Greek Melkite and Roman attending a Greek Orthodox church

[MAG777]

Hello! My husband is Greek Melkite Catholic(from Lebanon) and I am Roman Catholic. He feels he may be more comfortable attending our local Greek Orthodox parish. I attended a Melkite divine liturgy once, is Greek Orthodox the same or similar? May we have communion there?

 

[Ghosty]

Hello! My husband is Greek Melkite Catholic(from Lebanon) and I am Roman Catholic. He feels he may be more comfortable attending our local Greek Orthodox parish. I attended a Melkite divine liturgy once, is Greek Orthodox the same or similar? May we have communion there?

The Greek Orthodox Liturgy should be almost identical to the Melkite Liturgy. As for receiving Communion, approach the priest and let him know your situation; it’s possible that you will be allowed to receive, but not certain.

Peace and God bless!

 

[MAG777]

Thanks! I’m looking foward to it

 

[MAG777]

This question may seem a bit silly. Should I kneel and cross myself upon entering the pew?

 

[Deacon_Ed]

This question may seem a bit silly. Should I kneel and cross myself upon entering the pew?

No. When you enter an Byzantine church, whether it’s Orthodox or Catholic, the tradition is to kiss the icons at the entrance (Christ first and then Mary – on the HAND) then before entering the pew (if there are pews) bow to the holy place and cross yourself.

Deacon Ed

 

[MAG777]

Thanks Deacon Ed!

 

[mullenpm]

The OP states that she is Roman Catholic and her husband is a Greek Melkite Catholic.

She is asking if they may receive Holy Communion at a Greek Orthodox church.

First, the Greek Orthodox church is not Catholic and I am assuming that they would not offer the Sacrament to Catholics.

Why would you not want to attend a Catholic Church and receive the Sacraments because, for a Catholic, not attending Mass on every Sunday and Holy Day is a grave sin and requires Sacramental Confession. If you begin attending the Greek Orthodox church for services on Sunday you are not abiding by your duty as a Catholic.

 

[Ghosty]

The OP states that she is Roman Catholic and her husband is a Greek Melkite Catholic.

She is asking if they may receive Holy Communion at a Greek Orthodox church.

First, the Greek Orthodox church is not Catholic and I am assuming that they would not offer the Sacrament to Catholics.

Why would you not want to attend a Catholic Church and receive the Sacraments because, for a Catholic, not attending Mass on every Sunday and Holy Day is a grave sin and requires Sacramental Confession. If you begin attending the Greek Orthodox church for services on Sunday you are not abiding by your duty as a Catholic.

The reason is that the Latin Rite is not the tradition of the Melkite husband, and if he’s not able to practice his tradition it will likely be lost. His Catholic tradition will likely best be preserved by attending the Greek Orthodox parish; this doesn’t mean he ceases to be Catholic.

Under Canon Law, his wishes are appropriate. Here’s the relevant Canons from the Latin Code (the Eastern Code is identical on this matter):

§2. Whenever necessity requires it or true spiritual advantage suggests it, and provided that danger of error or of indifferentism is avoided, the Christian faithful for whom it is physically or morally impossible to approach a Catholic minister are permitted to receive the sacraments of penance, Eucharist, and anointing of the sick from non-Catholic ministers in whose Churches these sacraments are valid.

In this case there is true spiritual advantage in the Melkite Christian attending the Orthodox Divine Liturgy.

Peace and God bless!

 

[mullenpm]

I don’t know where the OP lives but I hope that somewhere convenient, there is an Eastern Catholic church for them to attend.

I understand the husband’s desire to maintain his Eastern culture, and I think that is admirable; but, he would probably wish for his wife to attend church with him and that would be sinful for her to neglect her duty to attend her own church.

As a Greek Melkite, is there an obligation (like our obligation to attend Mass on Sunday) for him to attend a Melkite service?

Perhaps we would have a more correct response if someone of the Orthodox rite would respond.

 

[Ghosty]

I don’t know where the OP lives but I hope that somewhere convenient, there is an Eastern Catholic church for them to attend.

I understand the husband’s desire to maintain his Eastern culture, and I think that is admirable; but, he would probably wish for his wife to attend church with him and that would be sinful for her to neglect her duty to attend her own church.

As a Greek Melkite, is there an obligation (like our obligation to attend Mass on Sunday) for him to attend a Melkite service?

Perhaps we would have a more correct response if someone of the Orthodox rite would respond.

