Why so many Catholics becoming Orthodox?

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Hello you all! I hope that the Advent is a time of joy for you!

Today I have begun my conversion to the Catholic Church.I was baptised Eastern Orthodox as a baby,but I eventually got interested in the Catholic Church.

One things that is concerning me so much is that on the internet there are a lot of Catholics becoming Orthodox. They have conversion testimonies and they also seem very critical toward s the Catholic Church ( I don’t manifest hat towards the Orthodox Church,but I feel closer to God in the Catholic Church).

Can you explain me this Orthodox-conversion phenomenon? Thank you in advance!
 
Well I’d say that everybody’s reasons are slightly different. I wish no ill will on the Roman Church but I admit I do disagree with a few things. Been involved with Eastern Catholicism for nearly 10 years and feel spiritually schizophrenic. I need to switch for my own peace of mind. I prefer Orthodox theology, I think it makes more sense and is healthier than Catholic theology. Again, that’s my OWN experience.

FWIW, my husband and I will officially begin inquiring into Orthodoxy next year. Technically we are still Ukrainian-Greek Catholic.
 
You might want to read about Rod Dreher’s conversion from Evangelical Christianity first to Catholicism, then to Orthodoxy. IIRC, one point he made is that as a Catholic, everything was always an argument, everything was always contentious.

I’m Catholic and I have no desire to convert to Orthodoxy. But I do wish the Catholic Church (in America, that’s all I know) would absorb more of the positive aspects of Orthodoxy and shed more of the negative aspects of The Spirit of Vatican II (perhaps the most failed experiment in all of Catholic history, and I’m talking about “The Spirit of” part).

One thing I think it may be safe to say is that our younger priests and religious probably have much more in common with their Orthodox peers than do our older priests (and most of our bishops). I take that as a very good sign.

If I had to guess as to some specifics driving such conversions, I would mention the cowardice and company-man attitudes of too many bishops, the existence and tolerance of so many molester priests, and the atrociously hollow liturgies and catechesis inflicted on so many Catholics over the past decades.
 
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OP, I think your view on this is rather local. The Catholic Church is universal. As far as I know, there are about 20 Catholic Eastern Rite churches in majority Eastern Orthodox countries. If they, being in the middle of the cauldron, so to speak, are not massively converting to EO, than I’d say there’s no massive exodus from the CC.
 
I would add one more item to my previous reply. It seems like far too many in the Catholic hierarchy act like they don’t really believe in the faith, and even that they are embarrassed by it. Far too many wink-wink, nudge-nudge clerics and lay Catholics.
 
Honestly, I’ve never met a person who converted to orthodox. Not in real life, not on the internet.
 
I would say that about the Orthodox Church too.In Romania,my home country,everyone says that priests want only money.
There have been various scandals here in Romania with homosexual bishops,an exorcism that killed the victim, a referendum on family’s status.Long story short, the Orthodox Church has a very bad reputation.
 
Not to mention that the Orthodox Church was communism play friend. Before communism, a great deal of Romania was Greek Catholic,but the Communists converted people and priests to the Orthodox Church. Now we are in 2020,but so far most of ex-greek-catholic buildings have never been given back to the Catholic Church,the Orthodox Church simply refuses it.
Also, the Orthodox Church is very absent from daily life.
 
And no to mention that here Youth in the Orthodox Church is so absent.Most of the faithful are old ladies.
 
My guess is that Western Catholics do a poor job of explaining the fact that Eastern Catholics exist.
Also, I would like to see the evidence what you say is true.
It may be true for people you’ve encountered, but the statistics may say otherwise.
 
In real life I know Protestant to Orthodox converts… but not Catholic to Orthodox.
 
I wonder if the O.P. might be in a bit of an internet echo chamber?
I am a cradle Catholic with friends who are part of the Eastern branch or our Church and friends who are Orthodox. I’ve not heard of a conversion in either direction.
I do pray for reunification:
That we might be one as is Jesus and Our Heavenly Father.
Amen.
 
AlNg said:
But there are new Greek Catholic Churches being built.
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Wouldn’t this be an indicator of the resilience of the Eastern Catholic Churches? Despite suppression under the communists and the confiscation of their property, they endure and continue to build.
 
jeannetherese said:
Wouldn’t this be an indicator of the resilience of the Eastern Catholic Churches?
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Yes it is. Under Communism, some Eastern Catholics went to the Orthodox Churches. but when communism fell, they returned to the Eastern Catholic Churches.
 
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