How is the Mass different to the Anglican Holy communion?

Answer 1

Catholics believe that the priest, acting in the person of Christ, actually changes the bread and wine, whole and entire, into the Body and Blood of Our Blessed Lord, Jesus Christ. After this change, called Transubstantiation, nothing of the bread and wine remains but their outward accidents. Anglicans are protestants, who believe any number of things, some of which might look like the Catholic belief, but they do not have a valid priesthood.

Answer 2

There is very little that is different, other than Anglican Holy Communion is more traditional almost pre-Vatican II in how it is celebrated. Some of this is even evident in the architecture of churches - Anglican churches are much more traditional looking than Catholic churches.

Since Vatican II, the Catholic Church has become more inclusive - mass is said in the language of the people, the altar is sometimes and usually part of the congregation as is the priest, in where each are physically during celebration, the people of the parish are able to be involved within different ministries in the church. Though much is the same within an Anglican Church, the pulpit is usually still very visibly segregated from the congregation.

The main difference between Anglicans and Catholics is part of the Catholic creed, where it says 'one, holy, catholic and apostolic church'. Apostolic meaning from the apostles. Catholic clergy are ordained by others who were ordained by others who were ordained by the apostles themselves. Because the Anglican Church broke away from the Catholic Church and new clergy were appointed by the crown, there was a break in the apostolic line (not with all clergy of course because some who were not appointed were ordained prior to the break away, and have since ordained others).

In terms of the mass, this is a main reason why Catholics and Anglicans cannot take communion in each others' churches.

Traditional Anglican Reply.

One of the greatest bishops of the later English Reformation said that there was no difference between the Mass of the two Communions Anglican or Roman, Bishop Cosens of Durham a classical scholar was one of the authors of the 1662 Prayer Book. The Anglican Prayer Book of 1549 was simply a translation of the earlier Anglican Sarum Missal stemming from 1096 AD. Today many Roman scholars and Anglicans seek to have the pre Reformation Anglican Mass restored for the new Ordinate to give it credibility and some antiquity.

Answer 3

As far as the words and liturgy are concerned, there is very little difference between the Catholic Mass and an Anglican Communion service. Both services are celebrated by an ordained priest, have the same elements, including a Gathering of People, Confession and Absolution, listening to scripture , a sermon or homily, the Creed, Intercessory prayers, The Peace, the Prayer of Consecration, The Breaking of Bread, the distribution of communion, a closing prayer and dismissal.

The differences in belief are connected to the elements of bread and wine . Roman Catholics believe in transubstantiation - the bread and wine being transformed into the body and blood of Christ. The majority of the Anglican Church also has this belief, but some Anglicans do not, apparently.

Roman Catholics also regard the Mass as the sacrifice of Jesus each time mass is said. However, some Anglicans believe that Christ's sacrifice was a once-and-for-all event. For them, the emphasis is placed on Jesus' words "do this in remembrance of me" and therefore they regard the communion service as merely a Thanksgiving for his sacrifice and a memorial of his passion and death.

Therefore, the subtle changes in words represent a difference in belief. Another example, after the consecration of the bread and wine, the Anglican priest will say "Jesus is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world". However, the same phrase in the Catholic Eucharist reads "This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world" as the priest raises the host and cup just before the distribution. A difference of only one word, but clearly a difference in belief.