Who may receive communion?

[Vico]

A Catholic cannot receive communion in the Orthodox Church. (Yes, there Eucharist is body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ) because communion literally means in-union. (Ie. Visible sign of unity).

Catch-22:
According to Orthodox teaching, IF a orthodox receives communion in the Catholic Church they has excommunicated themselves.

However, according to Catholic teaching, It’s OK if The Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Church of the East, Polish National Catholic Church to receive communion in the Catholic Church. Although, they probably won’t be willing to if they’re faithful to the teachings of their Church.

Correct?

For the Catholic:
CIC Canon 844.2. Whenever necessity requires or genuine spiritual advantage suggests, and provided that the danger of error or indifferentism is avoided, it is lawful for the faithful for whom it is physically or morally impossible to approach a Catholic minister, to receive the sacraments of penance, Eucharist, and anointing of the sick from non-Catholic ministers in whose churches these sacraments are valid.

CCEO Canon 671.2. If necessity requires it or genuine spiritual advantage suggests it and provided that the danger of error or indifferentism is avoided, it is permitted for Catholic Christian faithful, for whom it is physically or morally impossible to approach a Catholic minister, to receive the sacraments of penance, the Eucharist and anointing of the sick from non-Catholic ministers, in whose Churches these sacraments are valid.

 

[RileyG]

For the Catholic:
CIC Canon 844.2. Whenever necessity requires or genuine spiritual advantage suggests, and provided that the danger of error or indifferentism is avoided, it is lawful for the faithful for whom it is physically or morally impossible to approach a Catholic minister, to receive the sacraments of penance, Eucharist, and anointing of the sick from non-Catholic ministers in whose churches these sacraments are valid.

CCEO Canon 671.2. If necessity requires it or genuine spiritual advantage suggests it and provided that the danger of error or indifferentism is avoided, it is permitted for Catholic Christian faithful, for whom it is physically or morally impossible to approach a Catholic minister, to receive the sacraments of penance, the Eucharist and anointing of the sick from non-Catholic ministers, in whose Churches these sacraments are valid.

Thanks! However, would an Orthodox priest give me the sacraments knowing I’m Catholic? Maybe a Polish National Catholic priest might…

EDIT: Forgive my spelling error above. Their not there. I don’t know what I was thinking.

 

[Vico]

Thanks! However, would an Orthodox priest give me the sacraments knowing I’m Catholic? Maybe a Polish National Catholic priest might…

EDIT: Forgive my spelling error above. Their not there. I don’t know what I was thinking.

See Post #3 (and others in this thread). OCA says no.

 

[RileyG]

See Post #3 (and others in this thread). OCA says no.

No, he obviously would not. I completely understand that the Orthodox DO have valid sacraments, but we are forbidden to partake in theirs.

 

[dzheremi]

A Catholic cannot receive communion in the Orthodox Church. (Yes, there Eucharist is body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ) because communion literally means in-union. (Ie. Visible sign of unity).

Catch-22:
According to Orthodox teaching, IF a orthodox receives communion in the Catholic Church they has excommunicated themselves.

However, according to Catholic teaching, It’s OK if The Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Church of the East, Polish National Catholic Church to receive communion in the Catholic Church. Although, they probably won’t be willing to if they’re faithful to the teachings of their Church.

Correct?

This is correct as far as I understand it. If I were to take communion in any church in communion with Rome (Eastern or Western) or Constantinople, I would be automatically excommunicated. Not sure if that really counts as a catch 22, since the rules are contradictory but not inescapable – just don’t commune in any church but your own, no matter what others allow you to do. What matters is what your own church allows you to do (which is true whether your Catholic or Orthodox).

 

[SyroMalankara]

To answer your question: Yes! BUT:
First, you are validly, Baptized, Confirmed, and have already received the holy eucharist, and already received your confession probably. (All practicing Orthodox Christians have). Is this correct? I may be incorrect, but don’t you have to make your statement/confession of faith without RCIA.

Technically Yes. BUT That would excommunicate yourself from the Orthodox Church.

This is not entirely accurate. The Armenian Apostolic Church and the Syriac Orthodox Church, as well as the Assyrian Church of the East have agreements with the Catholic Church, signed by the appropriate Patriarchs and the Pope of Rome, approved by the Synods, for just this reason. Coptic Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, and some Eastern Orthodox have not signed such an agreement, in the case of the Syriacs especially, even Sacraments of Chrismation, Confession, and Matrimony have been agreed to.

 

[SyroMalankara]

Agreement on Interchurch Marriages
between the Catholic Church and the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church
January 25, 1994

This agreement between the Catholic Church and the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church on interchurch marriages has been prepared taking into account the following elements of the Common Declaration of Pope John Paul II and the Syrian Orthodox Patriarch Zakka I Iwas of Antioch, dated 23 June 1984:

The common profession of faith between the Pope and the Patriarch on the mystery of the Incarnate Word;
The common affirmation of their faith in the mystery of the Church and the sacraments;
The possibility given by the declaration for a pastoral collaboration including the mutual admission of the faithful belonging to both churches to the reception of the sacraments of penance, Eucharist and anointing of the sick for a grave spiritual need.
Having considered the above mentioned events and declaration, the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church agreed on the following considerations and norms.

