Conversion questions from Orthodoxy

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ThatOtherOrthodoxGuy

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Hello All,

Im sure this has already been answered and if it has, Im sorry. I was not raised Catholic or Orthodox but was actually raised Southern Baptist. When I was 14 (26 now) I knew that there had to be more to Christianity and Baptist theology did not make sense to me. So I started reading about the Early Church Fathers and studying Church history. I spent two years studying before I decided to convert to Catholicism. I spent the next 6 years faithfully attending Mass and weekly Confession.

The Parish I attended was very conservative and then after the new priest came to our Parish he changed everything and became very liberal and he refereed to the Holy Eucharist as his, “Greatest magic trick.” So I ended up leaving the Parish and Catholicism all together. I became Orthodox and after 4 years I can say I miss the Church and I feel like it calls to me. What should I do? Because Im not sure what to do?

Thank You.
 
You were baptised as a Catholic right? Then all you have to do is go for confession… I THINK. Or you can directly talk to a priest. I was Protestant for a few MONTHS (I didn’t get baptised or anything). All I did was go for confession. I later asked à priest if everything is fine, he told me that as long as I mentioned it in confession, it’s good.

And by Orthodox, do you mean the Russian Orthodox Church? Were you baptised there?
 
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I was baptized in the Catholic Church and in the Russian Orthodox Church.
 
Then I guess you must mention that in confession. But yes, once you’re Catholic, you’re always Catholic. You just have to go to confession my friend. Or if you feel you need more time but need advice, you can talk to a priest.

And BTW, welcome back! We missed you. And if any bad jokes like this anger you again, just offer a prayer of reparation.
 
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Come back! Don’t let the ridiculousness of someone, even a priest, keep you from the Truth!

Speak with the pastor of whatever parish you go to (hopefully it’s not that one with the magic trick).
 
Are you serious?
This is not a reason to leave the one true faith.
If you want to find another parish fine.
 
Keep in mind, the efficacy of a Sacrament has nothing to do with the personal Holiness of the priest. The Ordained Priest is an acting instrument of Christ.

You know what to do if your being called.
 
Greetings,

Just out of curiosity why did you head east? Liturgy, spiritual? Or was it just that you didn’t see stuff like you mentioned in the Orthodox Churches?

ZP
 
I am deeply saddened whenever I hear these kind of stories. I mean, people are turned off because of the actions of some priests. All I can say is that please go beyond the priest in your parish. What I mean by that is our faith is not central to the priests on our parishes. Continue to pray, and receive the sacraments. After all, it is ex opere operato. The one who performs the Sacraments is Christ and not the priest. Christ always does it perfectly even if the priest is sinful, lazy, or whatever his human weakness is.

I suggest that you write to your bishop regarding the priest saying that the Eucharist is a magic trick. This is heresy.
 
Well, a couple reasons actually. I do agree with the Orthodox view on the filioque and with priests being married. But at the moment in time I mainly worked with Russians who do not like the Catholic Church. Plus I felt the Orthodox Church was more traditional. I hope this answered your question.
 
Well, you could attend a Roman Catholic Church and receive the Sacraments and live an eastern spiritual life; Jesus prayer, Liturgy of the Hours (check out Eastern Catholic Publication app, ECPubs for iPhone and Android) and attend vespers on Saturday nights at a local Orthodox Church.

ZP
 
Well, you seem to have a real difficulty! First off, I would find a Catholic priest to talk to that you trust. As the others have said, Reconciliation is all that is necessary to come back.

That you feel called to the Catholic Church, despite your local church being terrible, I can only attribute to a seriousness about the Holy Spirit, that prioritizes your instinct that the Catholic Church’s claims about the nature of its apostolic charismatic offices are veritable, and that this is where Christian doctrine is truest expressed. Or, you just feel called by God for some reason you don’t know. All are pretty compelling.

I think the above recommendation about how to develop and cultivate your Eastern spirituality is great. Icons, Eastern Liturgy of the Hours, Eastern Chant, perfect perfect. Further, if I were you, I would ask to become a member of the Eastern rite (you can ask for a transfer of rite in the Catholic Church). Thus you would be subject to Eastern holy days, Eastern fasting days, etc.

It is a true shame that you have no Eastern churches in your area. But if you feel that God is calling you to the Catholic Church, even if your local parishes are not great, maybe you are called - at this time in your life - to go through something of a trial, spiritually. Who knows? There is a spiritual fruit to be gained from having a bad parish. And, good news, there probably is at least a better one than the one that turned you off somewhere in your area.

Finally, I assume that this is all something you have heard before, so skip it if you want, but if it helps to hear that the Orthodox and the Catholics are not so far apart on filioque, I say it hear for you to read if you want. If this is a cliche, just forget it, haha

Since you mention the filioque controversy, that is, as I am sure you know, in the view of many both East and West, a historically necessary controversy to cause disunion between two politically opposed bodies in what was really a slow separation of East and West, that was not neatly cleaved in 1054, but took the next 5 centuries to fully occur. In fact, as you may find, in 1439 at the Council of Florence, the West and East actually DID come to agree on the filioque controversy! The East did not retract its agreement until years later, for what no one really disputes to be largely political reasons (as far as I have read). There was hope for progress in 1513, but with the East being subjected to Muslim invasions and the West about to deal with the Protestant Revolution, that was still-born.
 
Thank you, for your response. I have a opportunity to go to confession tomorrow or Saturday and Im going to go. There is a parish near me that seems like a good parish. Ill just have to figure out how to confess this.
 
I went to confession and have come back home to the Church. I just wanted to let everyone know, if anyone was curious. Thank you all for your support and help with this. I do appreciate all of you.
 
ThatOtherOrthodoxGuy said:
I went to confession and have come back home to the Church. I just wanted to let everyone know, if anyone was curious. Thank you all for your support and help with this. I do appreciate all of you.
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Thank you for the update and welcome home! Let us all continue to pray for unity of the churches of God.
 
Indeed we should. May our most holy Mother pray for us.
 
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