How is attending an Orthodox Sunday Divine Liturgy viewed by the Eastern Catholic Churches?

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Zekariya

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I am quite familiar with the fact the Western Catholics are obligated to attend Mass on Sunday and going to an Orthodox Church does not fulfill this obligation. I also know that the notion of obligation is a very Western Idea.

Are Byzantine Catholics allowed to attend an Orthodox Divine Liturgy on Sunday instead of a Catholic Mass/Divine Liturgy? How does the East view this (especially with the close connections between the Orthodox and Eastern Catholics)?

Thanks! 🙂
 
ya Zekariya 🙂 … what a question! How the East (not to mention the Orient) views it would, I suppose, depend on how slavish the respondent is to the Roman-imposed CCEO. 😉
 
malphono said:
ya Zekariya 🙂 … what a question! How the East (not to mention the Orient) views it would, I suppose, depend on how slavish the respondent is to the Roman-imposed CCEO. 😉
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Ha ha! 😃 If Western Catholics can attend an SSPX parish for Sunday Mass, can we not attend an Orthodox parish for Sunday Divine Liturgy… 😉
 
Zekariya said:
Ha ha! 😃 If Western Catholics can attend an SSPX parish for Sunday Mass, can we not attend an Orthodox parish for Sunday Divine Liturgy… 😉
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😃 My position on the matter is no secret around here. 😉 But hold on to your girdle for the onslaught of counter arguments. :eek: 😛
 
No
because the Orthodox aren’t Catholic. Only in a dire situation that this
permitted. That is, if no catholic church (western or eastern) is
available can one attend an Orthodox church for Sunday mass/liturgy.

This rule is binding on the whole church
 
This may be your position, but its not the official Catholic position. You are welcome, even encouraged to attend the Eastern Churches, but don’t skip a Catholic Liturgy by attending Sat evening if you plan to go to a non-Catholic Eastern Church.
 
SyroMalankara said:
This may be your position, but its not the official Catholic position. You are welcome, even encouraged to attend the Eastern Churches, but don’t skip a Catholic Liturgy by attending Sat evening if you plan to go to a non-Catholic Eastern Church.
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I agree with what you said and yet still hold to what I said.

Attending an Orthodox liturgy for the sake of attentinding is fine.
However attending one in replacement of your catholic liturgy (to fulfill your Sunday obligation) is not allowed. You can’t attend a non-catholic liturgy to fulfill your Sunday obligation unless in the situation stipulated in my previous post. That is Church teaching.
 
The reverence given to God in Orthodox Liturgy, is sublime. I cannot imagine our Father saying “No, that is not sufficient.”

Yes, the Roman Catholic faith is in Communion with certain Eastern Churches which have decided to submit to the authority of the Roman Pontiff (the Pope.) However, I remember the desire Pope John Paul II expressed in reuniting East and West completey.
As an insightful and incredibly blessed forward thinker, I believe that there will come a time when the answer to your question is affirmative.

The present divisions are complicated, but not impossible to resoleve (in my opinion.) Many Eastern Churches remain firmly opposed to unification with Rome. As you may explore their position, you may see that some of their concerns have validity. I don’t think for example, that the Russian, Greek, Romanian, Syrian, nor Antiochan Orthodox Churches will come into Communion with Rome anytime soon.

As an individual who was Confirmed in both Churches, I think I can relate to the impression that attending either Eastern Liturgy or a Roman Catholic Mass, is a fulfillment of God’s expectation of Sabbath obedience. BUT, you won’t find an official approval of this from either Church. Sometimes, you have to follow your heart and soul.
 
My line of thinking is…

Rome officially does not seek the reception of Orthodox Christians into Communion with Rome. I was baptized and chrismated in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Just because I now affirm the Pope, does it mean that I should not attend the Sunday Orthodox Divine Liturgy anymore (unless I also go to a Catholic one)? It was okay for me to attend it until I accepted the Pope? The Pope does not seek out the reception of EOs but, if I accept the Pope, I must attend Sunday DL/Mass in a Catholic parish?

