Would an Orthodox have to "convert" to Catholic

[Agapi]

I have a question, in an earlier post I wrote about my husband and my delema over how to baptize( orthodox or catholic) our baby that is due in April. I am Orthodox he is RC. I don’t want to ask him or his priest this question because I don’t want my husband to think I am reconsidering my stance on the subject.
If “BIG IF” I decided to convert would I have to go through the whole RCIA year long program and all that or would I simply just begin accepting communion in the RC church. (as I understand it I am allowed by the RC to recieve but as an Orthodox I am not permitted to accept or recieve communion other then Orthodox).

 

[FrDavid96]

I have a question, in an earlier post I wrote about my husband and my delema over how to baptize( orthodox or catholic) our baby that is due in April. I am Orthodox he is RC. I don’t want to ask him or his priest this question because I don’t want my husband to think I am reconsidering my stance on the subject.
If “BIG IF” I decided to convert would I have to go through the whole RCIA year long program and all that or would I simply just begin accepting communion in the RC church. (as I understand it I am allowed by the RC to recieve but as an Orthodox I am not permitted to accept or recieve communion other then Orthodox).

No. Orthodox Christians do not “convert” all that is necessary is an express intent to become Catholic and a profession of faith.

Edit: For reference see RCIA #474

 

[bilop]

I have a question, in an earlier post I wrote about my husband and my delema over how to baptize( orthodox or catholic) our baby that is due in April. I am Orthodox he is RC. I don’t want to ask him or his priest this question because I don’t want my husband to think I am reconsidering my stance on the subject.
If “BIG IF” I decided to convert would I have to go through the whole RCIA year long program and all that or would I simply just begin accepting communion in the RC church. (as I understand it I am allowed by the RC to recieve but as an Orthodox I am not permitted to accept or recieve communion other then Orthodox).

Welcome to the forums!

Have you and your husband considered joining a Eastern Catholic Church, and having your baby baptized there?

You wouldn’t have to give up your Eastern practice or Theology, and he would still be in union with Rome.

God Bless

 

[Agapi]

that is not realy a practial solution in our situation. We really don’t live any where near a byzintine rite church and therefore attendance would not be practical. We would end up attending my husbands RC parish anyhow.

 

[Aramis]

I have a question, in an earlier post I wrote about my husband and my delema over how to baptize( orthodox or catholic) our baby that is due in April. I am Orthodox he is RC. I don’t want to ask him or his priest this question because I don’t want my husband to think I am reconsidering my stance on the subject.
If “BIG IF” I decided to convert would I have to go through the whole RCIA year long program and all that or would I simply just begin accepting communion in the RC church. (as I understand it I am allowed by the RC to recieve but as an Orthodox I am not permitted to accept or recieve communion other then Orthodox).

If you have a byzantine parish (Ukrainian, Melkite, Ruthenian, Romanian) nearby, it’s a matter of making the profession before Divine Liturgy, scheduled in advance with the pastor.

With the Roman Church, there is no requirement for RCIA for the Orthodox , but you should be aware there are theological issues to be aware of.

In Either case, you translate into the closest Ritual Church.

As is, you can already receive in the Catholic Church, in any Rite or particular church. Any sacrament except Ordination…

The prohibition is solely from the Orthodox Church side, and in most cases, isn’t actually enshrined in canon law.

 

[Just_Lurking]

You should read numbers 24 - 29 of Orientalium Ecclesiarum (see here). In particular, number 25 addresses the requirements for joining the Catholic Church.

 

[FrDavid96]

that is not realy a practial solution in our situation. We really don’t live any where near a byzintine rite church and therefore attendance would not be practical. We would end up attending my husbands RC parish anyhow.

You should also be aware that under canon law, if you become Catholic, you automatically become a member of the Catholic Church sui iuris which is the counterpart to your original Orthodox Church–even if the nearest one is 1,000 miles away. This applies even if you formally become Catholic in a Roman parish.

If you want to specifically become Roman you must state that intention and ask the receiving priest to make a note of that in the Baptismal register (there is no baptism, but that’s the place where it’s recorded).

