what does communion mean for Catholics?

Question

So I attended an evening mass at the local catholic church... and attempted to receive communion (just the wafer), the guy held it up and said "body of christ" I said "thank you" and he promptly refused to give me the wafer. my dad "the catholic" say's it's because I didn't say amen. This ruined my good mood tonight, I feel he made a very arrogant mistake, because I have strong faith in god, so I ask; What does communion mean for Catholics?

Update:

Thanks for answering messenger, until you answered I would have gave the best answer to barabas, but you cleared that up... Thanks!

couple other answers were ok, but didn't really answer the question... and the rest were just trolls...

Lost Prophecy · Accepted Answer

Communion means being part of the "community". The Holy Eucharist is an Initiation Sacrament meaning if you partake in communion you are partaking in the Body of the Catholic Church. Your basically saying, "I agree with everything the Catholic Church teaches". Well obviously if you don't your lying to yourself which is a sin.
Yes, Catholics as well as Orthodox believe that the Holy Eucharist is the true Body & Blood of Christ. Catholics called this process Transubstantiation, in which the Holy Spirit changes the essence of the substance into the Body & Blood of Christ, the substance itself remains bread and wine/water, this is why it's a bloodless sacrifice.
Protestants on the other hand do not believe that the Holy Eucharist is the true Body & Blood of Christ, they only see it as a symbolic presence of Christ.

? · Answer

Have you been baptized and confirmed by the Catholic Church? The Eucharist is only for people who are members of the Church. If you haven't been baptized or confirmed, you cross your arms over your chest and the priest gives you a blessing instead.

craig b · Answer

1. You just PROVED that R.Catholicism is all about TRADITIONS and WORKS! (which goes against scripture!) 
2. You just PROVED that R.Catholicism centers all faith-based things ON the priesthood. Not on the individual! (which goes against scripture) 
3. You just PROVED why the priest said BEFORE the Eucharist that ONLY Catholics are ALLOWED to partake in communion! Your words proved to him that you are not a R.Catholic and he withheld God's grace. This is a picture of the CORRUPTION within the R.Catholic church! 

4. Understand that the R.Catholic tradition of Mass through transubstantiation of the Eucharistic elements is the continuing PROOF that Jesus' sacrifice on the cross was NOT sufficient! R.Catholic Mass DENIES who Jesus Christ really is! That's why R.Catholics ALWAYS do communion WITH Mass. 
It is the very picture of Jewish "sacrifice" over and over and over and over again! Which is WHY Jesus came as the PERFECT sacrifice! The tradition of R.C. Mass crucifies Jesus over and over again!

Alabama · Answer

communion is either the giving of bread or a blessing, so you fail.

Anonymous · Answer

For me it meant a free breakfast afterwards.

Anonymous · Answer

eating a bread

Aeyden · Answer

ingesting a piece of flour 'blessed' as the 'body of christ'...his body...a*shole and penis included.

. · Answer

It means nothing because it is totally wrong.

Anonymous · Answer

ATHEISM is thr WONRG WAY

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what does communion mean for Catholics?

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