Attending Orthodox Easter Mass

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dennis01

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My daughter, her husband and their son joined us for Easter services today at a church relatively close to their home and roughly 40 miles from our home. He’s nominally Orhodox - it’s an ethnic affiliation, he doesn’t attend services and apparently wasn’t brought up with any religious education.

Our daughter was raised Catholic and underwent 12 years of parochial school.

She lived with this man for several years before they wed in a civil ceremony. Initially we were able to get them to attend Catholic services on Christmas and Easter where we live. That ended shortly after our grandchild was born (more than a year after their marriage) several years ago.

After Mass today, when I wasn’t around, my daughter invited my wife and me to join them for Orthodox Easter services near their home. My wife, unaware of some of the distinctions between Catholics and Orthodox Catholics, said sure thing. Hours later, my wife mentioned it.

During the ensuing discussion, she cited our joint interest in our grandchild receiving a religious upbringing.

Joining the three of them at the Orthodox Easter Mass, she reasoned, might encourage our daughter and her husband to regularly attend (Orthodox) Mass with our grandson.

I cited a variety of reasons for not wanting to attend the Orthodox Mass that include not wanting to encourage the raising of our grandchild in a “sister church” that views Catholics as heretics.

Your perspective would be appreciated.
 
dennis01 said:
My daughter, her husband and their son joined us for Easter services today at a church relatively close to their home and roughly 40 miles from our home. He’s nominally Orhodox - it’s an ethnic affiliation, he doesn’t attend services and apparently wasn’t brought up with any religious education.

Our daughter was raised Catholic and underwent 12 years of parochial school.

She lived with this man for several years before they wed in a civil ceremony. Initially we were able to get them to attend Catholic services on Christmas and Easter where we live. That ended shortly after our grandchild was born (more than a year after their marriage) several years ago.

After Mass today, when I wasn’t around, my daughter invited my wife and me to join them for Orthodox Easter services near their home. My wife, unaware of some of the distinctions between Catholics and Orthodox Catholics, said sure thing. Hours later, my wife mentioned it.

During the ensuing discussion, she cited our joint interest in our grandchild receiving a religious upbringing.

Joining the three of them at the Orthodox Easter Mass, she reasoned, might encourage our daughter and her husband to regularly attend (Orthodox) Mass with our grandson.

I cited a variety of reasons for not wanting to attend the Orthodox Mass that include not wanting to encourage the raising of our grandchild in a “sister church” that views Catholics as heretics.

Your perspective would be appreciated.
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Happy Easter! First of all, where is your daughter spiritually? Is she strong in her Catholic convictions? How about her husband? Now…now not all Orthodoxs view Catholics as heretics. They are brothers and sisters in Christ with some knots which need to be untied.
 
Hi Dennis,

A couple things:

Generally speaking, Eastern Christians (both Orthodox and Catholic) call their services Divine Liturgy, where as Roman Catholics call their services Mass.

We as Catholics do not consider the Orthodox heretics. In fact we recognize that they share valid apostolic succession and valid sacraments.

Attending an Orthodox Divine Liturgy is fine, but as they are not in communion with Rome, you, as a Catholic cannot receive communion there (happens only in specific circumstances that don’t apply here) and it will not fulfill your Sunday obligation.

Happy Easter and hope this helps

CN
 
I thought a practicing Catholic could receive Eucharist in an Orthodox church so long as he asked for permission from the priest?
 
just_came_back said:
I thought a practicing Catholic could receive Eucharist in an Orthodox church so long as he asked for permission from the priest?
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He can but the Orthodox priest can also say No. It happens in the middle east where individual Catholics/Orthodox are cut off from their churches for safety reasons
 
devoutchristian said:
They’re material heretics.
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From the CCC:

838 “The Church knows that she is joined in many ways to the baptized who are honored by the name of Christian, but do not profess the Catholic faith in its entirety or have not preserved unity or communion under the successor of Peter.”322 Those “who believe in Christ and have been properly baptized are put in a certain, although imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church.”323 With the Orthodox Churches, this communion is so profound “that it lacks little to attain the fullness that would permit a common celebration of the Lord’s Eucharist.”324 (818, 1271, 1399)
 
for what it’s worth, there is no Orthodox Church that celebrated Pascha/Easter today. Pascha is in May this year, so you have time to decide whether you will be supportive of your daughter’s attempt to expose your grandchild to Christianity by attending with them.

It sounds like regardless of their upbringing neither your daughter or son-in-law believed and neither have been active in their childhood Faith.

It’s good that they want to attend Divine Liturgy now 🙂 They will have to repent & get married (in the Church) before they can baptize & raise their child in either Faith.

The Catholic Church recognizes the Orthodox Mysteries as being “valid”. Be joyful, it’s Orthodoxy their considering as opposed to some other Christian or non-Christian religion.

I hope they do fall in love with Jesus and get their lives and marriage right with God and raise your grandchild in authentic Christianity - Orthodox or Catholic is far better than Protestant or Non-Christian 🙂
dennis01 said:
My daughter, her husband and their son joined us for Easter services today at a church relatively close to their home and roughly 40 miles from our home. He’s nominally Orhodox - it’s an ethnic affiliation, he doesn’t attend services and apparently wasn’t brought up with any religious education.

Our daughter was raised Catholic and underwent 12 years of parochial school.

She lived with this man for several years before they wed in a civil ceremony. Initially we were able to get them to attend Catholic services on Christmas and Easter where we live. That ended shortly after our grandchild was born (more than a year after their marriage) several years ago.