The children follow the Church of the father by default, but you need to be aware that if you do not explicitly state that you are becoming Roman rite, and that notation is not made in the register, then by default, you are a member of the Eastern Catholic Church that applies–whether you want it or not. If this is not what you intend, there could be other complications that result later in life because you would come under the Eastern Canon Law and not the Roman. It can get very complicated.

 

[Joannm]

You should also be aware that under canon law, if you become Catholic, you automatically become a member of the Catholic Church sui iuris which is the counterpart to your original Orthodox Church–even if the nearest one is 1,000 miles away. This applies even if you formally become Catholic in a Roman parish.

If you want to specifically become Roman you must state that intention and ask the receiving priest to make a note of that in the Baptismal register (there is no baptism, but that’s the place where it’s recorded).

The children follow the Church of the father by default, but you need to be aware that if you do not explicitly state that you are becoming Roman rite, and that notation is not made in the register, then by default, you are a member of the Eastern Catholic Church that applies–whether you want it or not. If this is not what you intend, there could be other complications that result later in life because you would come under the Eastern Canon Law and not the Roman. It can get very complicated.

I have a woman that I interviewed that is Serbian Orthodox and wishes to become Cathoic but we can’t seem to determine which Eastern Rite she would become. We do know that this is basically “on paper” as she will be an active member of our Latin Rite parish as her children attend our parish school.

 

[jmcrae]

I have a woman that I interviewed that is Serbian Orthodox and wishes to become Cathoic but we can’t seem to determine which Eastern Rite she would become. We do know that this is basically “on paper” as she will be an active member of our Latin Rite parish as her children attend our parish school.

I am just thinking that in a case like that, it would just be so much easier to become Latin Rite, so that she doesn’t have to find and look up what rules she is supposed to be following (do they still do the fasting from midnight and no dairy on Fridays, etc., for example) - she would just follow the same rules as her husband and children.

It just seems like it would be a lot simpler to have the whole family on the “same page” so to speak.

 

[Volodymyr]

No. Orthodox Christians do not “convert” they just become Catholic .

Edit: For reference see RCIA #474

I am very poor English speaker. But to convert means to change something into another form or substance according to dictionary. If woman changes from Holy Orthodoxy to Roman Catolic faith - this is conversion. . Such linguistical gymnastics can be called here “jesuitical causistry” - to suggest a conversion is not a conversion but simply a “becoming”. Leaving Holy Orthodoxy is sin of Apostasia (отступление). Why should this woman read Catechism of Catolic church?? Ask her to read the Law of God (Закон Божий) to know what her church - Holy Orthodox church - teaches.

 

[jmcrae]

I am very poor English speaker. But to convert means to change something into another form or substance according to dictionary. If woman changes from Holy Orthodoxy to Roman Catolic faith - this is conversion.

Not really, since she doesn’t have to do over her Sacraments (as a Protestant would have to do). All she has to do is affirm the Apostle’s Creed. She is considered to have already validly received her Sacraments, and she can simply continue to do so in the Catholic Church.

She doesn’t have to undergo any kind of process of “changing into” something else. She just does what she has always done, except at the Catholic Church now, once she makes her Profession of Faith.

As to the rest, it is certainly important for her to examine what she is doing, and do it consciously and with full understanding - nobody would suggest otherwise.

 

[FrDavid96]

I have a woman that I interviewed that is Serbian Orthodox and wishes to become Cathoic but we can’t seem to determine which Eastern Rite she would become. We do know that this is basically “on paper” as she will be an active member of our Latin Rite parish as her children attend our parish school.

If it is indeed her intention to become Roman then she needs to express this and make sure that it’s noted in the parish register. It might not seem like a big deal now, but there’s a possibility that it could cause issues in the future. It’s a matter of a simple notation now or an outright “change of rite” later.

 

[Aramis]

Under current CCEO and CIC rules, she need not even make the public profession to receive communion and reconciliation, and her chrismation (Batism, Confirmation and 1st Eucharist) are fully valid as is. If her wedding was either Catholic or Orthodox, there is no impediment there.

