Any converts from Eastern Orthodoxy?

[babochka]

What are your regrets Ryan “exactly”. Lets get to the POINT!!!

This has been a most uncomfortable conversation to witness. Ryan has a right to choose not to reveal his innermost thoughts and spiritual struggles in a public forum. I assume that he has spent time talking with his priest about these struggles, but even if he hasn’t, it is none of our business. Let it go!

 

[andrewstx]

Why don’t you Ryan and Gary take this to private messaging? Other people have tried to speak, but they are ignored in your exclusive dialog.

I am certain that others have ideas on this but have trepidations about interrupting your conversation.

 

[RyanBlack]

We seem to be in a similar situation. My wife is Catholic, and we’ve been married for about 15 months now. I was also Protestant (Lutheran) before converting to Orthodoxy in the Antiochian Church. We used to attend each other’s services on alternating Sundays until my wife heard some anti-Catholic comments by our priest and members of the parish, and she refused to go back. We joined a new Western Rite mission after that, and have been attending there most Sundays since I became an altar server. She has no interest in becoming Orthodox however, and I’ve never thought it necessary for her to. What concerns me is that she has an obligation to attend Mass each week that she isn’t fulfilling. She isn’t concerned about this, but I am since I have a responsibility for her spiritual wellbeing as her husband. I’m considering Catholicism because of this situation, and studying and dialoguing with a great group of Catholic theology majors. My biggest stumbling block is choosing a potential parish. We have many Catholic parishes here in St. Louis, and some are quite good. I would be most comfortable in an Extraordinary Form parish, and we have two, but my wife feels the Latin is a barrier for her. My other options would be a small Ruthenian mission, or a good Ordinary Form parish. I love western liturgy and patrimony, and I know she would be more comfortable at an Ordinary Form parish so I’m leaning that direction. I struggle with the Ordinary form however, even when it’s celebrated well, so I’m in a perplexing situation. I would never consider doing this if she were not in an apostolic church however. I think your decision was noble, and shows your primary concern for your wife, which is admirable.

My suggestion is that you make no decisions hastily. I share your concern about your wife’s obligation. Have you considered going to Mass with her either on Saturday evenings, or at a time on Sundays that does not conflict with the service time at your mission?

 

[GaryTaylor]

No, Gary, my purpose was not to let the world to know that I have doubts about Catholicism. When I responded to the thread, I merely wrote was on my mind at the time.

But your purpose was to participate on a public forum and this thread in particular to discuss what? You wanted to let us know how noble you were to convert to Catholicism for your wife’s sake but you have doubts.

That’s not what I read through. I read your wife pretty much told you what the deal was and you had but two choices, walk away or convert. I’m sorry was there another choice in that?

Let me ask you something, this inner conflict you have, how do you plan on resolving it? The “doubts” all are talking about here.

 

[dcointin]

My suggestion is that you make no decisions hastily. I share your concern about your wife’s obligation. Have you considered going to Mass with her either on Saturday evenings, or at a time on Sundays that does not conflict with the service time at your mission?

I have, yes. We have Vespers Saturday evening at from 5-5:30, but I may be able to find a Mass at 6 or later, but she’s resistant to the idea of attending services more than once each week. I think she’s unintentionally just making my life difficult

 

[RyanBlack]

But your purpose was to participate on a public forum and this thread in particular to discuss what? You wanted to let us know how noble you were to convert to Catholicism for your wife’s sake but you have doubts.

That’s not what I read through. I read your wife pretty much told you what the deal was and you had but two choices, walk away or convert. I’m sorry was there another choice in that?

Let me ask you something, this inner conflict you have, how do you plan on resolving it? The “doubts” all are talking about here.

Please stop making these assumptions, because nearly all of them are wrong.

My purpose was to answer the question of the OP, and I just added what was on my mind at the time, which is that I often have doubts about the decision I made.

No, I did not want to issue a “beware of Catholicism” warning.

No, I did not want to “advertise to the world” that I have doubts about Catholicism.

No, I most assuredly was not attempting to advertise my nobility about converting for my wife’s sake, since that honestly wasn’t the motivation.