As our two churches believe in and confess the mystery of the Church and its sacramental reality, we consider it our duty to specify the areas of agreement in cases of marriages between the members of our two churches.

Man and woman created in the image of God (Gen. 1: 26,27) are called to become sharers of the eternal divine communion. The sacrament of marriage is an image of this divine communion. Marital intimacy and self-effacing sharing are reflections of the deepest interpersonal sharing within the Trinitarian communion. Hence this intimate marital communion is divinely confirmed by Christ with the seal of unity and of indissolubility, and ordered toward the good of the spouses and the generation and education of the offspring.

He answered, “Have you not read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh?” What therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder. (Mt. 19:46).

Marriage is a great sacrament of divine communion and St Paul compares the mutual relationship of the husband and wife to the mystery of communion between Jesus Christ and his Church (cf. Eph. 5: 21-26; Tit. 2:3f; I Pet. 3: if; Rev. 18:7, 21:2). St Paul calls it a great mystery: “This mystery is a profound one, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the Church” (Eph. 5:32). Hence we believe that the sacrament of marriage bearing the image of the eternal divine communion is also an image of the most intimate communion between the Risen Bridegroom with his Bride, the Church.

The Church is the primordial sacrament of the eternal divine communion and, through the celebration of her sacramental mysteries; she deepens her communion with the divine Spouse and enables her members to participate in the divine life.

Our two churches accept the sacredness and indissolubility of the sacramental bond of marriage and consider the conjugal relationship as an expression of the above communion and a means to achieve self effacing mutual love and freedom from selfishness, which was the cause of the fall of humanity.

In this theological perspective, taking into account the question of the marriages between the members of our two churches, we consider it a matter of our pastoral concern to provide the following directives.

Our two churches desire to foster marriages within the same ecclesial communion and consider this the norm. However, we have to accept the pastoral reality that interchurch marriages do take place. When such occasions arise, both churches should facilitate the celebration of the sacrament of matrimony in either church, allowing the bride/bridegroom the right and freedom to retain her/his own ecclesial communion, by providing necessary information and documents. On the occasion of these celebrations, the couples as well as their family members belonging to these two churches are allowed to participate in the Holy Eucharist in the church where the sacrament of matrimony is celebrated. We consider it also the great responsibility of the parents to pay special attention to impart to the extent possible and in mutual accord proper ecclesial formation to their children in full harmony with the tradition of the ecclesial communion to which they have to belong.

The agreement was drafted in November 1993 and released on January 25, 1994, after approval from Pope John Paul II and Patriarch Zakka I.

Pastoral Guidelines

The Pastoral Guidelines which follow the text of the Agreement state that “the pastors of both partners are bound in conscience to provide continued pastoral care to interchurch families in such a way as to contribute to their sanctity, unity and harmony.”

The couples are “allowed to participate jointly in the Eucharistic celebration on special occasions when this joint celebration is socially required”.

Communion at the Wedding

Reciprocity. The Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church is an autonomous church under the authority of the Syrian Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch. It is thus one of those Eastern churches, which the Roman Catholic Church recognizes as close in faith to itself and “in possession of true sacraments, notably the priesthood and the Eucharist” (Decree on Ecumenism, n.14, 15). For this reason the bride and groom are allowed to receive communion together, whether the wedding and wedding Eucharist takes place in a Catholic church or in a Malankara Syrian Orthodox church.

Family members. This document makes explicit provision for the wider family to receive communion together at the wedding, not simply the bride and groom.

 

[SyroMalankara]

Pastoral Guidelines on Interchurch Marriages
between members of the Catholic Church and the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church
January 25, 1994

The pastoral guidelines for interchurch marriages accompany the agreement between the Catholic Church and the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church, dated 25 January 1994. The guidelines were prepared by the two churches separately, but accepted mutually.

These guidelines are framed on the basis of the common declaration of His Holiness Pope Paul John Paul II and His Holiness Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I Iwas (on 23 June 1984).
Commissions were appointed by both Churches to explore ways and means to foster the existing common affirmation of the faith and sacramental unity between the Churches.
Having considered the above mentioned declaration and the unity that exists between the two Churches in faith and sacraments, both Churches have agreed to accept the reality of interchurch marriages taking place between their members.
The two Churches desire to foster marriages within the same ecclesial communion and consider this the norm. However, accepting the reality that interchurch marriages do take place at times, the two churches have decided to facilitate the celebration of the sacrament of matrimony in either Church, allowing the bride/bridegroom the right and freedom to retain his/her own ecclesial communion, by providing necessary information and documents.