**CCEO (Canon Law for the Eastern Churches, 1992, supersedes Ecclesiam Orientalis) **
Canon 897
A member of the Christian faithful of an Eastern non-Catholic Church is to be received into the Catholic Church with only the profession of the Catholic faith, after doctrinal and spiritual preparation according to each one’s condition.
intratext.com/IXT/ENG1199/_POX.HTM

Canon 671

1. Catholic ministers licitly administer the sacraments only to Catholic Christian faithful, who, likewise, licitly receive the sacraments only from Catholic ministers.
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.
   **3. Likewise Catholic ministers licitly administer the sacraments of penance, the Eucharist and anointing of the sick to Christian faithful of Eastern Churches, who do not have full communion with the Catholic Church, if they ask for them on their own and are properly disposed. This holds also for the Christian faithful of other Churches, who according to the judgment of the Apostolic See, are in the same condition as the Eastern Churches as far as the sacraments are concerned. **
3. If there is a danger of death or another matter of serious necessity in the judgment of the eparchial bishop, the synod of bishops of the patriarchal Church or the council of hierarchs, Catholic ministers licitly administer the same sacraments also to other Christians not having full communion with the Catholic Church, who cannot approach the ministers of their own ecclesial communities and who request them on their own, provided they manifest a faith consonant with that of the Catholic Church concerning these sacraments and are rightly disposed.
4. For the cases in 2, 3 and 4, norms of particular law are to be enacted only after consultation with at least the local competent authority of the non-Catholic Church or ecclesial community concerned.
   CCEO: text - IntraText CT

CIC, Canon Law for the Roman Church (& all enrolled therein), 1983
Can. 844 §1. Catholic ministers administer the sacraments licitly to Catholic members of the Christian faithful alone, who likewise receive them licitly from Catholic ministers alone, without prejudice to the prescripts of §§2, 3, and 4 of this canon, and ⇒ can. 861, §2.

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

§**3. Catholic ministers administer the sacraments of penance, Eucharist, and anointing of the sick licitly to members of Eastern Churches which do not have full communion with the Catholic Church if they seek such on their own accord and are properly disposed. This is also valid for members of other Churches which in the judgment of the Apostolic See are in the same condition in regard to the sacraments as these Eastern Churches.
**
§4. If the danger of death is present or if, in the judgment of the diocesan bishop or conference of bishops, some other grave necessity urges it, Catholic ministers administer these same sacraments licitly also to other Christians not having full communion with the Catholic Church, who cannot approach a minister of their own community and who seek such on their own accord, provided that they manifest Catholic faith in respect to these sacraments and are properly disposed.

§5. For the cases mentioned in §§2, 3, and 4, the diocesan bishop or conference of bishops is not to issue general norms except after consultation at least with the local competent authority of the interested non-Catholic Church or community.
vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P2T.HTM

Bolding mine in all cases.

 

[bilop]

I am very poor English speaker. But to convert means to change something into another form or substance according to dictionary. If woman changes from Holy Orthodoxy to Roman Catolic faith - this is conversion. . Such linguistical gymnastics can be called here “jesuitical causistry” - to suggest a conversion is not a conversion but simply a “becoming”. Leaving Holy Orthodoxy is sin of Apostasia (отступление). Why should this woman read Catechism of Catolic church?? Ask her to read the Law of God (Закон Божий) to know what her church - Holy Orthodox church - teaches.

Volodymyr,

You have to realize that Catholics view the Orthodox as being part of the same Church. We feel that all that seperates us is jurisdictional issues, not any issues of Faith or Theology. So, once an Orthodox accepts the authority of the Pope, he is immediately Catholic.

I know the Orthodox vary widely on how they view us Catholics. Some seem to share our view, particularly Orientals, which can be seen by the fact that many Catholic and Orthodox Churches (mainly in the Mid-East) share inter-communion. Other Orthodox, primarily Eastern, seem to view us as heretics (which I believe is ridiculous and very unfortunate).

God Bless

 

[Andreas_Hofer]

For the OP’s benefit:
It’s true that the only real requirement on your part would be a profession of faith, but you should be forewarned that there might wind up being an uncomfortable difference between this true state of affairs and what some well-intentioned but ill-formed pastor thinks he is going to “make” you do to become Catholic. There are many parishes out there that would likely tell you, “You want to be Catholic? Great. You have to go through RCIA, because that’s how people become Catholic.” In your case that’s entirely untrue, and knowing that beforehand will arm you to demand proper respect and canonical treatment if such a situation should arise.