Process for Receiving an Orthodox Christian into the Catholic Church

[Protokletos]

I was wondering what the process generally consisted of for receiving an Orthodox Christian into either the Latin Rite or Eastern Rite Catholic Church? Also, has this process changed after Vatican II?

 

[ConstantineTG]

You need to make a profession of faith and a priest receives you as coming into communion with the Bishop of Rome.

Also, you should be ascribed to the Eastern Catholic Church counterpart of your Orthodox Church. If you wish to become Roman Catholic, then you would need to ask for a canonical transfer (although difficult for Eastern Catholics, I believe the process could be easier for Orthodox coming into communion with the Catholics).

 

[Presario2200]

You need to make a profession of faith and a priest receives you as coming into communion with the Bishop of Rome.

Also, you should be ascribed to the Eastern Catholic Church counterpart of your Orthodox Church. If you wish to become Roman Catholic, then you would need to ask for a canonical transfer (although difficult for Eastern Catholics, I believe the process could be easier for Orthodox coming into communion with the Catholics).

Why is it difficult for Eastern Catholics?

 

[Domnall]

Why is it difficult for Eastern Catholics?

The Roman Church wants to restore the prominence of the Eastern Churches. Since those are diminishing more, it is harder to leave one and join the Roman Church.

 

[John_Lilburne]

I was wondering what the process generally consisted of for receiving an Orthodox Christian into either the Latin Rite or Eastern Rite Catholic Church? Also, has this process changed after Vatican II?

For the Latin Rite:

In the liturgical book Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, there is a section: “5 RECEPTION OF BAPTISED CHRISTIANS INTO THE FULL COMMUNION OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH”. The introduction for this can be read from the RCIA introductions for England and Wales, at liturgyoffice.org.uk/Resources/Rites/RiteRitual.html .

In the 1993 DIRECTORY FOR THE APPLICATION OF PRINCIPLES AND NORMS ON ECUMENISM (at vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/general-docs/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_19930325_directory_en.html ), there is a discussion of this process, in n. 99 - 101. The point is made in 99(a): “There is no doubt about the validity of baptism as conferred in the various Eastern Churches. It is enough to establish the fact of the baptism. In these Churches the sacrament of confirmation (chrismation) is properly administered by the priest at the same time as baptism. There it often happens that no mention is made of confirmation in the canonical testimony of baptism. This does not give grounds for doubting that this sacrament was also conferred.”

I have little knowledge on the process for the Eastern Rite Catholic Church. The 1993 DIRECTORY FOR THE APPLICATION OF PRINCIPLES AND NORMS ON ECUMENISM has in 99(e):
“e) It is desirable that Synods of Eastern Catholic Churches and Episcopal Conferences issue guidelines for the reception into full communion of Christians baptized into other Churches and ecclesial Communities. Account is to be taken of the fact that they are not catechumens and of the degree of knowledge and practice of the Christian faith which they may have.”

 

[ConstantineTG]

Why is it difficult for Eastern Catholics?

Over 98% of Catholics are Roman Catholics. Rome wants to preserve the numbers of Eastern Catholics who will bear the traditions of the East, or at least carry the canonical right to demand for their Rite. Thus they made it easier for Catholics to ask to move their canonical ascription to the East than for one who is Eastern to move to the West.

 

[Vico]

Recently, in the middle east, the Church has asked the eastern Catholics to attend their proper ritual Church. Transfers between eastern Catholic churches as well as to the the Latin Catholic Church have been denied. Also denied are Latin Catholic to eastern Catholic Church. These denials (by the Congregation for Eastern Churches) have even occurred when both bishops agreed to the transfer.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Recently, in the middle east, the Church has asked the eastern Catholics to attend their proper ritual Church. Transfers between eastern Catholic churches as well as to the the Latin Catholic Church have been denied. Also denied are Latin Catholic to eastern Catholic Church. These denials (by the Congregation for Eastern Churches) have even occurred when both bishops agreed to the transfer.

