Joining an Eastern Catholic Church

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psr13

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So, since I was confirmed in a schismatic church I have to be reconfirmed. My question is this. Since I’m not a Catholic yet would it be ok for me to join an Eastern church instead of the Latin rite? I’ve always been very drawn to the Eastern churches. My other question is this. My husband and I are going to be moving back to California. The area we are going to move to doesn’t have an Eastern church in the typical Latin Diocese. So, it would I be able to do this at a church that is in the next diocese over? It would be fine right, since they are all part of the same Eparchy? Thanks for any help.

ETA: I was not raised in a schismatic church. I was raised Protestant want was confirmed last year only.
 
psr13 said:
So, since I was confirmed in a schismatic church I have to be reconfirmed. My question is this. Since I’m not a Catholic yet would it be ok for me to join an Eastern church instead of the Latin rite? I’ve always been very drawn to the Eastern churches. My other question is this. My husband and I are going to be moving back to California. The area we are going to move to doesn’t have an Eastern church in the typical Latin Diocese. So, it would I be able to do this at a church that is in the next diocese over? It would be fine right, since they are all part of the same Eparchy? Thanks for any help.

ETA: I was not raised in a schismatic church. I was raised Protestant want was confirmed last year only.
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What church were you confirmed in?

If you desire, it is perfectly fine to become Catholic in an Eastern church. Eastern parishes have their own diocesan structure that is totally separate from the Latin dioceses, so the parishes you describe as being in different Latin dioceses could very well be in the same Eastern diocese. To me, it doesn’t really matter in the end because they are all in communion anyway.
 
It was an independent church that only celebrates the Latin Mass. It isn’t SSPX, but the confirmation still doesn’t count from what I gather. I ask because I know that Catholics have to go through some process in order to change to Eastern Catholic officially.
 
It’s readily allowed.

The question becomes, “Are you practicing in an eastern church?”

If so, it’s definitely the way to go: join the eastern church you practice in when you convert.
 
psr13 said:
It was an independent church that only celebrates the Latin Mass. It isn’t SSPX, but the confirmation still doesn’t count from what I gather. I ask because I know that Catholics have to go through some process in order to change to Eastern Catholic officially.
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It all sounds a bit mysterious, but first things first:

Your confirmation may or may not be valid, and without knowing the specifics, no one here can really say. My suggestion is to contact the bishop and give the specifics. At least you’ll have a better idea of where you stand on that front.

Yes, there is a process to change from one Church sui juris to another. But one first has to be a member of one of them. Once the first question is settled, the bishop will be able to help with the second too.
 
From everything I’ve been told, confirmation needs to be given by the bishop or he can give that power to a priest. However, this church isn’t in communion with Rome anyway. Every church I have talked to has said that I have to be reconfirmed. As such, does that mean it would be fine for me to join an Eastern Catholic Church instead of a Latin one is my question.
 
psr13 said:
From everything I’ve been told, confirmation needs to be given by the bishop or he can give that power to a priest. However, this church isn’t in communion with Rome anyway. Every church I have talked to has said that I have to be reconfirmed. As such, does that mean it would be fine for me to join an Eastern Catholic Church instead of a Latin one is my question.
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Not being in communion with Rome doesn’t mean the Catholic Church does not accept their sacraments. For example, the Orthodox churches are not in communion with Rome, but the CC accepts all their sacraments as valid.

As far as I know, if you are not already Catholic, you can become Catholic in any Catholic church without regard to your past religious affiliations. Some people give guidelines that Protestants and other Western Christians come into the Latin church and Orthodox Christians and other Eastern Christians come into the Catholic counterpart of their Orthodox church, but these guidelines are just that.
 
** The area we are going to move to doesn’t have an Eastern church in the typical Latin Diocese.**

**There are very few Latin dioceses that have Eastern Catholic Churches.

Most of the Eastern Catholic Churches have their own dioceses (eparchies) in this country, among them the Melkite, the Ruthenians, the Romanian Catholics, the Ukrainians, Chaldeans, and Maronites. (This is not intended to be an exhaustive list.)

None of these are in the local Latin diocese.**
 
Just as a reminder, since I thought this might enter your train of thought, you can join the Eastern Rite Church as you come into the Church, but then attend Latin Rite Mass to fulfill your Sunday obligation should that be necessary. Keep in mind you should join the Church in a way most conducive to your relationship with God and that you should join the rite of the Church you plan to attend (Latin Rite or any of the Eastern Rites) and that you can only change rites within the Church once after you’ve been confirmed (or chrismated, per the Eastern Rites) Catholic, which means no switching back and forth. Therefore you should definitely join whichever rite of the Church you desire to be a part of and not worry about where you fall geographically, since that’s irrelevant as far as the different rites are concerned anyways.