Actually, the OP would be covered by the Canon I cited, so she’s clear to attend the Greek Orthodox Church without needing to attend a Latin one (at least by my, and most other Eastern Catholic, interpretations). Remember, it’s not a denial of the Catholic Faith in any way, shape, or form.

As for obligation, there’s no obligation to attend a Melkite/Byzantine Liturgy per se, but we do have the obligation to maintain and uphold the various Catholic traditions, and attending a Greek Orthodox Liturgy may be the best/only way to do so in this case. So long as it’s done to maintain one’s Catholicity, and not to abandon it, it’s a service to the Church since it means keeping the Melkite tradition going, which feeds the Catholic Communion as a whole.

As a side note, it’s not uncommon for things to go the other direction as well. Our local Melkite mission has numerous Eastern Orthodox (Antiochian Orthodox, to be specific) members, some on the Parish Council. Their reason? They want to maintain their traditions, and the local Melkite community is the best place to do so. They still consider themselves Orthodox, and we call them Orthodox. In my opinion it is a great way to begin breaking down the artificial barriers that have been built up between us over the centuries. Just imagine the benefit of having a “Catholic voice” in the Orthodox community, and visa versa!

Peace and God bless!

 

[mullenpm]

Ghosty, of course it would be a denial of the OP’s Catholic faith, in every shape and form, to attend a Greek Orthodox church and receive the sacraments in place of attending a Catholic Church. The Canon you cite in no way covers their reasons for attending the local Greek Orthodox church.

The OP’s reason for attending a Greek Orthodox church is simply because her husband would be more comfortable attending that church.

I am sorry but your argument does not hold weight. She has an obligation to attend a Catholic Church to fulfill her Sunday obligation (this would not exclude her attending an Eastern Catholic Church with her husband, of course).

I think that the OP should approach her Priest and ask for his advice in this matter because I am afraid that she will be led astray without proper guidance.

 

[Aramis]

Ghosty, of course it would be a denial of the OP’s Catholic faith, in every shape and form, to attend a Greek Orthodox church and receive the sacraments in place of attending a Catholic Church. The Canon you cite in no way covers their reasons for attending the local Greek Orthodox church.

Canon law doesn’t seem to agree. The text Ghosty cites exists in both the CCEO (Eastern Canon Law) and the CIC (Latin).

The Antiochian church has a unofficial but widespread acceptance of Melkites to communion.

The CCEO canon adds that the obligation is to assist frequently at a divine worship service of “any Catholic rite”… the Antiochian curch and the Melkite church share the same rite (Byzantine) and sub-rite (Syro-Byzantine), same traditions, and nearly identical liturgies. The Rite is catholic, even tho’ the parish isn’t.

Further, the Eastern Churches not in union, per the canon Bro. Ghosty cites, are permitted. It is usually to the spiritual advantage, and in line with the vatican II directives on the integrity of the Eastern Churches, as well as the writings of popes Pius X, XI, and XII, John XXIII, and John Paul II, for Eastern Catholics to do as much as possible to retain their Eastern praxis. The directory on Ecumenism notes that attending an Orthodox liturgy fulfills the Latin Obligation, even if one has access to a Catholic Church, if one has educational or familial reasons to be there. The V II documents also note that a Latin spouse is strongly encouraged to take up the ECC praxis, in order to preserve the Eastern Churches.

So, provided she’s not indifferent to the (very small, tho not always minor) differences in ecclesiology and theology, attending the liturgy to be worshiping with her husband is a commitment to unity within the family, and a natural part of Catholic marriage. (See V II post conciliar documents.) That she’s asking indicates a lack of indifference.

He’s not doing anything wrong by so doing; the Melkite church routinely allows Orthodox to be parishioners without giving up their status as Orthodox. Further, many Melkites have been advised they may attend Antiochian Orthodox parishes when no Catholic Byzantine Rite parishes are available; latin praxis is very alien to some Byzantines. Plus the calendar differences, and more.

She has compelling reason to go, and is obviously not indifferent, and it is to their mutual spiritual advantage to share liturgical prayer with her husband at least periodically. Therefore, it’s pretty clear that she meets the standard for the canon.

 

[chrisb]

Grace and Peace,

There is the old saying that ‘one goes where they are fed’. We must ask ourselves why they are fed at the Orthodox Parish and not the Catholic Parish? Within this answer will be the determining faulth either of the individual or the institution. To assume such is a faulth within the individual is a blindness or bias of the observer.

