Someone who has not been baptised into the Catholic Church is not supposed to receive the Eucharist. Although no one asks for proof of baptism if someone is receiving Communion, it is looked down on by Catholics, and most would find it offensive.

CCC #1401 When, in the Ordinary's judgement, a grave necessity arises, Catholic ministers may give the sacraments of Eucharist, Penance and Annointing of the Sick to other Christians who are not in full communion with the Catholic Church, who ask for them of their own will, provided they give evidence of holding the Catholic faith regarding these sacraments and possess the required dispositions Cf. CIC, can 844 ss 4

I see how good christians the catholics are when they actually will DENY the body of christ to certain individuals. If im a murderer....im ok if I go to a catholic church. If im an adulterer...im ok if I go to confession. If I have hate in my heart, im ok if I pray to the saints. but if im a born again christian and deny your traditions....but yet i proclaim the gospel of jesus to all I can.....you catholic brothers will deny me of the body of christ. im glad your CHURCH will save you....IM GLAD the priest can save you...im glad that you feel if you pray 20 times you are more holy than your brother that prays only 10 times. But the fact of the matter is, you can take a bath in your holy water, or pray the rosary 99 times over for pennace....but if you deny the true word of God which is that Jesus was the ONLY and LAST sacrafice needed for the forgiveness of sins you still remain blind.

I was somewhat amused by the comment that the Catholic Church "allows" Orthodox Christians to receive communion when Orthodox Christians are not in communion with the Roman Catholic Church. I believe that to do so implies a "common-union" that does not, in fact, exist. As a matter of fact, Orthodox Christians are forbidden to receive communion in a Roman Catholic Church according to Orthodox tradition as well as what is found in "The Rudder."

Generally, no. There may be some exceptions, though (long read!) - http://www.catholic.com/library/Who_Can_Receive_Communion.asp

I know a Lutheran pastor who did. I guess it's up to your personal convictions, if you feel that you're in a position to accept communion, no one has the right to say you can't.

Not usually...but the church in question makes the call, really. The church that I go to (kinda) wouldn't allow it, but it could happen somewhere else, I'm sure.

No really, for the good reason that many Protestants do not believe in transubstantiation; that the underlying essence of the bread and wine are changed to the real and present body of Christ; as Jesus stated Himself as fact in the Gospels (read All of John 6). To receive Eucharist in a Catholic mass and not believe that, would be a sin. We Catholics, as with all Christians, want to help all people NOT to sin. Besides, you get out of Eucharist what faith you bring to it. If you don’t believe in the presents of Jesus in the Eucharist, there is no benefit to receiving it in a Catholic church. It’s just bread and wine to you then. To “Trueword-only-one”…(see above) I wish I could help reveal the love Jesus has for everyone, especially sinners. He forgave everyone (during His life and His redeeming death) . He died to take away our original sins so we may all be saved. But there is still the propensity to sin again in our own lifetimes (concupiscence), we do it often, we are all human after all. In order for us to live lives closer to God (as any sin separates us from God), Jesus gave the power to forgive new sins to the apostles (see John 20: 21 to 23) who in turn handed that ability (to forgive sins in His name), to the successors of the apostles in an unbroken line through history in the Catholic Church. This forgiveness of new sins restores our Grace and brings us closer to Christ and God. I understand your views of Solo Scriptura (bible only) but what is so bad about a little tradition and teaching? After all, if you go to bible class, that’s teaching, if you ask your minister about a particular passage your having difficulty with, that’s teaching. So Solo Scritpura is very difficult to maintain you see. It leads to many misinterpretations of the Scriptures. All Christianity sprung from Christ; the Catholic Church has 2000 years of learning and teaching to aid in Bible study…a valuable repository. After all, the ‘Bible’ we all know, love, and use was compiled by the Catholic Church. I am happy you have found Christ as a born again Christian. Keep reading, keep learning, be humble as Christ was humble. Do not judge, follow his words, read them often. To live our lives as Christ teaches us, is how we can all be closer to God. Peace be with you.