It does not make sense to me. 😛
 
malphono said:
ya Zekariya 🙂 … what a question! How the East (not to mention the Orient) views it would, I suppose, depend on how slavish the respondent is to the Roman-imposed CCEO. 😉
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Rome has the authority to impose the CCEO, yes?
 
Zekariya said:
I do not have access to a source at the moment. However, it is found in recent Popes’ statements (Pope JP2, Pope Benedict XVI, etc).
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Not proselytizing nations is not the same thing as not requiring individual converts to be formally and juridically received into the Catholic Church.
 
aemcpa said:
Not proselytizing nations is not the same thing as not requiring individual converts to be formally and juridically received into the Catholic Church.
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The Catholic Church considers the Orthodox Churches her sisters. Orthodox Christians do not convert to the Catholic Church but, rather, choose to be in Communion with Rome.
 
Zekariya said:
The Catholic Church considers the Orthodox Churches her sisters. Orthodox Christians do not convert to the Catholic Church but, rather, choose to be in Communion with Rome.
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An Orthodox Christian must still be publicly and formally received into the Church.
Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches:
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.

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.
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o.k. so you’re asking for an Eastern response…I am not Eastern…however I have a dear friend that is an Eastern Orthodox Priest and we have some great conversations …nor aruguments…I have been to his Devine Liturgy…but not to fulfill my obligation to attend Mass…and…I didn’t receive Communion…They do not mind that we attend their Liturgical Service…but we are not in their community therefore we can not receive their Sacraments…however…I am told that in an emergency…things might change …PAX
 
There’s no blanket answer to many of those statements. Some Orthodox do allow Catholics to receive Sacraments, especially Catholics in mixed families - and especially among Oriental Orthodox (Syriac, Armenian, etc). Some Eastern Catholic bishops interpret the phrase “attend a Catholic Liturgy” widely, meaning the Liturgy is Catholic and valid even when celebrated by a valid Orthodox priest. This is between an individual and his priest/bishop and can’t be broadly imposed. The agreement between the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch and his Eastern Catholic counterparts, as well as the Pope allows for Catholics to attend Orthodox Liturgy and Sacraments “for familial, moral, or exceptional” circumstances. From the joint declaration between the Churches, Sec9:
Our identity in faith, though not yet complete, entitles us to envisage collaboration between our Churches in pastoral care, in situations which nowadays are frequent both because of the dispersion of our faithful throughout the world and because of the precarious conditions of these difficult times. It is not rare, in fact, for our faithful to find access to a priest of their own Church materially or morally impossible. Anxious to meet their needs and with their spiritual benefit in mind, we authorize them in such cases to ask for the Sacraments of Penance, Eucharist and Anointing of the Sick from lawful priests of either of our two sister Churches, when they need them. It would be a logical corollary of collaboration in pastoral care to cooperate in priestly formation and theological education. Bishops are encouraged to promote sharing of facilities for theological education where they judge it to be advisable. While doing this we do not forget that we must still do all in our power to achieve the full visible communion between the Catholic Church and the Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch and ceaselessly implore our Lord to grant us that unity which alone will enable us to give to the world a fully unanimous Gospel witness.
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If Divine Liturgy was not available to me, I would prefer to visit the Orthodox, but would not be able to receive Communion. I would have to be content with a spiritual communion. Saying that, my husband would go to the RC church, not the Orthodox, but around here there is much shinanigans going on in the RC churches, and he will not go up for communion there. Whatever he chooses for the day, I would submit my will to his choice. 😉

I love our Orthodox brothers and sisters and when it comes to faith, I have more in common with them than the RCs. I have had RC friends say unkind comments about the Eastern Churches because they are too ‘patristic’, denying women their rightful roles in the church, too oppressive, blah blah blah. lol They have no appreciation for the Liturgy. That’s not the case for every RC person of course, but I’ve been raked over the coals by some, and gave thanks to God that I could suffer by my own Catholic brothers and sisters, like He did by his own, but in a very small and miniscule way. 😃 There’s nothing more joyful to meet an Orthodox in a public place like the mall and say Glory to Jesus Christ, and have them reply Glory Forever!! 👍
 
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