Would I be Eastern Catholic or Roman?

[Loreen2012]

As I mentioned in a previous post, and got wonderful responses, I am a baptized member of the Greek Orthodox. I will be making profession to the Catholic faith and making first communion. I know a few people have said that, coming from Greek Orthodox, I will become part of the Eastern Catholic rite.

Is this still the case if a Roman Catholic Priest will be witnessing my profession and performing my first communion? I would like to be part of the Eastern Catholic, simply because I know there is a Ukrainian Church, and would like to blend my culture in with my faith.

Thank you all for your help. Your answers are truly helpful toward me.

 

[twf]

Welcome to the Catholic Communion . Yes, as per our canons, you will be automatically enrolled in the Eastern Catholic Church that best corresponds to your native Orthodox Church. I know that there is a Greek Catholic Church, but it is very small, and I don’t know if it even has a presence in North America. (Most “Greek Catholics” in North America, as in those who worship according to the Byzantine Rite, are Ukrainians, Ruthenians, or Melkites). Someone else may be able to help you determine which specific Church you will canonically belong to…but you will be Eastern Catholic without a doubt, regardless of the priest who receives you.

You are, of course, free to receive the sacraments at any Catholic parish regardless of rite (if you want to worship with the Ukrainians, for example, you would be more than welcome), but keep in mind that you would be bound by holy obedience to follow the particular laws of whichever Church you canonically belong to…in terms of fasting, holy days, etc.

 

[Zekariya]

As I mentioned in a previous post, and got wonderful responses, I am a baptized member of the Greek Orthodox. I will be making profession to the Catholic faith and making first communion. I know a few people have said that, coming from Greek Orthodox, I will become part of the Eastern Catholic rite.

Is this still the case if a Roman Catholic Priest will be witnessing my profession and performing my first communion? I would like to be part of the Eastern Catholic, simply because I know there is a Ukrainian Church, and would like to blend my culture in with my faith.

Thank you all for your help. Your answers are truly helpful toward me.

Even if you profess your faith, attend, and become a registered member of a Roman parish, you will still be Eastern Catholic. No worries. I’ve went through the same process last year. I confessed and communed at a Roman parish. And, on Easter/Pascha 2012, I made a public profession of faith. I am still an Eastern Catholic.

 

[Dakota_Roberts]

As I mentioned in a previous post, and got wonderful responses, I am a baptized member of the Greek Orthodox. I will be making profession to the Catholic faith and making first communion. I know a few people have said that, coming from Greek Orthodox, I will become part of the Eastern Catholic rite.

Is this still the case if a Roman Catholic Priest will be witnessing my profession and performing my first communion? I would like to be part of the Eastern Catholic, simply because I know there is a Ukrainian Church, and would like to blend my culture in with my faith.

Thank you all for your help. Your answers are truly helpful toward me.

If you are Orthodox (Eastern or Oriental) you are automatically canonically in the closest Eastern Catholic Church.

 

[rdorseyhsd]

Las Vegas, Nevada has the only Italo Greek Byzantine Catholic Church in the United States. It strictly follows Greek tradition. It’s roots are from Sicily which once belonged to Greece.

 

[malphono]

As I mentioned in a previous post, and got wonderful responses, I am a baptized member of the Greek Orthodox. I will be making profession to the Catholic faith and making first communion. I know a few people have said that, coming from Greek Orthodox, I will become part of the Eastern Catholic rite.

Is this still the case if a Roman Catholic Priest will be witnessing my profession and performing my first communion? I would like to be part of the Eastern Catholic, simply because I know there is a Ukrainian Church, and would like to blend my culture in with my faith.

Thank you all for your help. Your answers are truly helpful toward me.

If you are Greek Orthodox, your transfer will technically be to the Greek Church irrespective of who witness the procession of faith. As has already been noted, the Greek Church s very small, and has no presence in North America.

It’s not my business, but I’d suggest that you try to arrange your profession of faith through the Ukrainian pastor. If there’s a Melkite parish in the area, that would be another option, and the usage there might be a bit more familiar.

Las Vegas, Nevada has the only Italo Greek Byzantine Catholic Church in the United States. It strictly follows Greek tradition. It’s roots are from Sicily which once belonged to Greece.

The roots aren’t strictly from Sicily, but yes, but that is a parish of the Italo-Greek (aka Italo-Albanian) Church (under the omophor in the US of the Ruthenian Eparcy of Phoenix), not the Greek Church. The usage is very similar, although not identical.

 

[Loreen2012]

Even if you profess your faith, attend, and become a registered member of a Roman parish, you will still be Eastern Catholic. No worries. I’ve went through the same process last year. I confessed and communed at a Roman parish. And, on Easter/Pascha 2012, I made a public profession of faith. I am still an Eastern Catholic.

Can I be part of any of the Eastern Catholic Churches then? As I would like to attend Ukrainian Eastern Catholic Church or am I strictly part of the Greek?

 

[Armor_of_Light]

Yeah. I’d like to know, too.

