Raising kids Catholic when baptised in the Orthodx Church

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pammie said:
Just for clarity, the children have attended Catholic school since grade K. My oldest is in public high school ( no Catholic HS in town ) and attends religious ed. All 3 children are/have been alter servers, cantors, lectors and actively participate in our church and parish. All 3 children have received the sacraments of Reconciliation and First Communion in the Catholic Church. They know no other faith. I deeply regret having them baptized in the Orthodox church knowing what I know now. I do feel I was misinformed by a trusted and well meaning deacon. My daughter is scheduled to make her confirmation with her religious ed class in a year and a half. I just want to do the right thing for my kids sake. I will talk with our pastor ( who is not the most caring pastor I have ever had!!! ) and see what he recommends. Thank you.
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If your children were chrismated and received First Eucharist when they were baptized as infants in the Orthodox faith, they cannot be re-confirmed. Do they know they’re Orthodox Christians? Are their sacraments of initiation recorded in the Catholic parish?
 
I thought that when children receive first communion and confirmation it had to be recorded in the parish of their baptism. Where was the baptism recorded? Was it ever recorded?
 
We have had this situation in our parish with an Orthodox child being received into the Church. They do not receive First Communion or Confirmation but we allow them to participate in the rite. For Confirmation we put them at the end of the line and the bishop just offers them a blessing since they have already been Confirmed at baptism.
 
pammie said:
Just for clarity, the children have attended Catholic school since grade K. My oldest is in public high school ( no Catholic HS in town ) and attends religious ed. All 3 children are/have been alter servers, cantors, lectors and actively participate in our church and parish. All 3 children have received the sacraments of Reconciliation and First Communion in the Catholic Church. They know no other faith. I deeply regret having them baptized in the Orthodox church knowing what I know now. I do feel I was misinformed by a trusted and well meaning deacon. My daughter is scheduled to make her confirmation with her religious ed class in a year and a half. I just want to do the right thing for my kids sake. I will talk with our pastor ( who is not the most caring pastor I have ever had!!! ) and see what he recommends. Thank you.
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So , somebody dropped the ball when you first brought them to the Church. Or it was decided that they were young enough to just make all the professions as they were educated but this was not communicated to you . I don’t think it is a huge problem but please let us know what is decided. You may need to go to the Bishop to get a resolution if any is needed. Try to let go of any guilt you are having . You have done well and are raising your children to appreciate and love the Catholic church.
 
pammie said:
Just for clarity, the children have attended Catholic school since grade K. My oldest is in public high school ( no Catholic HS in town ) and attends religious ed. All 3 children are/have been alter servers, cantors, lectors and actively participate in our church and parish. All 3 children have received the sacraments of Reconciliation and First Communion in the Catholic Church. They know no other faith. I deeply regret having them baptized in the Orthodox church knowing what I know now. I do feel I was misinformed by a trusted and well meaning deacon. My daughter is scheduled to make her confirmation with her religious ed class in a year and a half. I just want to do the right thing for my kids sake. I will talk with our pastor ( who is not the most caring pastor I have ever had!!! ) and see what he recommends. Thank you.
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I am no expert because I have never encountered Orthodox entering the Church, but it sounds as if they merely make the profession of faith when they are confirmed, but if they were christmated during baptism, they are already confirmed. Be sure to give the priest all the information you have about their actual baptism, and your husbands ritual church. Insist that he consult the proper office in the chancery on how to proceed.

This does not mean the children cannot proceed with RE and all the activities they now enjoy. If they were communicated at baptism, all that happened was they were instructed in the faith when they reached school years, and celebrated a formal reception of the sacrament with their peers, which is what most Eastern Christians do in any case.
Obviously they would still continue with RE throughout the school years, with their peers in confirmation class, and like young Catholics who were received into the Church through RCIA, are present as sponsors and supporters for their friends preparing for confirmation.

