Eastern Catholics: How are your relations with the Eastern Orthodox?

[Randy_Carson]

I’m a former Protestant convert to the Catholic Church - 35 years ago.

Here in the southern portion of the US, there aren’t many opportunities to interact with either EC or EO. In fact, everything I know about Orthodoxy I’ve gotten from reading books and websites and chatting with EO in these forums.

I’m just curious: How would you characterize the relations between Eastern Catholics and Eastern Orthodox? Personally and at the parish and hierarchy levels.

Indifferent? Cordial? Tense? Hostile?

Thanks.

 

[TheDoors]

Well, personally I’ve met with and prayed with several members of the Orthodox Church of America, and we all seem to get on just fine. However, from what I read coming from Moscow, I wouldn’t expect a warm reception from a Russian Orthodox Church.

 

[RyanBlack]

Here in the southern portion of the US, there aren’t many opportunities to interact with either EC or EO. In fact, everything I know about Orthodoxy I’ve gotten from reading books and websites and chatting with EO in these forums.

I notice you live in the Diocese of Raleigh. When I was a student at Duke Divinity School, I was chrismated at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church (OCA), which is now located in Morrisville. The pastor there, Fr. Edward Rommen, is very kind and gracious. Also, there is a Ruthenian Catholic parish (Ss. Cyril and Methodius) in Cary. In Durham, there is St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church. Also, there is Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Raleigh. You might go see for yourself.

 

[twf]

I’m a fellow Latin, not an Eastern Catholic, but I have worshiped at both EC and EO divine liturgies. One of my first cousins is Ukrainian Orthodox (convert from Protestantism to Eastern Orthodoxy) and we get along very well - many fruitful email exchanges. His jurisdiction (Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada) falls under the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and as you may know from the news, relations between Rome and the Ecumenical Patriarch are very warm right now. My cousin is unlike many Orthodox on this forum in that he agrees with most Catholics that majority of our differences are differences in expression rather than fundamental differences in the substance of the faith. I think he put it like this: the same essential substance but cloaked in very different philosophical outlooks. His parents (Protestants) are also investigating Eastern Orthodoxy now and when I attended their parish I was very well received. The choir director noted that “there is more that unites us than separates us” and the priest (a convert from Pentecostalism himself) was very warm and described our two Churches as a single family that is currently not on speaking terms.

Years ago when I attended the divine liturgy at a Melkite Greek Catholic mission in Vancouver, BC a few times, I was surprised to learn that not only did a significant number of Antiochian Orthodox regularly worship there, but they also communed there. The Melkite mission was the only Divine Liturgy celebrated in Arabic in the region, and the local Orthodox Christians of Middle Eastern descent had no issue communing with their Catholic brethren.
You’ll find that on the ground relations vary WILDLY. Attitudes as well. There are some who acknowledge that Christ is truly present in the Catholic Eucharist, while others will refuse to even address or refer to the Pope as a bishop.

 

[Randy_Carson]

I notice you live in the Diocese of Raleigh. When I was a student at Duke Divinity School, I was chrismated at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church (OCA), which is now located in Morrisville. The pastor there, Fr. Edward Rommen, is very kind and gracious. Also, there is a Ruthenian Catholic parish (Ss. Cyril and Methodius) in Cary. In Durham, there is St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church. Also, there is Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Raleigh. You might go see for yourself.

Some of those churches are just minutes from my home, so thank you for the suggestion!

But I asked about YOUR relations as an Eastern Catholic.