After Mass today, when I wasn’t around, my daughter invited my wife and me to join them for Orthodox Easter services near their home. My wife, unaware of some of the distinctions between Catholics and Orthodox Catholics, said sure thing. Hours later, my wife mentioned it.

During the ensuing discussion, she cited our joint interest in our grandchild receiving a religious upbringing.

Joining the three of them at the Orthodox Easter Mass, she reasoned, might encourage our daughter and her husband to regularly attend (Orthodox) Mass with our grandson.

I cited a variety of reasons for not wanting to attend the Orthodox Mass that include not wanting to encourage the raising of our grandchild in a “sister church” that views Catholics as heretics.

Your perspective would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
 
Celticnovice said:
From the CCC:

838 “The Church knows that she is joined in many ways to the baptized who are honored by the name of Christian, but do not profess the Catholic faith in its entirety or have not preserved unity or communion under the successor of Peter.”322 Those “who believe in Christ and have been properly baptized are put in a certain, although imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church.”323 With the Orthodox Churches, this communion is so profound “that it lacks little to attain the fullness that would permit a common celebration of the Lord’s Eucharist.”324 (818, 1271, 1399)
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This post has nothing to do with the thread.
 
just_came_back said:
I thought a practicing Catholic could receive Eucharist in an Orthodox church so long as he asked for permission from the priest?
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Intercommunion shouldn’t happen period. No matter the situation. But Its impossible for there to have been an orthodox easter Liturgy since Our lent has pretty much only just begun and easter isn’t for like another month.
 
IgnatianPhilo said:
Intercommunion shouldn’t happen period. No matter the situation. But Its impossible for there to have been an orthodox easter Liturgy since Our lent has pretty much only just begun and easter isn’t for like another month.
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Your church permits in cases of emergency.
 
IgnatianPhilo said:
Intercommunion shouldn’t happen period. No matter the situation. But Its impossible for there to have been an orthodox easter Liturgy since Our lent has pretty much only just begun and easter isn’t for like another month.
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Well, perhaps they’re in Finland. The Finns have to celebrate Pascha according to the Western calendar for some weirdo legal reason. Still, more likely yeah, you have until May 5th to make up your mind one way or the other.

You could go just as a cultural experience. Pascha is something every Christian should see at least once. It’s amazing.
devoutchristian said:
Your church permits in cases of emergency.
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Permits it possibly. I suspect certain priests I know wouldn’t give Communion to a non-Orthodox, even a Roman Catholic (maybe an Oriental Orthodox), on their death bed without a renunciation “of their former delusions” for fear of bringing condemnation upon the person Communing. At any rate, this doesn’t sound like an emergency :rolleyes:

BTW, we’re not all “material” heretics according to your above definition. I’d be a Formal Heretic! 👍
 
Rawb said:
Well, perhaps they’re in Finland. The Finns have to celebrate Pascha according to the Western calendar for some weirdo legal reason.
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Well the Finnish Orthodox Church was heavily influenced by the Lutheran government during the 19th century.
Rawb said:
BTW, we’re not all “material” heretics according to your above definition. I’d be a Formal Heretic! 👍
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You were raised Catholic?
 
devoutchristian said:
Well the Finnish Orthodox Church was heavily influenced by the Lutheran government during the 19th century.
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Yes, apparently something in Finnish Law mandates that Christian Churches celebrate Pascha on the same day, determined by the Finish government. That’s how it’s been explained to me, anyway.
You were raised Catholic?
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No, I was raised Protestant, but with Roman Catholic grandparents and always being told that Roman Catholics are Christians. At 18 I was Confirmed as a Roman Catholic. I knew my faith very, very well. I was even a Religious Ed instructor for several years and some Roman Catholic friends still call me to ask why you guys do certain things or how to navigate Roman Catholic Canon Law. I knew fully what I was rejecting when I left, but I had to leave.

That’s all getting off topic. Just a fact, there are those of us (many, actually) in Orthodoxy who are Formal Heretics by your definition.
 
devoutchristian said:
Your church permits in cases of emergency.
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I know some churches do, and I think they are wrong. Taking part of the eucharist implies communion, and when there is no communion between the person taking the eucharist and the church offering, it is wrong.
 
Nicea325 said:
Happy Easter! First of all, where is your daughter spiritually? Is she strong in her Catholic convictions? How about her husband? Now…now not all Orthodoxs view Catholics as heretics. They are brothers and sisters in Christ with some knots which need to be untied.
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Thank you for responding. My daughter, with the participation of her husband, has demonstrated a strong interest in the occult and is big on “role-playing” games. He has a couple of siblings who are active in the Orthodox church.
 
Celticnovice said:
Hi Dennis,

A couple things:

Generally speaking, Eastern Christians (both Orthodox and Catholic) call their services Divine Liturgy, where as Roman Catholics call their services Mass.

We as Catholics do not consider the Orthodox heretics. In fact we recognize that they share valid apostolic succession and valid sacraments.

Attending an Orthodox Divine Liturgy is fine, but as they are not in communion with Rome, you, as a Catholic cannot receive communion there (happens only in specific circumstances that don’t apply here) and it will not fulfill your Sunday obligation.

Happy Easter and hope this helps

CN
Click to expand...
Thank you, Celtic Novice. I don’t consider - and didn’t think the Catholic Church considers - Orthodox heretics. My understanding, however, is this branch(?) of Orthodoxy considers anything Roman, including Protestantism, to be heretical. Hope you had a great Easter.
 
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