A Question About Becoming Catholic

[Ioana]

I was born and baptized in an Eastern Orthodox Church but would wish to become Catholic (or at least I am seriously considering it). I’m above the defined age of reason (14) but below the age of 18. I’d have several questions I thought somebody here could help me out with

1. What would the process be?
2. What should I know before I decide to do that? (I head I’ll need to profess that I believe all that the Catholic Church teaches. Whilst I did read a bit on the topic and have read bits of the Catechism I thought I’d ask for a broader list of what that implies, ie what teachings should I definitively know about that I am likely not to know about now and any other useful info is appreciated)
3. Is there a way for me to not automatically become Eastern Catholic. The reasoning is simply that the rite doesn’t appeal to me to be very honest. Besides our location situation is a bit weird as a family and more than half the year we could be in an area with no Eastern Catholic churches so being Roman Catholic would simply be more practical. That being said assuming I do become de facto Eastern Catholic could I go through whatever process I would need to go through in a Roman Catholic Parish and not an Eastern one (for practical reasons)?
4. Would it be premature?
5. Any advice?

Many thanks for any answers

 

[deprofundis89]

Hey

1 & 2- you would need to go through the RCIA in order to know more deeper about the Catholic faith and doctrines. The catholic church does recognize the sacraments of the orthodox church like the baptism for that matter. There are more similarities between catholics and orthodox when compared to protestants… I am not very familiar with all the points of difference between the catholic and orthodox doctrines though so the best option would be to ask a catholic priest or someone who is involved in the RCIA ministry.

3 - well I do not know much about if a orthodox can only be baptized as a eastern catholic or they can be baptized as a latin catholic but I assume you can be baptized as a latin catholic without any problem as I know a person who was a non Christian but was baptized in the eastern rite although he was not of that ethnic race so I don’t think so it should be a problem for a orthodox to be baptized as a latin rite. also being baptized in either of the church, a eastern or a latin rite parish, you can still attend mass in any church as long as its catholic thus fulfilling your obligation.

Although I am a latin rite I have attended Syro Malabar and Syro-Malankara masses several times and neither did the people or the priest at the places object to it.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

I was born and baptized in an Eastern Orthodox Church but would wish to become Catholic (or at least I am seriously considering it). I’m above the defined age of reason (14) but below the age of 18. I’d have several questions I thought somebody here could help me out with

What would the process be?

You would need to contact the pastor at your local parish. As an Orthodox Christian you have already received the sacraments of initiation. You do not receive them again. You do not go through the rites of RCIA.

Since parishes do not routinely encounter Orthodox Christians who wish to become Catholic, there is a good chance they may steer you toward RCIA. That is not appropriate for you. If needed, call the chancery office and get assistance at the diocesan level.

See RCIA 474: In the case of Eastern Christians who enter into the fullness of Catholic communion, no liturgical rite is required, but simply a profession of Catholic faith, even if such persons are permitted, in virtue of recourse to the Apostolic See, to transfer to the Latin rite.

Is there a way for me to not automatically become Eastern Catholic. The reasoning is simply that the rite doesn’t appeal to me to be very honest. Besides our location situation is a bit weird as a family and more than half the year we could be in an area with no Eastern Catholic churches so being Roman Catholic would simply be more practical. That being said assuming I do become de facto Eastern Catholic could I go through whatever process I would need to go through in a Roman Catholic Parish and not an Eastern one (for practical reasons)?

Orthodox Christians become Catholics in the Eastern Catholic church that corresponds to their Orthodox church. Someone goes from Greek Orthodox to Greek Catholic, Russian Orthodox to Russian Catholic, etc.

I believe you would have two options. One is that as an Eastern Catholic you can fully participate in the Latin church. If it’s easier to go to Mass in a Latin parish, you can do that, just as a Latin Catholic can go to a Russian Catholic parish if they like. The other option is to officially change to become a Latin Catholic. Your priest or the chancery office can help with that.

 

[Entwhistler]

As the other poster said, Catholic and Eastern Orthodox are pretty similar compared to Protestants. The biggest difference would be the primacy of the Pope. I think Purgatory is one as well. Maybe the Immaculate Conception?

One thing to note is that once you become an Eastern or Latin (Roman) Catholic, you can’t change to the other without the permission of your bishop. But, in most if not all cases the bishop will let you change. Just a thing to keep in mind.

Premature? Well, are you still living at home with your parents? Do they know? I think the general rule on this forum is as long as your parents are okay with it is fine. If they aren’t? You should probably wait to officially enter the Church until you are not a minor. You still owe your parents obedience. But I don’t know your situation.

My advice would be to read, read, read. Read what the Eastern Catholic Church teaches, read what the Western Catholic Church teaches. Keep asking questions here.

 

[Horton]

Just an FYI - RCIA is only for adults. For those under the age of 18, they would either go to RCIC or RCIT. The OP states he is between 14 & 18.

 

[deprofundis89]

oh ok my bad… my place we just have the RCIA for everyone

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Just an FYI - RCIA is only for adults. For those under the age of 18, they would either go to RCIC or RCIT. The OP states he is between 14 & 18.

The Catholic Church has no rite called RCIT or RCIC.

For the purposes of baptism people fall into one of two categories: infants and adults. Neither category corresponds to the popular usage of the term. Infants are those up to the age of reason, roughly 7 years old. We don’t normally refer to a 6- or 7-year-old as in infant, but that is how the Church refers to a child. Once over the age of reason the person becomes an adult as far as the Church is concerned. The process by which an adult of any age is baptized is the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.

An individual parish can call things anything they want. So a parish may call it RCIT or RCIC, but officially it is RCIA.

Since the OP is already fully initiated (the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist), they are not repeated. Note that this is because the Orthodox have valid sacraments. Churches that came out of the Reformation do not have valid sacraments so candidates are confirmed when they become Catholic.