R
russialover
Guest
Hello, I’m just wondering if anyone has been communed in an Orthodox church, and if so, which jurisdiction did theses priests belong to? Thanks, and Many Years!
- Status
T
The_Idiot
Guest
Nope - and I would not expect to be unless I was in real danger of immediate death .
J
John_of_Patmos
Guest
You cannot unless, as stated above, you are about to die.
B
Benjamino
Guest
I currently live in work in the Republic of Georgia and I was told that I wasn’t even allowed in the building during the prayers of consecration.
I have had many discussions with Orthodox Priests and they seem to be quite hostile to us in Rome on the whole. I was told by one priest that he wouldn’t offer me the sacraments even on my deathbed which I thought was incorrect and have since found out this is not the case.
I have had many discussions with Orthodox Priests and they seem to be quite hostile to us in Rome on the whole. I was told by one priest that he wouldn’t offer me the sacraments even on my deathbed which I thought was incorrect and have since found out this is not the case.
M
MariaGoretti88
Guest
As much as I find the Orthodox Church to be esthetically beautiful and interesting (although I find many of the doctrines/omissions very offensive as well as their general distaste for Roman Catholicism and the fact that many of them blame all spiritual evils in the world on us…),
I would never desire to receive their Sacraments (Mysteries) even at the point of death for juridical and faith-based purposes.
Their devotion and reverence for the Sacraments is so beautiful and humbling, however. Gorgeous Liturgy, beautiful icons, hymns, etc.
But I do not believe what they believe.
I would never desire to receive their Sacraments (Mysteries) even at the point of death for juridical and faith-based purposes.
Their devotion and reverence for the Sacraments is so beautiful and humbling, however. Gorgeous Liturgy, beautiful icons, hymns, etc.
But I do not believe what they believe.
C
Credo_ergo_sum
Guest
What doctrines are offensive?
N
Nine_Two
Guest
This is actually the way all services were done in the early church (as far as I’m aware this is both east and west), the service was divided into the “Liturgy of the Catchumens” and the “Liturgy of the Faithful”. Those who were not full members in good standing were not allowed to attend the second part (which includes the Consecration among other things).
Following this generally went out of style when almost everyone in the country became Christian and there was no point in enforcing it.
I was unaware there were any Churches that did enforce it. Certainly here in North America where the majority of the population is Orthodox I’ve never heard of a parish enforcing it. I’ve heard one priest say he doesn’t even do the dismissal of the Catechumens because he wants to make sure they come down for coffee after - which they won’t do if they have any doubts about whether or not they are supposed to be there in the first place.
I think this has more to do with history. Before Rome announced it would cease prosytilizing, it was known for doing so quite agressively. Unfortunetly trust doesn’t come all at once, and must be built over time. Perhaps sometime in the future this will change, but it will take time. Being in the position you are in the best thing you can do is show that trust is warrented. Sadly, Protestants will form an obstacle for you. Many in the East don’t bother to distinguish between Catholics and Protestants, and protestant prostylizing confirms their worst fears about Westerners.
As for priests offering the sacraments, there is no universal standing on certain things, ultimately the priest must act in accordance with the guidelines handed down from his bishop, who must give guidelines in accordance with what the Holy Synod has decided. If the Holy Synod hasn’t addressed a certain situation, then the Bishop is free to set guidelines. Ultimately the priest is responsible for who he gives the eucharist to and is answerable before God. For this reason if there is any doubt about whether he should, he will likely withhold it.
God bless you living in Georgia, I pray you can represent Roman Catholics well in the county.
N
Nine_Two
Guest
I assure you, we do not blame all spiritual evils in the world on the Catholic Church, if any at all. By and large they predate the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church.
G
Ghosty
Guest
I’ve received Communion from a Syriac Orthodox priest in a Catholic Divine Liturgy, and from an Armenian Orthodox priest at an Armenian Orthodox Liturgy, but I’ve never received from an Eastern Orthodox priest.
Peace and God bless!
Peace and God bless!
