Can non-Catholic Christians receive communion in the Catholic Church?

http://www.catholic.com/

Catholic Answers Senior Apologist Jimmy Akin explains why non-Catholics can only receive the Eucharist under very limited extra-ordinary circumstances.

Jimmy was born in Texas and raised in Arkansas. He grew up nominally Protestant but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant pastor or seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible, but the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith. Eventually, he was compelled in conscience to enter the Catholic Church, which he did in 1992.

Catholic Answers is an apostolate dedicated to serving Christ by bringing the fullness of Catholic truth to the world. We help good Catholics become better Catholics, bring former Catholics "home," and lead non-Catholics into the fullness of the faith.

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[VoiceOfModeration]

What a generous answer to such a complex question.

[Svatopluk]

He always speaks with kindness, this chap.

[DCDUO]

Fantastic beard.

[sungmoon1987]

His voice is very humble, nice answers too! Going in my favourites.

[XcassX33199]

wow hes calm and peaceful god bless you.

[gi2bull]

@MrLoudmouthspeaker Yup! The road is indeed narrow. I believe that you are of the RECENT kind of tradition started by some creative men in the 16th century who think that the road should be much easier. If not, then you are of one of the multitude of the much much more recent traditions around.

[MrLoudmouthspeaker]

wow the RCC is big on rules.. especially man made tradtions which the bible warns us about...

[matt1618john146]

@ElegantTotality Dear brother, thanks God you don't reject the true Christian church. Unfortunately we are not justified by "faith only" like many sects teach. Once you believe you are saved by "faith alone" automatically you have to deny value to any other sacraments like baptism, first communion, eucharyst, confession of sins, etc. that's because you already believe you're "saved". As a former anti-catholic I recommend you to get info from catholic_com and follow the truth. God bless you

[AmeriCeltCatholic]

I always thought that the communion is vertical, between me and my Lord, so why shouldn't I receive? When I became Catholic, I still wasn't convinced. I have friends who believe that we actually receive the Body and Blood of Christ and Justin Martyr says people can receive "when they believe as we do".

But the Church's understanding has always been that a "horizontal" communion is required --the person receiving must be in full visible communion, not just in agreement theologically.

[ElegantTotality]

But why can we not have full communion with one another through the Eucharist (Protestants & Catholics) though we have differing beliefs? I mean, the way I read the New Testament says that so long as we believe in the justification of the sinner by faith and if we live holy and righteous lives, then we SHOULD be sharing the Table with each other. Why is this not the case, then? (If you can't tell, I'm a bit Anglican =P)