The Eastern Rites are beautiful in their own way, and a great opportunity for a taste of mystical Christian theology (that’s coming from a Latin Rite Catholic)!

God bless you and keep you as you discern your place in His Holy Church.

In Christ,
Stephen
 
psr13 said:
So, since I was confirmed in a schismatic church I have to be reconfirmed. My question is this. Since I’m not a Catholic yet would it be ok for me to join an Eastern church instead of the Latin rite? I’ve always been very drawn to the Eastern churches. My other question is this. My husband and I are going to be moving back to California. The area we are going to move to doesn’t have an Eastern church in the typical Latin Diocese. So, it would I be able to do this at a church that is in the next diocese over? It would be fine right, since they are all part of the same Eparchy? Thanks for any help.

ETA: I was not raised in a schismatic church. I was raised Protestant want was confirmed last year only.
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Let me extend a very warm welcome home to you.

To enter through an Eastern Catholic Church, you would probably want to be attending the Eastern Catholic Church and enter through that parish. Here is a list of Byzantine parishes. byzcath.org/index.php?option=com_sobi2&Itemid=111

There are also the Melkite, Maronite and other Eastern Sui Juris Churches, but I don’t have a list for them.

Many years to your and all of your family.
 
Ignatius said:
Let me extend a very warm welcome home to you.

To enter through an Eastern Catholic Church, you would probably want to be attending the Eastern Catholic Church and enter through that parish. Here is a list of Byzantine parishes. byzcath.org/index.php?option=com_sobi2&Itemid=111

There are also the Melkite, Maronite and other Eastern Sui Juris Churches, but I don’t have a list for them.

Many years to your and all of your family.
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Thanks. I would have to drive from Riverside to Anaheim, but that wouldn’t be bad at all on a Sunday. They have a Byzantine Church and a Maronite Church. Once we get back there I’m going to have to check them both out, and I’ll do some research on both of them before we get there to find the differences.
 
psr13 said:
Thanks. I would have to drive from Riverside to Anaheim, but that wouldn’t be bad at all on a Sunday. They have a Byzantine Church and a Maronite Church. Once we get back there I’m going to have to check them both out, and I’ll do some research on both of them before we get there to find the differences.
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If you are going to live in the actual City of Riverside, St. Nicholas’ in Fontana is about half the distance of Anaheim.

St Nicholas of Myra Byzantine (Ruthenian)
9112 Oleander Ave
Fontana CA 92335-5599
909-822-9917
 
psr13 said:
It was an independent church that only celebrates the Latin Mass. It isn’t SSPX, but the confirmation still doesn’t count from what I gather. .
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I would not go with “what I gather” I would go with what the priest tells me. Please meet with the pastor of your local Catholic Church and lay out your situation for him so he can give you guidance that fits your individual situation. There are rules about the right rite, so ask him your question, but he may have to go to the bishop because it is not straightforward.
 
I’m weird. I’ve lived in Southern California my entire life and never realized Riverside and Fontana were that close. Yes, we’re going to be living in western Riverside. The city of. That church doesn’t seem to have a website. That’s sad. I really like to see websites before I go. It’s part of my preparation.
 
There are also nice Ukrainian and Melkite communities as well; the Melkite parish also doubles as the home for one of the rare Russian Catholic communities in the US.
 
I have a related question to the OP:

What if a person who was born and raised in the Roman Rite wants to switch to an Eastern Rite?
 
First of all, this is something that should not be done lightly but only after a time of discernment, prayer (ideally also with some spiritual direction), and attending the particular Eastern Catholic Church you are considering joining. You are essentially taking on the spiritual and liturgical identity of another particular Catholic Church.

If this is something that you have discerned to be of positive spiritual benefit, then you write to the bishop of the particular Church’s Eparchy you intend to join and to the Latin bishop whose diocese you are leaving.

I am assuming you are a layman with no obligations of religious life to either a diocese or an order; this would require additional formal releases, which for religious sometimes have to go to the respective generalate in Rome (or wherever it is located) for the release.

The reasons must be positive; I have seen Latin and Eastern bishops refuse the transfer when the reasons for changing particular Churches were reduced to Mass- and liturgy-bashing of the Latin Church.
 
Nativity of the Mother of God Ukrainian Catholic Church
5154 De Longpre Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 663-6307
Fr. Myron Mykyta is currently the parish priest.
 
Oh LA is way too far. So I have a Byantine, Maronite, and Melkite. Oh my. I need to do some research. But thanks for your suggestion.
 
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