No, my wife didn’t tell me to walk away or convert. My wife told me that she would not convert. She did not insist that I convert. She was willing to marry me had I not converted. I chose to convert because I did not want her being Catholic and my being Orthodox to be a cause of conflict with respect to raising any children we would have. That was the most basic reason for my decision to convert.

 

[GaryTaylor]

I often have doubts about the decision I made.

The doubts you refuse to talk about. So I shall move on. My prayers are with you and dcointin

 

[AbideWithMe]

The doubts you refuse to talk about. So I shall move on. My prayers are with you and dcointin

FWIW, I didn’t take Ryan’s participation as if it was his intent to warn people off Catholicism.

 

[Peter_J]

Hi Ryan, Gary, et al. I’m a latecomer to this thread, just now finished reading it and … wow. What did I just read, an interrogation?

 

[Peter_J]

GaryTaylor,

I’m not sure what to say about some of your later posts, but I don’t mind replying to your first post:

God sent you a good Catholic woman with strong conviction. Now isn’t that a blessing. **And she even was willing to meet you “half-way”. **

You were covered by Gods hand and don’t even know it.

(emphasis added)

Eastern Catholics are Catholics (just as Latin Catholics are), so I don’t agree with the “half-way” comment. (Before you object, I’ll add FWIW that I would feel the same way if the tables were turned – i.e. I would disagree if an Orthodox described Western-Rite Orthodoxy as “meeting a Catholic half-way.”)

 

[Yetzirah]

Although I havent converted to either one of the 2 I was once vetting both churches for a possible conversion.
Both churches were “immigrant churches” where the catholic church was mainly consisted of polish people and the other was a serbian-orthodox church. I vetted the orthodox church the last and I must say that I prefered the orthodox worship service; vespers and the divine lithurgy to the mass of the catholic church. But I understand now that if one likes the worship of the divine lithurgy I should visit an old style catholic mass in latin.

But the people in the orthodox church, as they had moved here to Sweden many had at their first arrival no choice but to visit a catholic church because of the lack of an orthodox church, but 2 romanians told me they believe that God removed his grace from their life after they had began visiting catholic mass. After this they began to commute to be able to visit the divine lithurgy, regardless of it being in another language. They were both very sincere people and had no apparent problem of any kind.

At the same time, the catholic church had several nuns present and many of the congregants was completely consumed in prayer.

Ultimately, I already had doubts about the specific dogmas of christianity plus I didnt understand church-slavonic and didnt have the ability to travel to a place that celebrated the old style of catholic mass.

 

[Randy_Carson]

 

[truthseeker32]

I went back and forth for a few years. I have been at points where I was absolutely set on becoming Roman Catholic and points where I was absolutely set on becoming Orthodox. Ultimately I decided on the latter.

I have heard of a few converts from Orthodoxy to Catholicism. One converted for marriage, but wasn’t particularly religious. One became a fan of Thomism and didn’t think he could be an Orthodox Christian and a Thomist.

As others have said, there are a lot more instances of Catholics becoming Orthodox, but I wouldn’t put too much weight on this. After all, Mormons probably have both camps beat.

 

[House_Harkonnen]

I posted this in the Eastern Catholicism forum as well, but it was suggested I try here too.
I’ve encountered a fair number of individuals who have converted from Catholicism to Eastern Orthodoxy, but met relatively few who left Eastern Orthodoxy (or Oriental Orthodoxy, for that matter) for Catholicism.
Are any of the Catholics here converts from Orthodoxy? What led you to Catholicism?
(Note, I am posting this because I am interested in hearing and discussing others’ reasons for conversion, not to start a debate of any sort).

After leaving the Catholic Church I went to two Orthodox parishes near me for about six months. I stopped just short of asking to be a catechumens in a Russian church.