Zekariya…you got me thinking about this the other day. We have a Byzantine Ukrainian rite church somewhat close and I’d like to check it out. Their website certainly states that we’d be more than welcome. My wife has some Ukrainian heritage, but I can’t imagine you couldn’t belong there if you find it satisfies you spiritually.

 

[5Loaves]

Can I be part of any of the Eastern Catholic Churches then? As I would like to attend Ukrainian Eastern Catholic Church or am I strictly part of the Greek?

Any Catholic can attend any Catholic Church. He may receive the Holy Mysteries of reconciliation and of Holy Eucharist in any Catholic Church. Other sacraments (marriage, ordination, Chrismation and Eucharist for an infant whose father is not Eastern Catholic) can be in a Church to which you are not formally/canonically enrolled only with special permission.

 

[5Loaves]

Any Catholic can attend any Catholic Church. He may receive the Holy Mysteries of reconciliation and of Holy Eucharist in any Catholic Church. Other sacraments (marriage, ordination, Chrismation and Eucharist for an infant whose father is not Eastern Catholic) can be in a Church to which you are not formally/canonically enrolled only with special permission.

P.S. Most of the members of my EC parish are not canonically enrolled in our Church *sui iuris *. I think this is true for most, or at least many, Eastern Catholic Church parishes.

 

[Peter_J]

As I mentioned in a previous post, and got wonderful responses, I am a baptized member of the Greek Orthodox. I will be making profession to the Catholic faith and making first communion. I know a few people have said that, coming from Greek Orthodox, I will become part of the Eastern Catholic rite.

Is this still the case if a Roman Catholic Priest will be witnessing my profession and performing my first communion? I would like to be part of the Eastern Catholic, simply because I know there is a Ukrainian Church, and would like to blend my culture in with my faith.

Thank you all for your help. Your answers are truly helpful toward me.

Hi Loreen. Could you clarify: when you say “Greek Orthodox” do you mean specifically that you belong to the Orthodox Church of Greece, or do you mean it in the general sense of “Eastern Orthodox”?

Also, do you feel like sharing your reasons for leaving Orthodoxy? (Don’t answer of course if you find that too personal.)

 

[Dakota_Roberts]

Can I be part of any of the Eastern Catholic Churches then? As I would like to attend Ukrainian Eastern Catholic Church or am I strictly part of the Greek?

There is a Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church

 

[Loreen2012]

Hi Loreen. Could you clarify: when you say “Greek Orthodox” do you mean specifically that you belong to the Orthodox Church of Greece, or do you mean it in the general sense of “Eastern Orthodox”?

Also, do you feel like sharing your reasons for leaving Orthodoxy? (Don’t answer of course if you find that too personal.)

Yes I would be happy to share. I was brought up in Catholic school and brought up around the Catholic teachings. I am proud to be Greek Orthodox, but I feel a sense of place or at home when I attend the Catholic Church.

I am not sure exactly whether I am Greek Orthodox, all I know is that I was baptized in the Orthodox church, I am not sure what church it is or whether it is Greek Orthodox, or Ukrainian Greek Orthodox. I don’t think at the time where I was born they didn’t have a Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church there at the time, or I would have been baptized as that.

Also, I am not really sure what the difference is between Byzantine Catholic and Orthodox. Is there any really significant difference other than being under the Pope?

 

[Zekariya]

Yeah. I’d like to know, too.

Zekariya…you got me thinking about this the other day. We have a Byzantine Ukrainian rite church somewhat close and I’d like to check it out. Their website certainly states that we’d be more than welcome. My wife has some Ukrainian heritage, but I can’t imagine you couldn’t belong there if you find it satisfies you spiritually.

You are free to attend any Catholic parish. You can even join a parish that belongs to a Rite that is different from yours.

Also, I am not really sure what the difference is between Byzantine Catholic and Orthodox. Is there any really significant difference other than being under the Pope?

The Eastern Catholics accept all of the doctrines of the Catholic Church (though we might describe the same doctrines in a different words).

 

[malphono]

I am not sure exactly whether I am Greek Orthodox, all I know is that I was baptized in the Orthodox church, I am not sure what church it is or whether it is Greek Orthodox, or Ukrainian Greek Orthodox. I don’t think at the time where I was born they didn’t have a Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church there at the time, or I would have been baptized as that.

It makes a difference insofar as which sui juris Church you will formally transfer to depends on which EO Church you are coming from. If you’re ethnic heritage is Greek, it’s most likely the GOC. If your ethnic heritage is Slavic it could be any number of EO Churches.

If all else fails, if you know the name and city of the church where you were baptized, you could do a google on it. Most probably they’ll have some sort of web link which will give to particular EOC.

BTW, you would, of course, be free to attend any parish, Latin or Eastern, but there are certain points of Canon Law that come into play, particularly regarding Matrimony (and, for males, Holy Orders), that may have an impact at a later time, so it would be helpful to know to which sui juris Church you are ascribed.