I’m going to be traveling for quite an extended time this coming summer, fall and winter in the Middle East. I understand that Roman, Greek, and Arab/Maronite Catholicism is present in this area but as I understand it the frequency of finding an Arab belonging to one of these denominations residing in the Middle East is highly less likely than the Arabs that have now immigrated to the West. In short: Catholic churches are harder to come by.
Am I positioned as a Catholic, if needed, to confess in an Orthodox church if I need to?
As several people have pointed out in the Middle East the boundaries between our respective communions tend to disappear - but depending on the circumstances I know Orthodox priests (myself included) who would “hear your confession” and “give you absolution” as well. And as someone else also mentioned in such circumstances there would be no reason
not to commune you as well - I would commune you - depending on circumstances, which are to be determined on a case to case rather than on an abstract basis. Canons are guidelines to facilitate the regularity of the life of the Church so that salvation is never hindered for anyone. Canons are not ends in themselves, they exist
for us - on our behalf and we do not exist on theirs. This is why canons ought to be looked at for guidance - and I think that the
intent of the canons are your salvation (Canon 102 of Trullo tells me so and it is important for me as an Orthodox - I am not sure how this canon is considered in the RCC). This means that if and when the literal application of Canon Law would endanger and not serve your salvation the real-life pastoral circumstances overrule the letter of the canon so that its intended goal may yet be achieved. This is often - in the Orthodox world - referred to as “economy.” Canons are applied economically - that is unto the salvation of the people. It is interesting to note here that economy is also the word often used by Church Fathers to denote the Incarnation, Passion, Resurrection of Jesus Christ - the word “economy” can be said to indicate for them the entirety of the Lord’s salvific effort.
His Grace Hilarion Alfeyev has recently (without defining precisely
what the criteria are) said that Orthodox priests are to minister the Sacraments to Roman Catholics in extreme circumstances -
economy. For anyone, anyone at all to receive sacraments other than the initiatory ones,
one must be a member of the Church – full stop. I.o.w. - even though His Grace did not draw these conclusions - Roman Catholics are to the Orthodox brothers and sisters in Christ and full members of the One True Church, and the only reason that sacraments are not shared regularly is because there are “irregularities” in our ecclesial structures - which affect the
disciplinary and temporal aspect of the life of the Church.
Communion in sacris even if allowed in extreme situations is possible
only if the one with whom one has such communion is
within the one same Church. Such communion is not possible with those
outside.
The Sacraments are
salvific means by means of which Jesus Christ restores and puts us in communion with His Father empowered the Holy Spirit. The dispensing of sacraments - to whom they shall and shall not be given - must serve the salvation of the people to whom they are given or from whom they are withheld. Excommunication, or barring from the Sacraments are
pastoral tools unto salvation and ought to be applied as such. In this case, you traveling in the Middle East and
perhaps unable to have access to a Roman Catholic priest for receiving the Sacraments
could be a case which qualifies as “extreme” - it would for me.
Now I must conclude by saying that in the Orthodox world there will be many who disagree with me, or even with His Grace Hilarion Alfeyev on this matter. Ecumenical relations has become a hot-button issue and the Orthodox Church of a 100 years ago is no longer the Orthodox Church of today. Anti-ecumenist fundamentalism is on the rise and moderate Orthodox are increasingly marginalized (on the web their presence is hardly even noticeable).
As a final note: I speak on behalf of
my own pastoral insights and practice and
do not dictate or represent an authoritatively binding
opinion but merely my own.
Fr. Gregory +
Although when a priest gave a homily saying that Catholics need to get over the idea that there’s anything “transcendent” going on in the Mass, I started to wonder whether he had valid intent or not.