Roman Catholic --> Orthodox --> Eastern Catholic?

[crazzeto]

If a Roman Catholic person become Orthodox, then later on decides to return to communion with the Pope, does he return being a Roman Catholic or an Eastern Catholic correspondent of their Orthodox Church?

That’s an interesting quesiton… As far as coming back home there’s no need to “convert back” to catholisism, so I think fundamentally this becomes more an issue of changing rites. So on that note, I would say it’s more natural to go back to the Latin Rite from EO, however you would certainly be free to worship in any eastern church you wished. If you want to continue as an actual eastern rite christian, I would talk to your parish priest, bishop and possibly eastern rite parish priest (and if possible bishop) about how you go about the process of changing rites.

As per usual, only involve bishops if your parish priest (and his eastern counter part) indicate that there is some necessity to do so.

 

[Matthew_Holford]

That’s an interesting quesiton… As far as coming back home there’s no need to “convert back” to catholisism

I’m not too sure what you mean here unless you’re indicating conversion is not required.

I would talk to your parish priest, bishop and possibly eastern rite parish priest (and if possible bishop) about how you go about the process of changing rites.

As per usual, only involve bishops if your parish priest (and his eastern counter part) indicate that there is some necessity to do so.

Would the parish priests be enough? I know in theory one can change rites but I get the impression that it’s not encouraged and that permission was needed from someone in higher authority than one’s parish priest.

 

[crazzeto]

I’m not too sure what you mean here unless you’re indicating conversion is not required.

I’m indicating there is no conversion back to the faith, your “reverting” a different process which I my self went to. All that’s requried is you go to confession and discuss what you did with the preist and why. In my senario since I completely fell away for about 10 years I had a lot to talk about. In thie presented senario perhaps not quite so much since the individual presumably continued going to confession with the validily ordained EO priests.

Would the parish priests be enough? I know in theory one can change rites but I get the impression that it’s not encouraged and that permission was needed from someone in higher authority than one’s parish priest.

Perhaps, but perhaps not… I don’t know, I do recommend starting at the parish priest level and letting them decide where to take it from there. I’m not 100% sure if the Bishop’s consent is required to change rites, but I can imagine it might be.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Follow-up question:

What if the Roman Catholic turned Orthodox received ordination and then later on realized that Communion with Rome is important. Will he return as a Roman Catholic priest, or a Catholic priest of the same Rite and counterpart sui juris Church he was ordained in?

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Follow-up question:

What if the Roman Catholic turned Orthodox received ordination and then later on realized that Communion with Rome is important. Will he return as a Roman Catholic priest, or a Catholic priest of the same Rite and counterpart sui juris Church he was ordained in?

He would return and most likely be laicized.

 

[ciero]

He would return and most likely be laicized.

Correct…one returns to the catholic church in the state you left in…so if you left as a layman you would ordinarily return as a layman…although I do know of exceptions…usually with Romes permission.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Oh, I see. Is that to prevent those who become Orthodox just to receive Ordination as a married man? What if the person has a genuine journey of faith? That he believed in the Orthodox faith but later on realized the importance of Communion with Rome? Is this treated as a case-to-case basis or is this the general rule?

 

[Matthew_Holford]

Oh, I see. Is that to prevent those who become Orthodox just to receive Ordination as a married man? What if the person has a genuine journey of faith? That he believed in the Orthodox faith but later on realized the importance of Communion with Rome? Is this treated as a case-to-case basis or is this the general rule?

I believe that if any of the Eastern Churches (Eastern Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox) think you are ‘switching’ to them to avoid the Latin Church’s priestly celibacy rule they won’t accept you. Of course, no one has a right to be a priest so getting accepted for priestly formation and ordination would be a whole separate issue.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I believe that if any of the Eastern Churches (Eastern Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox) think you are ‘switching’ to them to avoid the Latin Church’s priestly celibacy rule they won’t accept you. Of course, no one has a right to be a priest so getting accepted for priestly formation and ordination would be a whole separate issue.

Thanks, I know that already. My scenario involves someone who genuinely was attracted to the Orthodox faith, switched, got called sometimes, and after some more time returned to Catholicism when he realized the value of Communion with the Pope. Say he became Orthodox in his late teens, ordained in his late 20s, and returned to Catholicism when he’s like 40s or 50s. There was no intention to circumvent disciplines, just a genuine journey of the faith.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Thanks, I know that already. My scenario involves someone who genuinely was attracted to the Orthodox faith, switched, got called sometimes, and after some more time returned to Catholicism when he realized the value of Communion with the Pope. Say he became Orthodox in his late teens, ordained in his late 20s, and returned to Catholicism when he’s like 40s or 50s. There was no intention to circumvent disciplines, just a genuine journey of the faith.

I am not sure the Orthodox Churches would accept a teen without parental approval.

While the intent is not there it can still be percieved so to avoid scandal they may not allow such.

But as you state it, there is a chance but I would not place a bet on it happening.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I am not sure the Orthodox Churches would accept a teen without parental approval.

Say by “teen” I mean eigh-teen.

While the intent is not there it can still be percieved so to avoid scandal they may not allow such.

But as you state it, there is a chance but I would not place a bet on it happening.

So its not outright forbidden, just really hard?

 

[ciero]

Say by “teen” I mean eigh-teen.

So its not outright forbidden, just really hard?

The catholic church would see this as apostasy, and apostasy is an impediment to ordination. Therefore it is not impossible, Rome would need to grant a dispensation. I am aware of someone in this situation now…has been waiting on Rome for 3 years for an answer.

 

[ConstantineTG]

The catholic church would see this as apostasy, and apostasy is an impediment to ordination. Therefore it is not impossible, Rome would need to grant a dispensation. I am aware of someone in this situation now…has been waiting on Rome for 3 years for an answer.

Wouldn’t apostasy be for leaving the Christian Faith and not just the Catholic Church? Given how Rome has described the Orthodox in recent years, I’m a bit surprised its still considered apostasy today.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Wouldn’t apostasy be for leaving the Christian Faith and not just the Catholic Church? Given how Rome has described the Orthodox in recent years, I’m a bit surprised its still considered apostasy today.

You are correct, what you described is an act of schism and possibily heresy.

From the Catechism.
2089 Incredulity is the neglect of revealed truth or the willful refusal to assent to it. “Heresy is the obstinate post-baptismal denial of some truth which must be believed with divine and catholic faith, or it is likewise an obstinate doubt concerning the same; apostasy is the total repudiation of the Christian faith; schism is the refusal of submission to the Roman Pontiff or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him.”