Can an Eastern Orthodox become a Roman Catholic?

[Joanna1999]

I am an Orthodox Christian who started attending a Roman Catholic church because there is not a suitable Orthodox church for me to attend. The priest knows my situation and allows me to partake of the sacraments of the Eucharist and confession.

Partaking of RC sacraments puts me in a state of self-excommunication from the Orthodox Church. My parish priest has not pressured me to convert, but if I did so I would obviously need catechism classes beforehand because I do not know all the ins and outs of the faith. In fact, all I know is what I’ve seen at the church here: Christ preached in church and lived in life, and more powerfully than anywhere else I’ve worshipped.

I don’t know a single other soul in my situation. Is there a forum for converts to Catholicism? It would be VERY helpful to talk specifically to Orthodox converts. Some Orthodox are very angry with me and tell me my salvation is at risk.

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

You’re certainly welcome to become a Roman Catholic if you wish. Since you are already an Eastern Orthodox, you likely would only need to be received into the Catholic Church. If you are uncatechized, you may wish to attend adult education classes to better understand your faith.

I should mention though that you may wish to investigate the Eastern Catholic churches in union with the Pope. Ordinarily, Eastern Orthodox converts to Catholicism join the Eastern Catholic church that is closest to the Orthodox church to which they once belonged. For example, a Greek Orthodox probably would become a Byzantine Catholic. Your parish priest and your local diocese can help put you in touch with the nearest Eastern Catholic eparchy (an Eastern Catholic term for a diocese). So far as I know, you are not required to become an Eastern Catholic, but doing so would enable you to maintain your Eastern Christian heritage.

As for those Orthodox Christians who are upset with your conversion, you may need to break off discussing your conversion with them. They may be motivated by genuine concern for you, but you do not need to be forced to defend your decision when you are still in the process of conversion. Thank them for their concern, ask them to pray for you, and then end the conversation with, “I think it would be best for us to agree to disagree.”

The Catholic Answers Forums hosts a forum devoted to Eastern Catholicism. You may be able to find there helpful information and contacts with others in your situation. Also, you may want to hunt down the conversion collection titled Spiritual Journeys, edited by Robert Baram, and which contains the conversion story of James Likoudis, a fellow convert from Eastern Orthodoxy. God bless.