P
Peter_J
Guest
Well that certainly makes sense, seeing as your profile says Roman Catholic.
However…
I’m curious: do you find Protestantism very offensive as well?
P
Peter_J
Guest
I would assume she’s referring to all doctrines that the RCC considers to be false.What doctrines are offensive?
H
Hesychios
Guest
I couldn’t help noticing your handle.
I have a relic of Saint Maria Goretti in a crucifix
I understand, I feel about the same way. I have no animosity whatever, but no desire at all to receive Roman Catholic sacraments, so I can respect your position.
T
thequeen
Guest
Yes many years ago when I was fighting cervical cancer and going through chemo I was staying near the hospital where I was receiving treatment The ukranian Orthodox Bishop was friends with the priest at my Roman Catholic Parish and when he heard of my circumstances he told my priest not to worry about coming all the way across town because he had me taken care of when it came to the sacraments however he said that he would not do it for everyone only people who were in my kind of circumstances. He is passed away now he was in his nineties back then. He was a very good and caring person.
P
Peter_J
Guest
A
AlOtto
Guest
As a Roman Catholic who has traveled extensivly in Orthodox countries I have found that MOST (not all though) Orthodox priests are very open to Catholics even offering us the sacraments.
35 years ago I spent 3 years in Greece and was given communion and confession regularly by quite a few priests who knew full well that I was RC. Since that time I have been to Russia for a few extended visits one of 9 months and another for 16 months. During both of these trips (one in 1995 the other in 2010-2011) I was given communion and confession by priests who also knew that I was a RC.
In my experience Orthodox outside the US tend to be much more open to communing catholics then here in the states. IMO this probably has something to do with the Orthodox being a small minority here as well as the large influx of former protestants and Roman Catholics who bring along a bit of anti roman baggage. I really don’t believe that the Orthodox here are “more Orthodox” then the Orthodox in Europe.
35 years ago I spent 3 years in Greece and was given communion and confession regularly by quite a few priests who knew full well that I was RC. Since that time I have been to Russia for a few extended visits one of 9 months and another for 16 months. During both of these trips (one in 1995 the other in 2010-2011) I was given communion and confession by priests who also knew that I was a RC.
In my experience Orthodox outside the US tend to be much more open to communing catholics then here in the states. IMO this probably has something to do with the Orthodox being a small minority here as well as the large influx of former protestants and Roman Catholics who bring along a bit of anti roman baggage. I really don’t believe that the Orthodox here are “more Orthodox” then the Orthodox in Europe.
M
MariaGoretti88
Guest
I find it spiritually damaging to assert that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father alone and the faulty explanations they give. That Papal Infallibility does not ever exist in any context. The no one is born with Original Sin, but rather inherits a propensity to sin. That the Dormition of the Theotokos is pious belief, but not dogma. That the term Transubstantiation is an insult to the Mystery of the Eucharist. The Aerial Toll-Houses frighten me and I blogged about how I wanted my particular judgment to be in the hands of God alone, not Him cooperating with demons who are the principal judges while my Guardian Angel just stands back and watches. That the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin is unnecessary if she was conceived the same way as all flesh.What doctrines are offensive?
There are things that I greatly admire, such as the prayers, the mysticism, the mystery of the spirituality, and the icons, but I don’t think the Eastern Orthodox have a monopoly on that so much that in order to benefit from them, I’d have to betray the Church of Rome and join the Orthodox Church.
Fair enough, I must remember that here in the US there are a lot of young converts to Eastern Orthodoxy who generally come from Protestant evangelical backgrounds which is naturally zealous mixed in with being a convert which sparks greater zeal and being young men who are pretty aggressive in the first place. Father has spoken with them many times about their tendancy to be uncharitable and forceful and impatient when dealing with inquirers and heathens. That said, some of the best friends I’ve ever made :’( and I wish I knew traditional Catholics that were equally passionate and in proximity to me. Suffice it to say, though, that these Orthodox were very hostile towards Roman Catholicism although a few have expressed interest in the Extraordinary Form to see what it’s like. I told them it’s a far cry in solemnity from a good Divine Liturgy, but a beautiful and holy expression of Roman Catholicism nonetheless and my preferred way of worship (but I also love the Ordinary Form and any form of worship where Christ becomes truly present, although this was not always the case as I’ve softened up a lot lol).