 

[Ghosty]

Grace and Peace,

There is the old saying that ‘one goes where they are fed’. We must ask ourselves why they are fed at the Orthodox Parish and not the Catholic Parish? Within this answer will be the determining faulth either of the individual or the institution. To assume such is a faulth within the individual is a blindness or bias of the observer.

Well, in this case they are fed at the Orthodox parish because it is of the Rite the husband practices. It’s not necessarily because of anything lacking in the Latin Church, other than the fact that it’s Latin and not Byzantine; even if they had the most orthodox and beautiful Latin parish, this would still be an issue.

Mullenpm: The Canon does indeed cover the OP’s situation, since it would be spiritual advantageous for her to attend and receive (if allowed) Communion. She’s not indicated any indifference to the Catholic Faith; as Aramis pointed out, the fact that she’s raising the question here indicates that she’s anything but indifferent.

As for her having to attend a Catholic Liturgy as well, there’s no obligation to do so since the Orthodox Liturgy fulfills her obligation. I would even say that making such a double obligation smacks of the Pharisees who were rebuked by Jesus for tying people up with heavy burdens and not lifting a finger to help. I’m not accusing you of doing so, I’m just saying that the approach in general fits the bill, IMO.

Peace and God bless!

 

[chrisb]

Well, in this case they are fed at the Orthodox parish because it is of the Rite the husband practices. It’s not necessarily because of anything lacking in the Latin Church, other than the fact that it’s Latin and not Byzantine; even if they had the most orthodox and beautiful Latin parish, this would still be an issue.

Grace and Peace,

You are correct but do you not also have a certain sense of concern for such a couple to worship in an environment where there exists a great deal of polemics as there exists between Orthodox and Catholics? That is the only valid concern that I can find.

 

[Ghosty]

Grace and Peace,

You are correct but do you not also have a certain sense of concern for such a couple to worship in an environment where there exists a great deal of polemics as there exists between Orthodox and Catholics? That is the only valid concern that I can find.

It depends on how much of a polemic attitude exists at this parish. It could be a concern if it’s a very anti-Catholic environment, and if that becomes the case it might not be healthy for them to stay. That being said, it might be a good opportunity for them to solidify their Catholic beliefs as well.

Peace and God bless!

 

[mullenpm]

Ghosty,

**“As for her having to attend a Catholic Liturgy as well, there’s no obligation to do so since the Orthodox Liturgy fulfills her obligation.” **

You are saying that if a Roman Catholic decides to attend a NON-CATHOLIC service on any Sunday that Catholic is filfilling their obligation to attend a Catholic Mass. Is that what you are saying? That is so far from the truth that I am shocked.

 

[bpbasilphx]

Ghosty,

**“As for her having to attend a Catholic Liturgy as well, there’s no obligation to do so since the Orthodox Liturgy fulfills her obligation.” **

You are saying that if a Roman Catholic decides to attend a NON-CATHOLIC service on any Sunday that Catholic is filfilling their obligation to attend a Catholic Mass. Is that what you are saying? That is so far from the truth that I am shocked.

No, this is not being said.

What is being said is that a Latin Catholic may attend an ORTHODOX Divine Liturgy on Sunday or Holy Day, and fulfill his requirement for Mass attendance thereby.

There are official documents that support this.

Or are you saying that the Orthodox Divine Liturgy is on the same spiritual level as a Protestant preaching service?

Fie!

 

[wynd]

What is being said is that a Latin Catholic may attend an ORTHODOX Divine Liturgy on Sunday or Holy Day, and fulfill his requirement for Mass attendance thereby.

There are official documents that support this.

Can you show us? I’ve always heard the opposite (for Latins; Byzantine Catholics are another story).

 

[mullenpm]

No, no, no, bpbasilphx, that is not what I am saying.

This thread is about the “Greek Orthodox Church” which is not under the authority of Our Holy Father in Rome. It is a non-Catholic church.

If the husband of the OP would attend an Eastern Rite that is Catholic (and I know there are many such rites) then that would be a different story; they are Catholic and under the authority of Rome.

In that situation I would find nothing wrong at all with his wife attending such service and she would be fulfilling her obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days.

A problem on almost all threads on this forum is confusing the Greek Orthodox Church with Eastern Catholic churches. They are not the same, or has some statement come from the Vatican recently stating differently.