Part of the reason I stopped short is because the Orthodox parishes had essentially become social clubs for the particular ethnic group (Greek and Russian respectively). The Greek parish was icy. There were about three or four converts that kept to themselves, and they were never fully incorporated into the parish. I mentioned this issue to the priest and he actually apologized for the racism and clanish behavior of his flock. I came down to ask the question “Why would I ever want to join a parish that I could never fully be a part of?” He said good question and he didn’t blame me. The Greek parishes only “outreach” was an annual Greek festival that was more about getting hammered and less about Jesus. I went to the Russian parish which was much more welcoming. A large amount of converts who were more or less fully vested in the parish. I couldn’t get past some things in Orthodox theology and thought though.

 

[josie_L]

 

[josie_L]

I went back and forth for a few years. I have been at points where I was absolutely set on becoming Roman Catholic and points where I was absolutely set on becoming Orthodox. Ultimately I decided on the latter.

I have heard of a few converts from Orthodoxy to Catholicism. One converted for marriage, but wasn’t particularly religious. One became a fan of Thomism and didn’t think he could be an Orthodox Christian and a Thomist.

As others have said, there are a lot more instances of Catholics becoming Orthodox, but I wouldn’t put too much weight on this. After all, Mormons probably have both camps beat.

I’ve heard of quite a few Catholics becoming Orthodox and then reverting back to Catholicism though.

 

[1Tim215Mommy]

Hi Ryan, Gary, et al. I’m a latecomer to this thread, just now finished reading it and … wow. What did I just read, an interrogation?

Yes.

 

[josie_L]

GaryTaylor,

I’m not sure what to say about some of your later posts, but I don’t mind replying to your first post:

(emphasis added)

Eastern Catholics are Catholics (just as Latin Catholics are), so I don’t agree with the “half-way” comment. (Before you object, I’ll add FWIW that I would feel the same way if the tables were turned – i.e. I would disagree if an Orthodox described Western-Rite Orthodoxy as “meeting a Catholic half-way.”)

I don’t think he meant to say that Eastern Catholics are anything less than fully Catholic, i.e., I think he meant to say that since the divine liturgy is the same as that of the Orthodox that this in a sense was meeting her husband “halfway”. I know Gary well enough to know he does not believe that Eastern Catholics are less “Catholic”.

God bless!

 

[1Tim215Mommy]

Pray for your wife may be all you really can do. In my opinion, I don’t think it’s right to change or to consider changing your own religion because she’s not practicing one aspect of her’s. If you change let it only be out of firm conviction that the religion you’re considering is absolutely true.

We seem to be in a similar situation. My wife is Catholic, and we’ve been married for about 15 months now. I was also Protestant (Lutheran) before converting to Orthodoxy in the Antiochian Church. We used to attend each other’s services on alternating Sundays until my wife heard some anti-Catholic comments by our priest and members of the parish, and she refused to go back. We joined a new Western Rite mission after that, and have been attending there most Sundays since I became an altar server. She has no interest in becoming Orthodox however, and I’ve never thought it necessary for her to. What concerns me is that she has an obligation to attend Mass each week that she isn’t fulfilling. She isn’t concerned about this, but I am since I have a responsibility for her spiritual wellbeing as her husband. I’m considering Catholicism because of this situation, and studying and dialoguing with a great group of Catholic theology majors. My biggest stumbling block is choosing a potential parish. We have many Catholic parishes here in St. Louis, and some are quite good. I would be most comfortable in an Extraordinary Form parish, and we have two, but my wife feels the Latin is a barrier for her. My other options would be a small Ruthenian mission, or a good Ordinary Form parish. I love western liturgy and patrimony, and I know she would be more comfortable at an Ordinary Form parish so I’m leaning that direction. I struggle with the Ordinary form however, even when it’s celebrated well, so I’m in a perplexing situation. I would never consider doing this if she were not in an apostolic church however. I think your decision was noble, and shows your primary concern for your wife, which is admirable.

 

[Peter_J]

I don’t think he meant to say that Eastern Catholics are anything less than fully Catholic, i.e., I think he meant to say that since the divine liturgy is the same as that of the Orthodox that this in a sense was meeting her husband “halfway”. I know Gary well enough to know he does not believe that Eastern Catholics are less “Catholic”.

God bless!

Thank you for that post, josie. So then, would you consider that equally true with regard to the Western-Rite Orthodox?