Oh don’t even get me started on Protestantism…
Praise! That is amazing and I wish I had a relic of her! But I do agree that partaking of Sacraments (Mysteries), especially the Blessed Sacrament, is a profound way of giving assent to the creeds and belief of the Church in addition to making the soul either pleasing or more pleasing to God, but even in danger of death, with my current beliefs, I could not give full assent to the Eastern Orthodox Church or any religion that is not part of the Roman Catholic Church (Eastern Catholics are Roman Catholics in my mind because their visible head is in Rome and they belong to THAT Church regardless of their disciplines, rites, practices, etc.).I couldn’t help noticing your handle.
I have a relic of Saint Maria Goretti in a crucifix
I understand, I feel about the same way. I have no animosity whatever, but no desire at all to receive Roman Catholic sacraments, so I can respect your position.
C
countertenor
Guest
Yes, I have been communed in they Syriac Orthodox, and the Malankara Syrian Orthodox, Churches. I’ve also been told by the priest of ROCOR that I can commune in his parish if I attend as well as an Antiochean priest.
M
MariaGoretti88
Guest
To these, I will give the same response that I give to my fellow Catholic Student Association memebers at my school when they say things like “That’s not true, you’re allowed to do that, my priest has done it before.”
Just because it’s done doesn’t mean it’s allowed =/
I realize that the ethos factor of these students (who are probably from parishes that do questionable things) is much less than the more experienced Orthodox priests, but even a saint can make a mistake and that can cause scandal eyebrows raised/hesitant look on face
For the Orthodox faithful who are trying to piously and religiously live the faith, I think it’s hurtful to them if they were to find out that Roman Catholics are receiving their Sacraments in the same way that faithful Catholics probably would be if the Orthodox were receiving ours. (People may make comparisons with the Prodigal Son’s brother or with the Workers in the Vineyard who worked all day, but eeek no!).
All that said, I am sure that the Orthodox here would give preference to their own ministers for last rites just as Catholics would for ours and I’m not saying that anyone here would get the ‘other’ priest just because they ‘could’ if they were in such a situation.
I just feel like my confidence would be much more at ease if I just avoid receiving Orthodox Sacraments. That’s my personal piety. I feel like Divine Providence would provide me with what I need at the moment of death (some may say that Divine Providence might provide an Orthodox priest, but that’s not how i personally feel).
I do call Orthodox priests Father, I do cross myself when the Chalice passes by or if I pass an Orthodox church, if I’m in the nave while Confessions are being heard in an Orthodox church, I respect that and listen to the Pslams chanted (I like that), and I’m reverent in their Liturgies like at a Catholic Mass because although their Sacraments and religion may be illegal, they are real Sacraments in my mind nonetheless. I just don’t want to receive them because of Law and not believing their doctrines.
To theQueen, I hope you’re doing better and are recovering well! Prayers for you
M
MariaGoretti88
Guest
I mean, if technically you’re allowed to, no one can really tell you you’re sinning if you would do something like that. I hate these grey areas, but eh well…
And I totally agree with what you wrote in parentheses, if you’re in the US or happen to hit a rOCOR church somewhere outside of Russia, those priests or bishops don’t seem like they’d give the Sacraments anyways to non-Orthodox =/
C
Cavaradossi
Guest
I find dual agency in Christology to be an offensive affront against the dignity of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, and a spiritually damaging teaching. In addition, I find non-single subject Christology to be offensive. Even more spiritually damaging, however, is the philosophical tendency of certain religious philosophers (there are no theologians outside of Orthodoxy, because nobody outside of the True Church can come to know God) towards essentialism which has destroyed the personal God revealed to us by Christ and the Holy Spirit. How dare others not believe what I believe! 
- Status