Visiting Orthodox churches

[thistle]

But they do not profess the true faith nor are they in communion with the Holy See. The Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office once said that worship with heretics (e.g., receiving Holy Communion at an Eastern Orthodox church) was opposed to divine and natural law, from which no one can dispense.

I’m sure there are some sedevacantist priests who have valid orders. Does that then mean we can receive Holy Communion from them as well? If not, then why is it okay to receive it from schismatics?

You are wrong!
The Orthodox are NOT heretics. They are schismatics. Big difference.

As you refer to an alleged Church statement tell us which document you are referring to so we may read this and then we can discuss your claim.

 

[ConstantineTG]

But they do not profess the true faith nor are they in communion with the Holy See. The Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office once said that worship with heretics (e.g., receiving Holy Communion at an Eastern Orthodox church) was opposed to divine and natural law, from which no one can dispense.

I’m sure there are some sedevacantist priests who have valid orders. Does that then mean we can receive Holy Communion from them as well? If not, then why is it okay to receive it from schismatics?

Can you tell me what is not true in the faith the Orthodox profess?

 

[ConstantineTG]

I would say, monica, don’t come to orthodox churches. The Fourth Lateran Council, said that there is no salvation outside of catholic church.

You can read it here
papalencyclicals.net/Councils/index.htm
papalencyclicals.net/Councils/ecum12-2.htm#Confession%20of%20Faith

Read it on the confession of faith, it pertains to catholic church, not others.

You should know that.

If your faith is weak (we are faithless sinners, by the way. So is mine. I am weak), visiting orthodox churches would only bring you confusion.

So my advice would be, be without a church for a week. That’s okay. Just pray without ceasing, while you are in another country.

The Desert Fathers, lived in the desert, without holy communion, or confession, or church, for the matter. And they became saints. They renounced all things for love of Jesus.

You can read lives of the Fathers of the Desert, vol 1 and 2, it’s free
archive.org/download/a586049002hahnuoft/a586049002hahnuoft.pdf
archive.org/download/a586049001hahnuoft/a586049001hahnuoft.pdf

Some of them are St. Anthony the Hermit, also St. Paul the hermit, St. Fabiola. They lived in the desert to escape the dangers of the world.

You should know that orthodox churches (despite the name orthodox), pertains to schism.
Schism offends God greatly, because they do not want to be obedient to the Pope, one holy apostolic, catholic church, and doesn’t want to be in unity and obedience to the church

Read this, and your confusion whether you should be orthodox or catholic will be cleared
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schism_%28religion%29

You shouldn’t be confused. It is a temptation. You should be catholic, outside of which there is no salvation. Orthodox churches isn’t pleasing in the eyes of God. It is schism. Separating themselves to build their own doctrines. I think even the sacraments there aren’t valid.

Have a nice trip.

I do not even know where to begin in rebutting this misguided, misleading, and downright offensive post.

The Orthodox are part of the one true Church, the Body of Christ. Because of our petty disagreements we have wounded the Body of Christ and caused division among the Churches. To claim that the Orthodox are not pleasing to the eyes of God is either arrogant and prideful, or shows complete ignorance to what the Orthodox are.

I am starting to lose charity, please read the Apostolic Letter Orientale Lumen written in 1995 by Blessed Pope John Paul II about the Eastern Churches:

vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_02051995_orientale-lumen_en.html

notable quotes:

Since, in fact, we believe that the venerable and ancient tradition of the Eastern Churches is an integral part of the heritage of Christ’s Church, the first need for Catholics is to be familiar with that tradition, so as to be nourished by it and to encourage the process of unity in the best way possible for each.

Our Eastern Catholic brothers and sisters are very conscious of being the living bearers of this tradition, together with our Orthodox brothers and sisters. The members of the Catholic Church of the Latin tradition must also be fully acquainted with this treasure and thus feel, with the Pope, a passionate longing that the full manifestation of the Church’s catholicity be restored to the Church and to the world, expressed not by a single tradition, and still less by one community in opposition to the other; and that we too may be granted a full taste of the divinely revealed and undivided heritage of the universal Church which is preserved and grows in the life of the Churches of the East as in those of the West.

 

[Adonia]

It does depend on the situation and the Orthodox priest I was once in a situation many years ago when I first converted I was staying in an apartment near the hospital so I could receive chemotherapy and as a result did not have the energy to get to the nearest Catholic parish which was several miles away 4 or 5 I believe it was but I was able to walk the one block to the Greek Orthodox church that was near the apartment and The Orthodox priest knew my situation and allowed me to receive communion and My parish priest also knew the situation in fact he was the one suggested it He was really good friends with the Orthodox priest however I went back to my parish as soon as I could and I am proud to say that I am 17 year cancer survivor In fact the Orthodox priest would come and give me communion at the apartment that I was staying in going as far as to call the priest at my parish to tell him that if he needed to do something else not to worry that he had me taken care when it came to the sacraments I will always be greatful to that dear orthodox priest who was also a bishop and who is now in heaven…In fact I some times felt kind of bad because at the time he was nearly 90 years old and I was only 29 .