I am a male Catholic and was raised Baptist. I seek only the truth, not opinions from man. I refuse to be part of a cult as I align myself with Jesus, how could you go wrong? Why can't I receive communion? The Catholic church used to not withold the cup from anyone. Just because you withold the cup from someone does not mean that they will go to hell, I do not care how many popes tell you they will. I see a problem with the word Protestant as it causes alot of hatred and conflict among Christians. Protestant doesn't really mean anything, it was simply a label given by the Catholic church leaders. In reality, what is wrong with protesting the wrong doings of your leaders? I guess that you can be a Catholic Protestant like myself if you disagree with Papal teachings and demands that you disagree with because the Pope prohibits you to disagree with him. I am considered to be Anathema. I have studies alot of works from Catholic and non-catholic scholars. Is it wrong or me to say that my church has continued to invent different ways to worship Christ? The popes can not even agree on whether Mary remained a Virgin. Mat. 1:24-25 says that Joseph did not know Mary UNTIL she had Jesus. Really, who expects me to not be able to understand this scripture and others when I can recite it in any language? I am amazed when I see someone try to explain this scripture away and state that Mary remained a Virgin. A child could understand this. St. Thomas Aquinas said that a male child "ensouls" upon conception while a female does not have a soul until it is 3 moths old in the womb. Am I just evil because I know that is nonsense and written from a male ego? Everyone is a sinner and makes mistakes but alot of Chistians ignore many simple to understand errors on the part of the Protestant and the Catholic. The Vatican excommunicated its Church historian when he pointed out that the Pope was not actually infallible. It is true, all one has to do is research prior teachings of the Popes and compare them. Pope Clement also mentioned that there was no evidence of Peter ever being in Rome in regard to the institution of the Papacy. Am I a protestant for not wanting to participate in some ceremonies and understanding that about 75% of Catholic rituals are pagan as admitted by Cardinals and others? I have always had questions about how others get to heaven when they are not Catholic because I am told that if you are not Catholic, you go to hell. Well, Vatican 2 changed that and said that all Christians are under the Catholic wing. Who is right, Pre-Vatican 2 or Vatican 2? What about the Native Americans before America was discovered? Did they ALL go to Hell? No. The Catholic church threatened to kill Galileo for making a comment about scripture and stating that the Sun was the center of the Universe. In 1600, a man named Giordano Bruno was convicted of being a heretic for believing that the earth moved about the Sun, and that there were many planets throughout the universe where life living creations of God existed. Bruno was burnt to death. What I have written sofar would have caused me to be burnt to death in the 1500's! You CAN be Catholic and understand that the church will not save your soul and that you do not have to have the priest mediate for you. I can read a scripture and understand it when it says that there is no mediator. I can attend Mass and understand that I am doing it in rememberance of Christ at Passover. Catholics who condem other Christians and call them names are judging others. Protestants who do the same are just as bad. Christ knows who you are, what is inside of you and does not make salvation a complex game. The Jehova's Witness should see that you can not predict the end of the world 8 times, something is wrong there! The gate is narrow because so many do not know Jesus. This des not mean that people who have never heard of Jesus will go to hell, this is an arrogant statement. Man makes it complex, not God. You can be Catholic and get to heaven if you do not agree with all of the Papal teachings. The last Pope will be the False Prophet in The Apocrypha/Revelation. No big deal as long as you know what not to do and see that it is coming sooner than you may think. The mark of the beast has been in the works and will be forced upon us soon. It's really amazing to see the scriptures unfold and I actually hope that I am there when the tribulation begins. What would one have to fear? Lose your head? So what,it seems that it would be a sure ticket to heaven to be killed for proclaiming Christ as your savior. Catholics and protestants should come together. My Catholic friends should stop kneeling in front of statues for any reason. It is a GRAVEN--hand carved image and should be avoided because of what scripture teaches you. EVERYONE should stop being biased and attacking each other. Jesus never killed anyone for not believing the manner in which he taught. Jesus had love for all outsiders. The hate that the Catholics have for a protestant will send them to hell as will a protestant go to hell for the hate of a Catholic. Satan is the enemy, not your brother. Believe in Jesus, do good works because you are a new creature, and be baptised for good measure! The only PROTESTANTS are those who oppose Jesus Christ. That should be the true definition of the word.

