I went to midnight communion at my local church last night. I know I should have known that the clue is in the word but I was slightly surprised when they started the bread and wine thing.
I feel slightly embarrassed about doing this as I don't believe.
Do other unbelievers take communion? Do any christians think I was wrong to take it?

I certainly don't think you were wrong to take it. You could have stayed in the pew though if you didn't want to partake.

From my point of view God knows what's in your heart and welcomes you anyway, so it's all good either way

In the Catholic Church only Catholics who have received first holy communion can partake in this ritual of receiving bread and wine (the body and blood of Christ). The priest will make it clear that non catholics can come to the alter but will receive only a blessing.

It's done as a remembrance of Jesus dying as a substitute for mankind (just as in the Old Testament if someone sinned they would pay for it by offering an animal sacrifice, to die in their place).

If you don't believe it seems pointless to take part, so I'd have stayed in my seat, and just enjoyed singing the carols

EDIT to add: As the above poster says, in traditional churches you have to be confirmed in the church to take it.

The Catholic church sees the bread and wine as literal body and blood. Personally I can't see why Christ has to be sacrificed over and over again. It's like saying once wasn't sufficient.

Which I think is stupidly exclusive and unwelcoming.

When my cousin married a catholic we 'outsiders' at the wedding mass were told in no uncertain terms that we were second class citizens in this regard.

My great uncle (an anglican priest) was quite disgusted and when the Catholic in-laws were invited to my other cousin's Anglican confirmation service where he was officiating, he said "We welcome all to take part in our Holy Communion who feel they want or need to - the Lord's Supper is for all".

The poor papists looked a bit sheepish!

I know. When I first came to Britain when I was 18 I brought some of my English nursing students with me to midnight mass, telling them it would be a lovely experience (I was used to the mass in Ireland). The priest was very dour and at the start sternly stated than non catholics were barred from receiving communion. His whole attitude was most unwelcoming. I felt quite embarrassed, particularly as I've attended loads of C of E services over the years where the same rule does not apply.

I think its because protestant religions only view the bread and wine as 'symbols' of the blood and body of Christ whereas the Catholic religion tells us they really are!

The Catholic Church where is live is the friendliest and most welcoming church in town. everyone is welcomed to Sunday mass and there's never any rules given before communion takes place. The priest says you can receive communion or go up for a blessing. It's a big event and celebration for children to make their first holy communion and start to go up to join in receiving communion. Ive been to a lot of communions locally and in other Catholic Churches and never found the atmosphere to ever be unwelcoming to anybody.

Usually they suggest you keep your arms by your sides so they can see you are not going to take communion, and you receive a blessing instead. This is so lovely that I sometimes wish I'd not been confirmed (and thus able to take communion) so I could receive the words of a blessing too!

Strictly speaking, you shouldn't have taken it but what the heck - it's between you and God and He's far bigger than any rules and regulations. He'd have been glad to have you in His church. I hope the embarrassment didn't get in the way of you enjoying the service.

It didn't, thanks.

I did that myself once, quite a surreal experience isn't it! I felt that everyone was going to point at me and start screaming 'unbeliever' hehe
Don't feel embarrassed, no harm done, doubt if you were the only one. 90% of the people there probably only go to church once a year if that and were dragged along by someone.

I take it at the church I go to, but once went to a Catholic service and didn't realise that non-catholics are not supposed to take it and I just took it with everyone else. I believe that if you believe and feel right about taking it, then there is no reason why you shouldn't. In my church everyone who feels they want to take it is welcome to do so.

Ahh there's nothing more Christmassy than the traditional transubstantiation v consubstantiation debate.

If you're part of one of those sects that believe their priests actually perform a magical transformation and the biscuit is actually the flesh incarnate of their saviour - you're probably on tricky ground

If on the other hand it's one of those that understands the difference between allegory, metaphor, hyperbole and literal - then no biggie

As long as you praised Cthulhu as you spat it out no harm would have been done

Is it worth going just for the wine? If you are canny can you join the end of the queue again and get a refill?

As Christmassy as a bout of turkey farts and Terry's Chocolate orange

You're usually not supposed to take communion unless you've joined their Christian club by being confirmed. Of course Christ wouldn't have cared and wouldn't have known what being confirmed or their exclusive club have to do with anything, but what does he matter?

That's because Catholics believe in transubstantiation and Anglicans don't, they merely see communion as a commemoration of the Last Supper which anyone can join in. I'm surprised that an Anglican vicar would be disgusted by that, he should have known better. I'm also surprised that any "papist" as you call them would look sheepish about it, they should know their own religion well enough to defend the policy.

u just don't take the wine or bread if your not a believer.
at this time of year, there will be lots of visitors to a church, and many wont be believers in that faith so you wouldn't be the only one.

You don't have to be confirmed, you only have to have made your communion.

It's not an easy policy to defend. I'm Catholic but don't like some of the rituals in the Catholic Church. I've never ''believed'' in transubstaniation, even when I was being taught about it prior to my first communion at age seven. It's nonsensical. Regardless, some priests could adopt a more welcoming attitude to non Catholics who attend their services and they could explain briefly, in a nice way, why they don't permit them to receive communion..

I suppose I'm not a very good Catholic but it's just happens to be the religion I was born into. I know lots of Catholics who certainly would never defend their religion and one of my brothers never sets foot in a church unless it's a wedding, funeral or christening. He was an alter boy as a child and is now anti any religion but would probably still be referred to as Catholic.,

I don't care either way, I'm an atheist. However, I don't regard it as very tolerant for Protestants to project their beliefs about Communion onto Catholics and then judge them as unwelcoming and make "the papists" feel sheepish because their beliefs are different. Its just a fact that whether you believe in transubstantiation or not, your priest does, which is why he has stricter rules about who can take part than the Anglican vicar down the road. Catholics aren't even supposed to take part unless they've been to confession recently and been shriven of their sins.

Its shouldn't be that hard to explain that to Anglicans, when even Ian Paisley's lot can grasp it.

Regardless of allowing communion, it's the manner and attitude of some priests when talking to the non catholics at their services. I certainly felt embarrassed on the very first occasion I brought some friends to midnight mass. British priests are often not as friendly and ''warm'' as Irish priests (obviously generalising).

Okay, I can see how a grumpy priest would be embarrassing, but the Anglican vicar quoted by Welsh Lad as making the papists look sheepish is no better. Given that the Anglican church has a history of treating Catholics, especially in Ireland, fairly atrociously they should have more sense - not to mention more Christianity - than to use different beliefs about Communion to make Catholics feel uncomfortable in their churches.

I'm well aware of the transubstantiation issue.
Still stupid to exclude people from communion imo.
As for the papists looking sheepish, what makes you think that they know their religion well enough? Many (as in any denomination) are cultural or heritage catholics only and don't believe the dogma or theology.
Or do you think every single roman catholic shuns contraceptives?

Oh it's a lot of codswallop anyway. I just enjoyed seeing the one-upmanship in action.
My bollocks is better than your bollocks etc.

Papists vs heretical dissenters grrrr!