Very nice! I went to an Orthodox service several years ago and after consultation with the priest there, I was not allowed to receive Holy Communion. It was still nice to have attended services there though.

 

[thistle]

I do not even know where to begin in rebutting this misguided, misleading, and downright offensive post.

The Orthodox are part of the one true Church, the Body of Christ. Because of our petty disagreements we have wounded the Body of Christ and caused division among the Churches. To claim that the Orthodox are not pleasing to the eyes of God is either arrogant and prideful, or shows complete ignorance to what the Orthodox are.

I am starting to lose charity, please read the Apostolic Letter Orientale Lumen written in 1995 by Blessed Pope John Paul II about the Eastern Churches:

vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_02051995_orientale-lumen_en.html

notable quotes:

Also some extracts from Unitatis Redintegratio:

“Similarly it must not be forgotten that from the beginning the Churches of the East have had a treasury from which the Western Church has drawn extensively-in liturgical practice, spiritual tradition, and law. Nor must we undervalue the fact that it was the ecumenical councils held in the East that defined the basic dogmas of the Christian faith, on the Trinity, on the Word of God Who took flesh of the Virgin Mary. To preserve this faith these Churches have suffered and still suffer much.”

" Everyone also knows with what great love the Christians of the East celebrate the sacred liturgy, especially the eucharistic celebration, source of the Church’s life and pledge of future glory, in which the faithful, united with their bishop, have access to God the Father through the Son, the Word made flesh, Who suffered and has been glorified, and so, in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, they enter into communion with the most holy Trinity, being made “sharers of the divine nature”. Hence, through the celebration of the Holy Eucharist in each of these churches, the Church of God is built up and grows in stature and through concelebration, their communion with one another is made manifest."

"These Churches, although separated from us, yet possess true sacraments and above all, by apostolic succession, the priesthood and the Eucharist, whereby they are linked with us in closest intimacy. Therefore some worship in common (communicatio in sacris), given suitable circumstances and the approval of Church authority, is not only possible but to be encouraged.

 

[kitkatty]

And don’t forget to stick your tongue out when receiving

Lol Constantine, good one!

 

[kitkatty]

Monica,as someone else suggested your spiritual director is the best one to take this up with. But since you have stated before that you are actually Russian Catholic and you have attended the Ukrainian Catholic Divine Liturgy then you certainly can appreciate the liturgy at the Orthodox Church. No communion isnt probable, but why not go and enjoy worshipping with the Liturgy? It wouldnt be like in a Prrotestent church where the core doctrine and mode of worship is going to be different. Especially if you`re going to encourage your family to get back to the practice of their faith then I think you should go, unless of course your spiritual director advises differently.

 

[kitkatty]

I do not even know where to begin in rebutting this misguided, misleading, and downright offensive post.

The Orthodox are part of the one true Church, the Body of Christ. Because of our petty disagreements we have wounded the Body of Christ and caused division among the Churches. To claim that the Orthodox are not pleasing to the eyes of God is either arrogant and prideful, or shows complete ignorance to what the Orthodox are.

I am starting to lose charity, please read the Apostolic Letter Orientale Lumen written in 1995 by Blessed Pope John Paul II about the Eastern Churches:

vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_02051995_orientale-lumen_en.html

notable quotes:

Wouldn`t it be nice if some people actrtually knew what the Church teaches? Anyhow I guess there is no accounting for ignorance on the partof some people:shrug:

 

[Montalo]

You are wrong. A Catholic travelling to a country where there is no Catholic Church may attend Mass and receive Communion in an Orthodox Church as the Orthodox Church has valid orders.

that is, if the Orthodox priest permits you to commune, which is doubtful(at least, from what ive been reading about my own jurisdiction(Moscow Patriarch-ROCOR)

 

[ConstantineTG]

that is, if the Orthodox priest permits you to commune, which is doubtful(at least, from what ive been reading about my own jurisdiction(Moscow Patriarch-ROCOR)

I heard the Orthodox priests are more open in Eastern Europe. I don’t think there’s any place in the US where you can travel and there’s an Orthodox Church but no Catholic Church of any Rite nearby.

 

[thistle]

that is, if the Orthodox priest permits you to commune, which is doubtful(at least, from what ive been reading about my own jurisdiction(Moscow Patriarch-ROCOR)

I agree but we are discussing this from the Catholic Church position.
Attending Mass at an Orthodox Church does not fulfill the Sunday obligation but what I am saying is that it is permitted by the Catholic Church for Catholics to attend Mass and receive Communion at an Orthodox Church.

 

[Lujack]

You are wrong. A Catholic travelling to a country where there is no Catholic Church may attend Mass and receive Communion in an Orthodox Church as the Orthodox Church has valid orders.

However, that Catholic should check with the Orthodox first and understand their customs-it would be disrespectful to do otherwise.

 

[thistle]

However, that Catholic should check with the Orthodox first and understand their customs-it would be disrespectful to do otherwise.

Absolutely agree.