Are You An Eastern Convert?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Seamus_L
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Thanks. I know as an Orthodox Christian I don’t need RCIA. I have read a lot about Catholicism. But I don’t want to have to be registered as Eastern Rite and then have to request transfer to Latin Rite.

John
 
Just asking here but, why would you NOT want to be Eastern Catholic and Latin instead?

Secondly, sometimes attending RCIA isn’t just to benefit yourself, but you could bring a whole lot to the class, things which others would never have had the opportunity to experience if you hadn’t been their RCIA-mate!

God bless you in your journey!
 
Canon Law is rather explicit: Canonical Orthodox and the Semi-canonical Orthodox (like the UOCKP) are received directly by a profession of faith; no RCIA required. Many Latin priests, however, are woefully ignorant of half of canon law… specifically the CCEO. And that it applies, not the CIC, to Orthodox coming into the Catholic Church

That said, those orthodox who wish to take RCIA may do so…
 
I still believe as an Orthodox christian, but my wife and her whole family are Polish Catholic. Also, I have been to the Eastern Rite church here and they could use a bit of help in the services and I really got a strange feeling there. The priest was nice and they had a visiting Romanian Catholic priest, but there is only one church here and the next one is 2 1/2 hours away.

John
 
I still believe as an Orthodox christian, but my wife and her whole family are Polish Catholic. Also, I have been to the Eastern Rite church here and they could use a bit of help in the services and I really got a strange feeling there. The priest was nice and they had a visiting Romanian Catholic priest, but there is only one church here and the next one is 2 1/2 hours away.

John
You don’t have to be Latin to worship in the Latin Church. Any Catholic is free to worship in any Catholic Church, Eastern or Western. I would suggest speaking to the Eastern Church priest, making a profession and attending the Latin parish with your wife and Eastern parish when convenient. (But never forget your Eastern roots, they are a blessing!! Perhaps one day your children will be practicing Eastern Catholics and thank you for showing them a beautiful and unique side of the Church that a minority in the West are able to experience.)
 
Here is my situation…

I am an Orthodox Christian for 13 years and before that I was Lutheran for 21 years. I am married to a Catholic woman and I am considering conversion to Catholicism. What would be process be? If I could, I would want to be latin rite, not eastern rite. Thanks!

John Patterson
Hi John, I was baptized Eastern Orthodox and then converted to Catholicism 🙂 since I was already baptized and confirmed, I didn’t need RCIA, I just met up with my priest and he gave me some books to read… and then I just went to Confession and on Easter made my profession of faith and received the Eucharist 🙂 that is all… if you convert from Orthodoxy, you immediately become Eastern Rite, but if there’s no Eastern Catholic parish around you (as is the case with me) you can attend a Latin rite parish… you can definitely receive Communion at ANY Catholic church in the world, of whatever rite. If you want to formally switch rites, there’s a little process to go through, - you notify the Eastern Catholic and Roman Catholic bishops… there’s some paperwork. The reason is that the Church wants to preserve rites. HOWEVER… if you’re married to a Catholic, I think you’d immediately become Roman Catholic regardless! 🙂 I suggest talking to a knowledgeable priest about this… there shouldn’t be any problems in any case! God bless
 
And what religion, rite were you previously ?
baptized Russian Orthodox, then became agnostic, then started going to a Protestant church… eventually decided to come back to the Sacraments, came back to Orthodoxy… but then - after much searching, lol - became Catholic. Now I’m home 😃

I’ll always be thankful for my previous churches, especially the Orthodox church, where I received my Baptism… but yes I believe God lead me to the Catholic Church.
As a child, before I joined any church/belief system, I was educated in Catholic schools by sisters and priests. I went to Mass 5 days a week before classes. As I grew older and thought I knew everything I drifted away from any religion. I was in my thirties when I became interested in becoming Russian Orthodox. I read about it and decided to study with a priest and then I became Orthodox after much thought. I really believed it was the true church, but several years into it (and I do mean several) I kept remembering Catholicism. I was Russian Orthodox for 28 years. I started going to Mass again and last year I found a priest who agreed to let me give a Profession of Faith. Every other parish had said that I needed to go through RCIA. Last year I became Catholic and I am so glad I did and I wish I had done it sooner. In my heart I knew that the Catholic Church was the true church and Catholicism was right for me.
awesome story 👍
 
Here is my situation…

I am an Orthodox Christian for 13 years and before that I was Lutheran for 21 years. I am married to a Catholic woman and I am considering conversion to Catholicism. What would be process be? If I could, I would want to be latin rite, not eastern rite. Thanks!

John Patterson
If you were baptized Lutheran, then I think you might automatically become Latin-rite anyway - I was, though I’m contemplating doing the paperwork to become eastern-rite.

If your children are already Roman Catholic, then I’m not really sure that it matters - you can go to Mass/Liturgy wherever. The riches of the Church (the diversity of all the rites) are available to everyone. Even if you can’t find a good Byzantine-rite church (and I’ve been to a couple bad ones 😦 ), I would preserve your Eastern heritage (icons, akathists, Jesus prayer, etc.) as much as you can while still being spiritually beneficial - everything about the East, not just its liturgy, makes one wonder whether they are in Heaven or Earth.
 
I was a very active member of the Latin Church. My wife was a member of the United Church of Christ and received a degree in Theology from a Missouri Synod Lutheran University. My wife converted to the Latin Church after we married and later we transfered to the Byzantine Catholic Church with our two childen. I am currently in the Deacon Formation Program for the Eparchy of Parma. We are very happy to be finally in our spiritual home.
 
I was baptised Lutheran way back when, and then at age 21 I was re-baptized Orthodox (OCA). I have the choice to be baptized again, and I took it. My kids are Orthodox too. I am an ordained subdeacon and help at church a lot.

We have an eastern rite parish here in Portland, but strangely enough, I enjoy the Latin rite parishes (some, not all) more.

John
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top