Greetings in Christ,
I was wondering how a orthodox christian like me could become catholic, what are the steps, and what are some good reasons? I have become very interested in the Rcc and I can feel like God is pulling me to the church. Can anyone help me?
I’m taking the quoted canons backwards… for a reason.
Per canon law - you must make before the pastor a public attesting of the Catholic Faith. Usually, this includes the Symbol (the creed), and the affirmation of acceptance of the pope.
CCEO Canon 897
A member of the Christian faithful of an Eastern non-Catholic Church is to be received into the Catholic Church with only the profession of the Catholic faith, after doctrinal and spiritual preparation according to each one’s condition.
(
intratext.com/IXT/ENG1199/_POX.HTM)
Properly, you are
NOT required to go through RCIA - you’re already fully initiated, validly baptized and confirmed, and further, that’s the preparations for baptism of the unbaptized or confirmation of the baptized protestants. You
are supposed to take instructions as may be needed. Can. 896 prohibits unneeded hoops:
[CCEO] TITLE 17
Baptized Non-Catholics Coming into Full Communion with the Catholic Church
[CCEO] Canon 896
Whether it is a group or an individual, no obligation except what is necessary can be imposed on the Christian faithful who have been baptized in non-Catholic Churches or ecclesial communities and who ask of their own to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church.
intratext.com/IXT/ENG1199/_POW.HTM
You can begin receiving the sacraments at the point where you feel that you are morally and/or physically justified in practicing in the Catholic Church and have the local pastor’s permission.
[CCEO] Canon 671
- Catholic ministers licitly administer the sacraments only to Catholic Christian faithful, who, likewise, licitly receive the sacraments only from Catholic ministers.
- If necessity requires it or genuine spiritual advantage suggests it and provided that the danger of error or indifferentism is avoided, it is permitted for Catholic Christian faithful, for whom it is physically or morally impossible to approach a Catholic minister, to receive the sacraments of penance, the Eucharist and anointing of the sick from non-Catholic ministers, in whose Churches these sacraments are valid.
3. Likewise Catholic ministers licitly administer the sacraments of penance, the Eucharist and anointing of the sick to Christian faithful of Eastern Churches, who do not have full communion with the Catholic Church, if they ask for them on their own and are properly disposed. This holds also for the Christian faithful of other Churches, who according to the judgment of the Apostolic See, are in the same condition as the Eastern Churches as far as the sacraments are concerned.
- If there is a danger of death or another matter of serious necessity in the judgment of the eparchial bishop, the synod of bishops of the patriarchal Church or the council of hierarchs, Catholic ministers licitly administer the same sacraments also to other Christians not having full communion with the Catholic Church, who cannot approach the ministers of their own ecclesial communities and who request them on their own, provided they manifest a faith consonant with that of the Catholic Church concerning these sacraments and are rightly disposed.
- For the cases in 2, 3 and 4, norms of particular law are to be enacted only after consultation with at least the local competent authority of the non-Catholic Church or ecclesial community concerned.
(intratext.com/IXT/ENG1199/_PIN.HTM, Emphasis mine)
If you are in instruction prior to reception, you’re probably in the “genuine spiritual advantage” case, and indifferentism is unlikely.
Note that you are canonically part of whichever EC church is closest to the EO church of your chrismation.
You need to discuss with your pastor individually. As a practical matter, you can be a
practicing Catholic simply by registering with the parish, but to actually be formally Catholic, as is needed for the baptism of your children, you should make the formal profession and enrollment.
Note that if you want to change your enrollment from whichever EC church to the Roman, you may need to do some hoop jumping… specifically in the form of impassioned pleas to the relevant bishops, and convince them to get the exception from Rome. To a different ECC, much easier… but also not essential if you are not seeking ordination.
Now, there are other issues if you’ve been ordained (even to candle bearer) - because your EO or OO ordination is valid, too. But unless that’s the case, sufficie it to say, it’s not an impediment, just a bit more detail is in the canons.