I don't think they can. However, a Roman catholic may receive Holy Communion in many Protestant churches. I was raised Anglican and our service always gave the call in words like this: "You who are walking in fellowship with God, and are in love and harmony with your neighbors; and you who do truly and earnestly repent of your sin and intend to lead a new life, following the commandments of God, and walking from this time in His holy ways, draw near with faith, and take this holy sacrament to your comfort; and meekly make your humble confession to Almighty God." That means, it is up to the person themselves to make sure that they are right before God, not up to anyone else to judge their hearts. It reminds me of a story I heard once of a Methodist couple who went to New Zealand for a holiday and attended the local Anglican church that Sunday. As they were coming out, they shook hands with the minister, who asked "Australians, are you? What church do you attend?" "Actually, "they replied, "we're Methodists." The vicar drew himself up and said "If I had known you were Methodists, I would never have allowed you to take the Eucharist." To which the husband replied "If we had known it was YOUR supper and not the Lord's we wouldn't have bothered coming."

Physically yes. Anyone can consume wafers (church cookies)

No. I have been taught in Catechism from 2nd grade on that a non-Catholic recieving communion can be considered a grave sin, perhaps even a mortal sin.

All Christians can and do receive communion, Jesus said eat the bread and drink the wine in rembrance of me. All Christians are catholic, it just means universal, but not all Christians are Roman Catholic, that is merely a denomination of Christianity. Only the Roman Catholic church believes in the mistaken notion of transubstantiation.

Of course they can, all Christians take communion.

I go for the wine

Almost always, no. It is really bad advice if someone says otherwise. If you are not Catholic, then do not receive Holy Communion. It is the Lord, and if you don't believe so, please don't receive Him under the forms of bread and wine (Catholic Mass, Communion Service, wherever). Do not be one of the ones who "eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner" and judged to be "guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord." If one is a Catholic and does not accept all that Holy Church has proposed for his belief in faith and morals, then he should not approach the Sacrament until he repents and receives absolution. Whenever a Catholic arrives at a different position from what the Church teaches in faith and morals, they have crossed the line. They no longer believe what the Church teaches. If this act is done with full knowledge and as a positive act of the will, it is formal heresy.

Well a protestants do have Communion And I am one of them Communion is really excellent stuff to consider: When I eat it, I am confessing Jesus died and I am 100% agreeing with him that I have to accept his death as payment for my sins and that the blood that cleanses my from sin isn't from sheep, bulls, or goats like the Old Testament but Christ's. I take this wine into my most inner parts to confess that my sins are completely forgiven in a new covenant/contract between Jesus and God for me. He died for me and I "eat" that for spiritual life every time I consume it. His flesh is true food and his blood is true drink (as he explained after feeding 1000's with bread) and it gives me eternal life.

At the Last Supper, Jesus said, “Take this bread. It is my body.” The he said, “Take this and drink. This is my blood. Do this in memory of me.” Catholics believe this was the First Eucharist, that through some miracle the bread and wine actually became the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Catholics reenact the Last Supper during every Mass, where the priest, acting in place of Christ, changes the bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus Christ. This is a great sacrament of thanksgiving and unity of Catholics. Anyone who does not believe in the actual presence of Christ and is not united with the Catholic faith is asked, out of respect, not to receive the Eucharist. Catholics, out of respect for other Christian faiths, do not receive Communion in non-Catholic churches. We pray that one day Christian unity will succeed and we will all be called to the same table. For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, sections 1322 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2chpt1art3.htm With love in Christ.