Although that has never stopped many Eastern Catholics to become practicing Roman Catholics.

 

[Vico]

Although that has never stopped many Eastern Catholics to become practicing Roman Catholics.

True, some of the eastern faithful ignore CCEO 40.3 “Other Christian faithful are also to foster an understanding and appreciation of their own rite, and are held to observe it everywhere unless something is excused by the law.” And they also do not have the rights in the Latin Church that they have in their ascribed Church sui iuris.

For example, the eastern Catholic in a Latin parish when they are not placed in the care of the parish, do not have the right to demand the Divine Liturgy in the form of their ritual church.

 

[ConstantineTG]

True, some of the eastern faithful ignore CCEO 40.3 “Other Christian faithful are also to foster an understanding and appreciation of their own rite, and are held to observe it everywhere unless something is excused by the law.” And they also do not have the rights in the Latin Church that they have in their ascribed Church sui iuris.

For example, the eastern Catholic in a Latin parish when they are not placed in the care of the parish, do not have the right to demand the Divine Liturgy in the form of their ritual church.

They have the right to demand that a mission parish be set up for them and invite a priest of their own rite to celebrate the Liturgy.

 

[Vico]

They have the right to demand that a mission parish be set up for them and invite a priest of their own rite to celebrate the Liturgy.

From their proper ordinary.

 

[Protokletos]

Thanks for all the helpful replies so far!

I was wondering what the practical implications would be for choosing one rite over another? For example, would there be any issues with an Eastern Rite Catholic receiving Communion in a Latin Rite church?

 

[Vico]

I was wondering what the process generally consisted of for receiving an Orthodox Christian into either the Latin Rite or Eastern Rite Catholic Church? Also, has this process changed after Vatican II?

According to canon law Orthodox are ascribed as members of the eastern Catholic Church closest to their ritual Orthodox Church, even if received into the Catholic Church at a Latin Church by Latin clergy.

CCEO (Eastern Catholic) Canon 35:
Baptized non-Catholics coming into full communion with the Catholic Church should retain and practice their own rite everywhere in the world and should observe it as much as humanly possible. Thus, they are to be enrolled in the Church sui iuris of the same rite with due regard for the right of approaching the Apostolic See in special cases of persons, communities or regions.

So for example:

Eastern:
Orthodox Church of America → Byzantine or Ukrainian or Russian Catholic
American Carpatho-Rusyn Orthodox → Byzantine or Slovak Catholic
Serbian Orthodox → Krizevci Catholic
Macedonian Orthodox → Macedonian Catholic
Greek Speaking Eastern Orthodox → Hellenic Greek Catholic
Arabic Speaking Eastern Orthodox → Melkite Greek Catholic
Romanian Orthodox —> Romanian Catholic
Russian Orthodox → Russian Catholic
Belarussian Orthodox → Belarussian Catholic
Ukrainian Orthodox → Ukrainian Catholic
Bulgarian Orthodox → Bulganian Catholic
Hungarian Orthodox → Hungarian Catholic
Albanian Orthodox → Albanian Catholic

Oriental:
Armenian Orthodox —> Armenian Catholic
Coptic Orthodox —> Coptic Catholic
Ethiopian Orthodox → Ethiopian Catholic
Syrian Orthodox —> Syrian Catholic
Indian Orthodox → Syro-Malankara Catholic
Mar Thoma Syrian → Syro-Malankara Catholic
Orthodox Syrian (Jacobite) → Syro-Malankara Catholic
Malabar Independent Syrian Church (Thozhiyoor) → Syro-Malankara Catholic
Church of South India, St. Thomas → Syro-Malankara Catholic

Assyrian:
Assyrian Orthodox → Chaldean Catholic
Syrian Malabarese → Syro-Malabar Catholic
Syro-Chaldean → Syro-Malabar Catholic

Latin:
Church of South India, not St. Thomas → Latin Catholic