Hello Monica,
The Catholic Church recognizes the validity of all of the Sacraments/Mysteries of the Orthodox Church as well as their Apostolic Succession. The Catholic Church, just as she’s welcomed them in the past is ready to welcome home the remaining Orthodox Churches.
What is not usually made clear is that this invitation is conditional: The Orthodox are expected to add new dogmas to their teaching.
What is true is that the Orthodox church teaches nothing that the Roman Catholic church feels is heretical. Nonetheless, Pope Benedict did find an opportunity to call the Orthodox churches “defective”. The feeling is mutual.
For me personally, it is a bit confusing because I am a Greek Orthodox Christian, but have come back to the Catholic Church. I am told that as a Greek Orthodox Christian, I can receive validly the Sacraments in the Roman Catholic Church - the Roman Catholic Code of Canon Law allows for this. I consider myself Catholic, but according to the Catholic Church, I’m an Orthodox Christian - -]unless the Patriarch of Constantinople (since I’m Greek Orthodox) reunites with the Pope of Rome I remain Orthodox/-] - according to Catholic Teaching, but according to Orthodox Teaching, I am now a heretic.
Please understand that this is the early discipline of the church.
To commune with someone actually means that you are in agreement with the doctrines taught there. It signifies agreement. If one communed in an Arian church (why would anyone want to?
) one was considered for all practical purposes an Arian, in other words in agreement with Arian thought. If one communed in a Donatist church, likewise. If one communed in a Marcionite church, the same, and so it goes… This is the discipline of the early church.
One does not commune with heretics. It means one is automatically excommunicated, at the very least for disobedience. As an Orthodox Christian, one must seek and receive the approval of the bishop before approaching a non-Orthodox priest for the sacrament. The Catholic church knows this and makes it clear in it’s own instructions.
Because Catholics believe that the celebration of the Eucharist is a sign of the reality of the oneness of faith, life, and worship, members of those churches with whom we are not yet fully united are ordinarily not admitted to Holy Communion. Eucharistic sharing in exceptional circumstances by other Christians requires permission according to the directives of the diocesan bishop and the provisions of canon law (canon 844 § 4)
Members of the Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Polish National Catholic Church are urged to respect the discipline of their own Churches. According to Roman Catholic discipline, the Code of Canon Law does not object to the reception of communion by Christians of these Churches. (canon 844 § 3).
You would have the same problem with the Catholic church if you went to an Anglican, Lutheran or Assemblies of God parish for communion. I think if you petitioned the Catholic bishop for permission to receive the Eucharist in a Protestant church, the chancery would usually fire off a quick letter refusing your request, and explaining why. It would be a “catechetical opportunity” not to be missed.
If you have the prior approval of your Orthodox bishop, you may commune in the Catholic church and consider yourself Orthodox. In unusual circumstances, this may be possible. If you do not have this approval, or if you no longer consider an Orthodox bishop to be your bishop you might just as well not refer to yourself as Orthodox any more.
According to the Canons of the Catholic church, if you have converted you are automatically ascribed to the corresponding eastern Catholic church (and the local EC episcopal authority). (
I realize that you already know this.) That means the Catholic church does not really consider you Orthodox anymore. You are not a visiting Orthodox with your bishop’s permission to commune, you are (as you say) a Catholic… with a Catholic bishop.
I wonder if I have another child, will the Catholic Church then Chrismate my infant with Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Eucharist since they still consider me Orthodox and that’s what the Orthodox do, or will my baby be forbidden all but Baptism?
It depends upon the canonical ascription of your husband, presumably. The children will take on the canonical ascription of the father. If the father is, Latin, so is the child. If the father is Orthodox but agrees to raise the children as Catholic, the child will be EC. If the father is neither Catholic nor Orthodox I believe the child’s ascription will follow upon your ascription.
Also, the Latin parish will not normally be able to Chrismate your next child, because the priest is not the usual agent for that sacrament in the Latin church. If you want that done at the time of baptism you would have to go back to the Eastern Catholic priest, and if you (or your husband) were now somehow considered to be under control of the Latin bishop, the EC priest would presumably need permission from the local Latin bishop to proceed.
When I became Orthodox, I was brought into the Church through Chrismation. I would have thought coming back to the Catholic Church would be somewhat similar.
The Orthodox consider Chrismation as a repeatable sacrament. It is a healing sacrament.
The Latin church (and following upon Latin thought I guess the EC too) consider that Chrismation (Confirmation) not a repeatable sacrament, so if you have already been confirmed once they cannot do it again or use it to receive anyone who has been validly confirmed, either a returning Catholic or an Orthodox.
The Orthodox, for their part, will use Chrismation again on previously Chrismated Orthodox or Catholics as the need arises.
When I became Orthodox my bishop decided that I would be received through confession and communion. I decided that I would prefer to be Chrismated with the rest of the catechumens, and so I was.
I have a video of the Pope visiting the Patriarch of Constantinople…
I have noticed that the Pope’s seem to treat Orthodox patriarchs with a great deal more deference than they give to eastern Catholic patriarchs.
) that would be an extreme paraphrase at best.