Validity of confessions in Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches

[Ad_Orientem]

Faculty always affects licety only. It’s absence doesn’t invalidate a sacrament.

In fact, it does affect validity in the case of two sacraments. From the Latin Code:

Can. 966 §1. The valid absolution of sins requires that the minister have, in addition to the power of orders, the faculty of exercising it for the faithful to whom he imparts absolution.

Can. 1108 §1. Only those marriages are valid which are contracted before the local ordinary, pastor, or a priest or deacon delegated by either of them…

The Eastern Code says basically the same thing:

Canon 722 §3. For presbyters to act validly, they must be previously granted the faculty of administering the sacrament of penance, which is conferred either by the law itself or by a special grant made by a competent authority.

Canon 828 §1. Only those marriages are valid which are celebrated with a sacred rite, in the presence of the local hierarch, local pastor, or a priest who has been given the faculty of blessing the marriage by either of them…

 

[Jack007]

In fact, it does affect validity in the case of two sacraments. From the Latin Code:

Can. 966 §1. The valid absolution of sins requires that the minister have, in addition to the power of orders, the faculty of exercising it for the faithful to whom he imparts absolution.

Can. 1108 §1. Only those marriages are valid which are contracted before the local ordinary, pastor, or a priest or deacon delegated by either of them…

The Eastern Code says basically the same thing:

Canon 722 §3. For presbyters to act validly, they must be previously granted the faculty of administering the sacrament of penance, which is conferred either by the law itself or by a special grant made by a competent authority.

Canon 828 §1. Only those marriages are valid which are celebrated with a sacred rite, in the presence of the local hierarch, local pastor, or a priest who has been given the faculty of blessing the marriage by either of them…

Sorry for my ignorance, thank you for giving me god.

 

[truthseekerjay]

Yes they do

Just so that we’re clear, let’s consider a practitioner of EO. He gets absolved of his sins EVERYTIME (assuming some sort of repentance) he confesses to an EO priest, but you, a Roman Catholic, will ONLY get absolved of your sins through an EO priest during special circumstances. Is this correct?

From a salvation standpoint, a practitioner of EO has no need to convert to Roman Catholicism. Is this correct?

 

[SeekerOfIron]

Just so that we’re clear, let’s consider a practitioner of EO. He gets absolved of his sins EVERYTIME (assuming some sort of repentance) he confesses to an EO priest, but you, a Roman Catholic, will ONLY get absolved of your sins through an EO priest during special circumstances. Is this correct?

From a salvation standpoint, a practitioner of EO has no need to convert to Roman Catholicism. Is this correct?

An aside first: even if they were to transition from the Orthodox to the Catholic Church, they wouldn’t really switch to “Roman” or Latin Catholicism. They would enter the Eastern Catholic rite associated with the Orthodox Church they have been a part of. Back to your question

It’s my understanding that it’s not licit, or legal, for Catholics to receive the sacraments from EO priests, except in rare circumstances, but it would be valid and would grant absolution, even if done illicitly. The same would be true in reverse, of EO faithful receiving the sacraments from Catholic priests. Hopefully someone will correct me with sources if I’m wrong.

If an Orthodox practitioner became convinced that the Catholic Church had the correct position in the schism, and refused to convert for some reason, that would be sin (I’m assuming in this case that the Catholic Church did have the right of it). That sin would be serious indeed.

In my experience though, Catholics are far more concerned with bringing the two Churches back together, than with convincing individual Orthodox that we’re right and they’re wrong. The divide in the Catholic Church and the Orthodox is more tragic because we have allowed Christ’s Church to become broken on this earth, and not because half of us are going to Hell until we can get it sorted out.

To summarize, you’re basically right on both counts, though maybe thinking about it incompletely.

 

[Ad_Orientem]

we have allowed Christ’s Church to become broken on this earth

Excuse me for picking on this – I know you weren’t making a precise doctrinal statement but expressing a noble sentiment about Christian unity – but we cannot say that the Church is broken into fragments, because it is one as we confess in the Creed. For more on this, see Pius XI, Mortalium Animos. That said, I join you with all my heart in praying that our separated brethren will soon be united with us corporately.

 

[Maxirad]

What about confessions heard in Anglican and Lutheran churches? Are they considered valid?

 

[MarianCatholic]

What about confessions heard in Anglican and Lutheran churches? Are they considered valid?

Nope, their lack of Apostolic succession makes their priests laymen in the church’s eyes at least in the eyes of the Catholic Church and I assume that our Orthodox brethren share our view on them.

 

[MarianCatholic]

Orthodox priests can only offer the sacraments to Orthodox christians, so I am unsure under what circumstances a Catholic christian would have such a choice.

To be honest, I can’t see how an Orthodox priest may have conscience to refuse a Catholic to confess if he is dying in mortal sin and without any chances to confess to a catholic priest.
If anything this action from an Orthodox priest has to be a grave sin.
In cases like the one pictured I think most likely that 99 per cent of all priests would’ve heard the poor guys confession and given him the viaticum and the anointing of the sick.

Most priests are good holy people who wants to lead people to salvation regardless of they are catholic priests or Orthodox their mission remain the same.

