Western Rite Orthodox Conversion to Catholicism

  • Thread starter Thread starter JohnLawson
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
J

JohnLawson

Guest
So, I am in the Russian Orthodox Church outside of Russia, and how would I go about converting to Roman Catholicism. I know I would make a profession of faith and receive Eucharist. Would I be in the Eastern Catholic Church, or since I do the Tridentine Mass, would I go into the Latin Rite Church? I do not care for the Eastern Liturgy, that’s why I went to the Western Rite.

Thank You.
 
If you want the Tridentine Mass, just go to a Catholic parishes that offers it and tell the priest that you are ROCCR and that you want to become Catholic.

For you, it should be pretty simple.

God bless
 
Last edited:
Thank You for the reply,

So it is very import I am in the Latin Rite for Catholicism, because I want to pursue Holy Orders. So I just want to make sure since I have never practiced the Eastern Rite, but I am Orthodox, if I would just be in the Latin Church sui juris.
 
Last edited:
Yes, I was baptized Western Rite Orthodox. I am, and have never been Eastern Rite. So that’s my question, I just want to make sure if I convert I will be able to be in the latin rite for later pursual of Holy Orders.
 
Last edited:
Yes, I was baptized Western Rite Orthodox. I am, and have never been Eastern Rite. So that’s my question, I just want to make sure if I convert I will be able to be in the latin rite for later pursual of Holy Orders.
You should be… just don’t confuse anyone by mentioning “Russian Orthodox”
 
Well currently I am in the Russian Orthodox Church, and am under an Eastern Rite episcopate, so I didn’t know if Rome would allow me to retain my western liturgical tradition. I’ll be sure to emphasize the tridentine mass part.
 
Make it clear that you are converting because you want to be Catholic - not that you may want to become a priest in the future. That can create a red-flag later on to vocations directors and bishops.

Also, hardly any priest knows much about Western rite Orthodoxy, so you may need to do a considerable amount of explaining to them.

I have sinned without number,
Deacon Christopher
 
Yes, I was baptized Western Rite Orthodox. I am, and have never been Eastern Rite. So that’s my question, I just want to make sure if I convert I will be able to be in the latin rite for later pursual of Holy Orders.
This is a rather unusual situation. I would make sure that you and the priest who receives you into the church have discussed the matter with a Canon lawyer prior to making your profession of faith. Many priests don’t know how to properly ascribe Orthodox convert anyway, and this is less straightforward. Welcome home!
 
I have not converted as of now, but I am looking into it. A matter like this requires time, study, fasting, and prayer.
 
I wish for you the best on your journey. Our, Greek Orthodox, family will be reverting to the Catholic Church officially next month. It’s been a long process, even had to go through the canon lawyers to get our marriage recognized by the Bishop. But everything was handled through our local parish - they did all the back & forth for the canon lawyers.

Do you have a local Catholic parish that you’d like to attend if you do convert? If so, schedule a meeting with the priest and discuss it with him in detail. If not, I’d encourage you to visit all the Catholic parishes in your area.

I never knew ROCOR even had a Western rite.
 
Yes I do, and it is a tridentine Latin Mass Church, so it’ll be a lot better of a transition then to a novus ordo parish
 
Last edited:
I went to the Western Rite.
This is a little off topic but I had a question about the Western Rite Orthodox Church:
Does the Western Rite Orthodox Church have mortal and venial sins?
And Purgatory?
Also, for lent, do you follow the more lenient western fasting tradition or do you keep to the more severe Eastern Orthodox fasting regime?
Thank you so much.
 
Last edited:
We do have mortal and venial sin, that’s from scripture. We fast following the ancient western tradition of no meat or dairy, eggs are ok, and no fasting on Sundays even in lent.
 
Last edited:
We do have mortal and venial sin
I thought that in the Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern tradition, they do not have mortal and venial sin. but that this is considered to be a western concept. One mortal sin can send you to hell, but venial sins will send you to Purgatory.
 
I would make sure that you and the priest who receives you into the church have discussed the matter with a Canon lawyer prior to making your profession of faith.
This.

You are automatically enrolled in the “nearest” (not geographically!) Catholic Church.

Normally, for ROC, this would be Russian Catholic.

I don’t know whether the western rite within that church would cause it to be the Roman church or not. For that matter, I’d never even heard of WRO outside of the Antiochan Orthodox . . .

Regardless, you may attend any Catholic church of any rite, and if it’s important, you can easily change ritual church once. [And before the usual cascade of “it’s hard to get approved!” starts: no, that’s wrong. It is nearly pro forma, and happens on a regular basis]
 
We do have mortal and venial sin
I’d never have guessed EO Bishops would allow that, wow. That is actually very interesting.
I thought that in the Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern tradition, they do not have mortal and venial sin. but that this is considered to be a western concept. One mortal sin can send you to hell, but venial sins will send you to Purgatory.
Eh, one mortal sin does not have to send you to Hell though. Eastern tradition =/= Western tradition I guess, even in Eastern Orthodox Church.
You are automatically enrolled in the “nearest” (not geographically!) Catholic Church.
However, canon law states that Eastern Orthodox (not Western though) who joins Catholic Church automatically stays Eastern. Same should apply to any Western Orthodox in reverse- he should be automatically enrolled in Western Church. Provided people understand canon law and western orthodoxy, this should not be a problem nor exception, but standard scenario, because of Canon 35 of Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, 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.”

Also, JohnLawson, welcome home! May God help you with being part of Holy Order 🙂
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top