in the Catholic Church is also the trust body and blood of Jesus Christ, and he said yes. Despite (in my view) the small differences between the beliefs of the two churches, if in the end what they partake is the real body and blood of Jesus Christ, then is it not too precious for me not to take for the sake of not signifying that I share in the Catholic faith? From what I understand, the reason behind us not taking communion in the Catholic Church is that taking communion in a church means that you are in communion with that church's beliefs. However, if I still believe in the Orthodox Church's beliefs, and God knows that, then why can I still not partake of the Holy Eucharist? God knows that in doing so I do not share in the Catholic Church's beliefs but rather aim to be blessed through communion with Him. Essentially, I struggle to see the differences in our churches as significant enough to prevent us from taking communion less times than we are offered. The Catholic Church, although everything in its beliefs is not perfect, has most things right and has produced many saints. Surely, even if we are more right, they are not wrong if they have saints like Mother Teresa. I have also felt, in many masses (which I also feel in our liturgies) God speaking to me through their songs and homilies. I still believe in our faith, but I just do not think they are overall wrong, and I feel that God is with them too. On a less important note, I remember in elementary school I used to also go to a Catholic school, and there, my priest told us it is okay to take communion in the school's mass, and so I did (my friend at the time, though, had a priest who told her that she cannot). Now, I have a Coptic friend who is not from the Southern Diocese whose priest told her it is okay to take communion in our university's masses. Why is there this difference of opinions regarding this topic?
• I had a debate today with an Egyptian couple from Egypt stating that we can take communion with Catholics in Egypt and with Greek Orthodox as well because we are all Orthodox. They insisted that they heard a sermon attesting to that on one of the Coptic channels. I wanted to find reading reference for them so they can understand the differences and the limitations of our fellowship.
• Shall I allow my daughter to partake of the Holy Communion at her Catholic school? What is Your Grace’s opinion on this issue?
• What are the precise differences between the Coptic Orthodox Communion and Catholic Communion? Do both churches believe that the bread and wine really turn into the body and blood of Christ?
• Why can't we partake of Communion at the Catholic Church?
• Why can't we take Communion at the Catholic Church? Is it allowable at our church, to immerse the Body into the chalice and dispense it?