 

[Seraphim73]

Not exactly identical. The formulas used also differ slightly. The same way that our baptismal formula is in the passive (The servant of God is baptized…), so the formula of absolution used by the Greeks and Antiochians is in the passive voice, rather than in the active voice used by the Latins.

But the Russians use an active formula.

 

[FrDavid96]

What about confessions heard in Anglican and Lutheran churches? Are they considered valid?

They are not valid.

 

[Jack007]

Just so that we’re clear, let’s consider a practitioner of EO. He gets absolved of his sins EVERYTIME (assuming some sort of repentance) he confesses to an EO priest, but you, a Roman Catholic, will ONLY get absolved of your sins through an EO priest during special circumstances. Is this correct?

From a salvation standpoint, a practitioner of EO has no need to convert to Roman Catholicism. Is this correct?

catholic.com/quickquestions/does-no-salvation-outside-the-church-include-non-catholic-christians
they must convert if they find cc to possess fullness of doctrine. or else they are in mortal sin.
to complete post #24 of seekerofiron, this is what the ccc states

817 In fact, "in this one and only Church of God from its very beginnings there arose certain rifts, which the Apostle strongly censures as damnable. But in subsequent centuries much more serious dissensions appeared and large communities became separated from full communion with the Catholic Church - for which, often enough, men of both sides were to blame."269 The ruptures that wound the unity of Christ’s Body - here we must distinguish heresy, apostasy, and schism270 - do not occur without human sin:

Where there are sins, there are also divisions, schisms, heresies, and disputes. Where there is virtue, however, there also are harmony and unity, from which arise the one heart and one soul of all believers.271
818 "However, one cannot charge with the sin of the separation those who at present are born into these communities [that resulted from such separation] and in them are brought up in the faith of Christ, and the Catholic Church accepts them with respect and affection as brothers . . . . All who have been justified by faith in Baptism are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers in the Lord by the children of the Catholic Church."272

819 "Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth"273 are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: "the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope, and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements."274 Christ’s Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church. All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him,275 and are in themselves calls to “Catholic unity.”

 

[Cavaradossi]

But the Russians use an active formula.

That, like the rubrics commanding the priest not to drink of the chalice when communing during the presanctified liturgy is a bad practice which crept in under the influence of liturgical books published in the West which had been tampered with by the Latins. It does not invalidate the rite, obviously, but it would be better if the Russians would return to the original practice in both cases.

 

[Isaiah45_9]

they must convert if they find cc to possess fullness of doctrine. or else they are in mortal sin.

Feel free to talk to me as if I was 6 years old or just discovered the innernets today…

:yukonjoe:

So… unless non-Catholics convert they are in mortal sin?

:yukonjoe:

 

[Seraphim73]

That, like the rubrics commanding the priest not to drink of the chalice when communing during the presanctified liturgy is a bad practice which crept in under the influence of liturgical books published in the West which had been tampered with by the Latins. It does not invalidate the rite, obviously, but it would be better if the Russians would return to the original practice in both cases.

That’s not going to happen.

 

[Jack007]

Feel free to talk to me as if I was 6 years old or just discovered the innernets today…

:yukonjoe:

So… unless non-Catholics convert they are in mortal sin?

:yukonjoe:

non catholics who find the cc to be the true church.

 

[truthseekerjay]

non catholics who find the cc to be the true church.

Maybe this is naive of me to say, but if you’re a practitioner of EO, OO, or any other religion for that matter, doesn’t that sort of imply that they don’t find the RC to be the true church? I guess if there was some sort of fear of persecution of practicing RC, then I could see why someone would pretend to believe in the doctrines of EO, OO, etc. when they really believe in the doctrines of RC. But wouldn’t RC’s say that they’re not really culpable then due to the persecution?

 

[SeekerOfIron]

Maybe this is naive of me to say, but if you’re a practitioner of EO, OO, or any other religion for that matter, doesn’t that sort of imply that they don’t find the RC to be the true church? I guess if there was some sort of fear of persecution of practicing RC, then I could see why someone would pretend to believe in the doctrines of EO, OO, etc. when they really believe in the doctrines of RC. But wouldn’t RC’s say that they’re not really culpable then due to the persecution?

There could be a large range of reasons. I think the one that’s in my mind (and maybe Jack’s) would be social pressures. Not actual persecution, but “All my friends are X, they’ll like me less if I switch to Catholicism; X is close enough, I’m not actually going to switch because it’s too much of a hassle; I like my Orthodox priest better than the guy at the Catholic church”

There could be just reason for not switching, but there are lots of unjust reasons as well. Ideally, everyone would behave exactly in accordance with their beliefs, but if that were the case, we would never steal, cheat, lie, lust, or any other sin.

 

[Jack007]

one that’s in my mind (and maybe Jack’s) would be social pressures

yes, itwas in my mind

 

[fab94]

All Sacraments in the Eastern Orthodox Church are valid, it is the only Church “Not in Full Communion” with Rome to have this unique position, but it certainly does have valid Sacraments.

 

[Jack007]

All Sacraments in the Eastern Orthodox Church are valid, it is the only Church “Not in Full Communion” with Rome to have this unique position, but it certainly does have valid Sacraments.

You forgot the oriental orthodox, and iirc, coe