Preparation for Interchurch Marriages
When the parties apply for an interchurch marriage, they should be told that marriage within the same faith is better for the harmony of the family and the upbringing of the children.
If they insist on conducting the interchurch marriage, they should be instructed properly about the Agreement reached between the Syrian Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church on interchurch marriages.
It should be stressed that, while each partner holds his/her ecclesial faith as supreme or paramount, he/she should respect the ecclesial faith of his/her partner.
A pre-marriage preparatory course and a pre-marital counseling session are highly recommended.
The bride/bridegroom shall produce his/her baptismal certificate.
The priest must ensure that the bride/bridegroom is eligible for marriage.
The priest should ensure that the bride/bridegroom has paid the church donations in connection with marriages according to the practice of the Churches.
The bride and bridegroom, after mutual consultation, may select the church in which the marriage is to be celebrated.
Written permission for interchurch marriage from the respective bishops should be obtained by the bride/bridegroom.
Banns should be published in the respective churches, which also announce that it is an interchurch marriage.
Once the permission is obtained from the bishops, the respective parish priests are expected to issue the necessary documents for the conduct of marriage.
Marriage in the Lent or Advent seasons is only to be conducted with the permission of the bishops.

Celebration of Interchurch Marriages
The liturgical minister should be the parish priest of the church where the marriage is celebrated, or his delegate from the same ecclesial communion.
There is to be no joint celebration of marriage by the ministers of both Churches. The marriage is to be blessed either by the Catholic or by the Syrian Orthodox minister. However, there could be some kind of participation at the liturgical service by the other minister, who could read a Scriptural passage or give a sermon.
On the occasion of these celebrations, the couple and any members of their families who belong to these Churches are allowed to participate in the Holy Eucharist in the Church where the sacrament of matrimony is being celebrated.
Proper entries must be made in the Church registers, and marriage certificates should be issued for a record to be made in the register of the other Church.

Pastoral Care of Catholic-Syrian Orthodox Interchurch Families
The Syrian Orthodox partner is to be reminded that he or she has to commit him/herself to imparting to their children proper Orthodox formation, to the extent possible and in agreement with his/her partner. Such formation should be fully in harmony with the Orthodox tradition to which he/she belongs.
The pastors of both partners are bound in conscience to provide continued pastoral care to the interchurch families in such a way as to contribute to their sanctity, unity and harmony.
Each partner is to be advised to attend the liturgical celebrations of his/her respective Church, but the couple may be allowed to participate jointly in the Eucharistic celebration on special occasions when this joint participation is socially required.
Any declaration of the nullity of such marriages is only to be considered with the consent of the bishops concerned from both Churches.
The funeral service should as far as possible be conducted according to the rite of the dead person’s Church, even though he/she may be buried in either of the cemeteries, especially if the other partner is already buried there in a family tomb.
Source: Chorepiscopus V. Rev. Kuriakose Moolayil

 

[Yeoman]

Having read all the way through this, my conviction that the the Orthodox Churches and the Catholic Churches need to renew our mutual efforts to end the separation between us is increased.

I read, from time to time, the reasons that this has not occurred to date, but repairing this rift fully is something that it seems to me we really need to work on until we can achieve it.

 

[Vico]

This is not entirely accurate. The Armenian Apostolic Church and the Syriac Orthodox Church, as well as the Assyrian Church of the East have agreements with the Catholic Church, signed by the appropriate Patriarchs and the Pope of Rome, approved by the Synods, for just this reason. Coptic Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, and some Eastern Orthodox have not signed such an agreement, in the case of the Syriacs especially, even Sacraments of Chrismation, Confession, and Matrimony have been agreed to.

PROVISION BETWEEN THE CHALDEAN CHURCH AND THE ASSYRIAN CHURCH OF THE EAST (excerpts)
When necessity requires, Assyrian faithful are permitted to participate and to receive Holy Communion in a Chaldean celebration of the Holy Eucharist; in the same way, Chaldean faithful for whom it is physically or morally impossible to approach a Catholic minister, are permitted to participate and to receive Holy Communion in an Assyrian celebration of the Holy Eucharist.

…
This provision for admission to the Eucharist in situations of pastoral necessity is not to be equated with full Eucharistic communion between the Chaldean Church and the Assyrian Church of the East. Although closely related to one another in matters of faith and sacramental life, both particular Churches are not yet in full communion. They are still travelling, with hope and courage, towards that blessed day when full and visible communion will be attained and when it will be possible to celebrate together in peace the Holy Eucharist of the Lord.

vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/documents/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_20011025_chiesa-caldea-assira_en.html

 

[Yeoman]

Out of curiosity, if I were in some part of the world where there was an Eastern Rite Church, but not a Latin Rite Church, and I wanted to ask about the Sunday service, what would I properly call it?

Here, of course, I’d ask about “going to Mass”. But that might not be the proper term. Is it?

 

[malphono]

Assuming that you’d be speaking in English and that the person to whom you’d be speaking also speaks English, the word “Mass” would be understood.

 

[Yeoman]

Assuming that you’d be speaking in English and that the person to whom you’d be speaking also speaks English, the word “Mass” would be understood.

Thanks. It’s a pure hypothetical, as it’s pretty unlikely that I’ll find myself in that situation, but I did wonder.

 

[Vico]

Thanks. It’s a pure hypothetical, as it’s pretty unlikely that I’ll find myself in that situation, but I did wonder.

Also you can say the Divine Liturgy.