The Baptist church is a free church where the people decide on the order of the service although there is some familiar pattern of worship. Whereas in the Roman Catholic Church, they have a set service which they call mass.
In the Roman Catholic tradition, it is the custom for children to prepare to celebrate the Eucharist by celebrating a sacrament called Holy Communion. Children can receive Eucharist from the age of seven to prepare them for Confirmation.
Because the Baptist Church is a free church the tradition of the Eucharist varies according to local custom, but anyone may practice the Eucharist as long as they believe in Christ and are ‘in love and fellowship with the Brethren.’
The Roman Catholics call the part of the mass when the Eucharist is celebrated the Liturgy of the Eucharist. In the Liturgy of the Eucharist the bread and wine and gifts of the congregation are brought up to the altar and the priest offers the gifts to God and says ‘Lord God, we ask you to receive us and be pleased with our sacrifice we offer you with humble and contrite hearts.’
Then the priest washes his hands and says the Eucharistic prayer over the bread and wine. He says the words that Jesus spoke at the last supper in memory of him. The priest and the congregation say the Lord’s Prayer and then the shake hands as a sign of peace. The congregation ask God for his forgiveness and then they go up to the altar row by row to receive the Holy Communion. Elders and the priest give out the Holy Communion. A hymn may be sung during this. The priest and the elders only drink the wine unless it is a special occasion like a wedding.
The Baptists receive the Eucharist once or twice a month and they call it the Lord’s Supper. The minister opens the service by inviting the people to celebrate the Eucharist in memory of Jesus. The minister reads an account of the last supper over the bread and wine then a deacon or an elder of the church says a prayer of thanksgiving for Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.
The people remain on their seats and elders or deacons take the Eucharist to them. Then wine or grape juice in individuals cups are taken to them and they all eat and drink together as they would do in a family meal. After this a hymn or chorus may be sung.
Roman Catholics use unleavened wafers whereas Baptists just use ordinary bread. Roman Catholics believe that at the Eucharist, the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Jesus, this is called Transubstantiation, but Baptists believe that the bread and the wine are symbols of Jesus’ body and blood, this is called Consubstantiation.
In my essay I have discussed the similarities and differences of the way Baptists and Roman Catholics celebrate the Eucharist. They each belief different things about he Eucharist and they celebrate it differently.