Don’t have any regrets and waste no time worrying about it, you made your prudential decision based on the best advice you had at the time, motivated by a real kindness and concern for the grandparents.

just follow up with the record-keeping aspect, as has been advised, because this will come into play when it is time for marriage (or religious profession). In this case an entry is made in the baptismal record of the Catholic parish noting the facts of the original baptism (including the fact of Chrismation and communication if they were included) with those dates, sponsors, place, sponsors etc., along with the date of their profession of faith and formal reception into the Catholic Church, and ritual church of the father. Please follow up and make sure this gets done properly, most parish secretaries won’t know how to proceed and should get instructions from the chancery.
 
I see no reason for regrets. They are validly baptised. 🙂

They just shouldn’t be confirmed a second time, they are already chrismated.
 
Because they have valid sacraments and were brought to the Church by you their Catholic mother, and have grown up in the Catholic Church, they shouldn’t even need to make a profession of faith. If they have grown up with that faith, and you’re needing a record to “prove” they’re Catholic in faith, rather than Orthodox, the priest of your current parish should be able to make a note of it. There are a number of people in my family who were baptized in the Orthodox Church because of varying circumstances and it’s never been an issue, because the Catholic Church accepts their sacraments and allows them to commune in the Church. Just because they canonically were baptized in the Orthodox Church, canon law still says they belong to the Church of their Catholic parent. Yes the paperwork is confusing but there’s actually no issue.
 
pickguard1 said:
But if they wanted to become Roman Catholic, would they have to go through RCIA? .
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No, because technically they are Eastern Catholics (coverts from Orthodoxy are entered into the corresponding sui juris Church). There is a seperate code of Canon Law for Eastern Catholics, and Orthodox are admited to by a simple Confession of Faith. As a parent, you speak for any child below the age of Reason to give this Confession of Faith.

Speak to an Eastern Catholic priest and he will let you know all that needs to be done and how it is done.

Also, do you know if they were Chrismated and Communicated at Baptism, as in the standard practice of the East. If so, their Confirmations and First Communions are recognized as well. Do NOT attempt to have them Confirmed again later.

Again, an Eastern Catholic priest\deacon can advise you.

Since you are in Lousiana, I would recommend calling St. Nicholas of Myrna Byzantine Catholic Mission and letting them know your situation, they would be able to advise you more fully

archeparchy.org/page/directories/parishes/neworleans08.htm
 
pammie said:
Thank you.

We live in Maryland, though.
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St. Gregory of Nyssa Church, Beltsville, MD 12420 Old Gunpower Road
Beltsville, MD, 20705
(301) 953-9323
Rev. Michael Kerestes, Pastor
Rev. Deacon William Szewczyk

Epiphany of Our Lord Church, Annandale, VA 3410 Woodburn Road
Annandale, VA 22003
(703) 573-3986 (Rectory)
(703) 573-0777 (Social Hall)
Very Rev. John G. Basarab Pastor
Rev. Monsignor George Dobes Affiliate
Rev. Deacon Gerald McDonnell
Rev. Deacon Elmer M. Pekarik

Ascension of Our Lord Church, Williamsburg, VA Church: 114 Palace Lane Williamsburg, Virginia 23185
Parish Rectory: 4528 Wimbledon Way, Williamsburg, Virginia 23188
Parish Hall, Main Office – (757) 220-8098
Rectory – (757) 253-5641
Fax – (757) 253-9423
Rev. Ronald Hatton, Pastor
Rev.Deacon Nicholas Sotack

Montgomery County Byzantine Catholic Mission, MD A mission of Epiphany of Our Lord Church, Annandale, VA; see contact information above for Epiphany.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Byzantine Catholic Church Virginia Beach, VA 216 South Parliament Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Church: (757) 456-0809
Rectory: (757) 253-5641
Rev. Ronald Hatton, Pastor
Rev. Deacon Daniel Wolfe

Saints Cyril and Methodius Church, Cary, NC 2510 Piney Plains Rd.
Cary, NC 27511
(919)-851-9266
Rev… Richard Rohrer, Pastor
Rev. Deacon David Thomas
Rev. Deacon Charles Burger
 
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