How do the beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church in the Eucharist differ from other Christians?

Answer 1

Protestants perceive Communion as (1) keeping the commandment of Christ as given at the Last Supper (3) proclaiming his death until he comes again and (3) reminding us of his continuing presence with us and our need for him.

These are present in the Roman Catholic perception as I understand it (speaking from a Protestant perspective) but in addition to this they add the belief that the bread and wine miraculously change into the essence of the body and blood of Jesus. In an extreme sense then, when a Christian receives the bread and wine they are receiving and consuming Christ, in the Roman Catholic understanding. (This depends upon a philosophic understanding of the distinction between the appearance of a object and the object's essence, which is a much longer discussion).

Answer 2

Many Protestant churches view the Eucharist as purely symbolic--the bread and wine as symbols of the body and blood of Christ. Roman Catholics and Lutherans, however, share the belief that the bread and wine literally are the body and blood of Jesus. This is a mystical reality, but real nonetheless. Where Roman Catholics differ, however, is that Catholics believe that the ordinary elements become the body and blood of Christ when the priest blesses them and recites the words of institution prior to the Eucharist. Lutherans, on the other hand, and Martin Luther himself, understood the sacred body and blood to be inherent in the elements and mystically present without the further human action transforming ordinary elements into the sacred. This Roman Catholic belief is called "transubstantiation."

Answer 3

That it is the body of Christ, Catholics believe what they do about the Eucharist because we believe what Our Blessed Lord said: "This is My Body, This is My Blood". He was very clear about it and insisted on it to the point were many of the early followers left him, saying "how can anyone accept this?" But He left them go, and even turned to His apostles and asked them if they also wanted to leave as well. This teaching is clearly spelled out in the sixth chapter of St. John's Gospel.

Answer 4

no difference everyone believes in same eucharist