What is canonical status of someone who goes from Roman Catholic to Orthodox back to Catholic?

[runningdude]

They do if there is no other alternative.

Linus2nd

If there is no alternative, then there is no obligation. They may attend an Orthodox Liturgy if its the only liturgy available, but they have no obligation to do so.

 

[runningdude]

It has nothing to do with “jurisdiction” but it does have to do with volition. If the question in the OP is real and not hypothetical, a real JOCD would be helpful in sorting it out. Not a bunch of lawyer-wannabes on an internet forum.

A canon lawyer could be helpful in sorting out certain aspects. However, the simple answer is that the Eastern Orthodox have no authority to receive a Catholic as a convert.

 

[Peter_J]

The Eastern Orthodox have no legitimate jurisdiction over a Catholic. “Reception” into an Orthodox church is canonically null and void, and would not change the ritual church that the Catholic belongs to.

I don’t know what you mean by canonically null and void, but one thing at least is clear: leaving one communion and joining another (for example, Catholic-to-Orthodox or Orthodox-to-Catholic) is done without the permission of one’s old bishop. With that in mind, I believe that the Catholic policy makes perfect sense – to wit, that leaving Catholicism and joining Orthodoxy, and then leaving Orthodoxy and rejoining Catholicism, does not cause one to be enrolled in the different church than they were originally.

I would assume that the Orthodox policy is the same – i.e. leaving Orthodoxy and joining Catholicism, and then leaving Catholicism and rejoining Orthodoxy, does not cause one to be enrolled in the different church than they were originally.

 

[Nestor_kea]

I would like to respond to this (at least partly) and ask my own question(s):

I wonder if the answer to your initial question differs based on either of the following:

1. The Catholic was originally a convert to Catholicism from either atheism, a Non-Catholic Religion or Protestism and was NOT informed during their Catholic formation in RCIA that other Catholic Churches exist locally besides the Roman/Latin Catholic Church and they, now aware, fully believe that if they had been informed, they would have original converted to one of the other Catholic Churches/Rites.

Well, they were not fully informed but this is not to change what they have done (entering Cathlic Church is more important than the/a particular church). If someone marries not fully informed for example about variety of his husband’s / wife’s siblings, it does not “open” his/her marriage. So this revert is still Latin who, of course, can ask for transper.

1. The Catholic Revert from Orthodoxy gave birth to or adopted their children during their time as Orthodox and the children were baptized Orthodox.

To properly answer this we should consider more basic case: Let us have non-Catholic who gave birth / … to a child who has become a member of this persons’s non-Catholic church. What happens with this child if a parent switches to catholicism? If old enouhg, then nothing if this child does not become Catholic by his/her own will. What under 14? Well, I don’t know and please someone who know’s to tell us. I would suggest that Catholic Church would tend to expect this child coming with parent. If very young, then automatically and with increasing age with increasing measure of public accepting of his/her new faith. (Or just without public refusing?) If a Catholic goes away, young children would be probuby going away too, but the Church would be happy if they would stay despite of this.

Catholic Church believes in one baptism and so any properly baptized person is from Catholic point of view somehow Catholic, - but often in schism. So when Christian parent comes to full unity and fullness of being Christian (= becomes Catholic), then probably children are also considered to become “full Christians” by the same virtue as (not only) Catholic parents’ children are baptised in this church. If child decides differently, then by his/her own will remains separated what is a “personal fault” depending on many factors.

If there is someone able to correst this, please correct.

1. The Catholic Revert from Orthodoxy’s spouse remained Catholic the entire time OR their spouse is remaining Orthodox.

I am affraid I don’t undrestand properly what you are writing. I think it should have been: A was Catholic, then Orthodox, now becomes Catholic. A married B and B was and is Catholic the whole time. We don’t know if they married when a) both had been Catholics or b) A had been Orthodox. Catholic Church allows her members to marry non-Catholic under the condition that their childrn will be baptised and brougt up Catholics (what could be not respected). If they would follow this, their child was baptised and brought up Catholic and nothing changes for the child. If the child was baptised Catholic and brought up Orthodox, then s/he is sitll considered Catholic and if old enough, must decide if follows the parent or holds his/her Orthodox “feelings”. If baptised Catholic but later officialy accepted into Orthodoxy, then from Catholic point of view the child is a Catholic in schism (by own or parents’ fault) and in fact we have point (2). If baptised Orthodox, then we have a Christian in schism and point (2).

What I have written above are my opinions and in some places my speculations. If there is a mistake, then be corrected, but better corrected and not “shout out” without nothing better than “Me fundmentalist don’t agree”.

 

[Linusthe2nd]

No one here has the authority to decide the canonicity of any case. Advice should be sought from those appointed by the local bishop to make such decisions.

Linus2nd

 

[josie_L]

Would that person still canonically be Roman Catholic or the equivalent Eastern Catholic to the EO Church they had joined? Thanks.

I assume from this response that he was not re-baptized or asked to be baptized upon entering Orthodoxy?