www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Give Roman Catholics the Eastern Option?

I have learned from this Forum that it is not acceptable to try to "convert" one from Roman Catholicism to Eastern Catholicism or Orthodoxy, or vice versa.

I can understand why the Churches must respect the membership of one another as institutions. However, I'm not sure if this applies to the common folk.

Several years ago, a very dear friend of mine, with whom I did much spiritual sharing, read some books of mine on Orthodoxy. When she returned them, she said to me "Oh, My, I think I might be turning Orthodox." She was a bit unsettled about it all. I had previously had similar thoughts, but we resolved it by acknowledging that the two Churches were really one in God, and that we could enjoy the Eastern riches as well as being Romans. My first experience of DL was in an Orthodox Church, since no EC Parish was nearby. I knew not to try to receive Communion.

My personal bias now is strongly for introducing the Eastern Churches to anyone who is interested in theological and spiritual matters. I would not try to "convert" them, just make sure they know what beauty is there. Invite them to see!

I honestly believe the richness of the Eastern tradition must be actively shared with others who haven't had the opportunity to experience it. Of course, no pressure or anything like that. They need to have some previous interest, really. Maybe through books or tapes. Then take them to Divine Liturgy if they seem interested. If they catch on to it like many do, they will be back for the spiritual riches, not the pierogies!

Isn't it ok for the commoner to help others, even if they are Roman Catholic, to understand the East?

In Christ and the Theotokos,
Tammy

I would have to agree with you. As a Roman myself, being open to the Eastern elements of the Church has greatly helped my spiritual growth. Even though the Latin Church is by far the largest of the Catholic Churches, it certainly cannot hurt to partake of the twenty-one others in the Church. Even before I started going frequently to a Ruthenian Church, I had attended vespers and the DL at an Antiochene Orthodox Church. By facing East from time to time you begin to see the fullness of the Church and appreciate the richness it contains.

Cyril,

In the West but facing East

But we Easterners never convert RCs. They convert of their own free will. We just give them moral support.

Dear Friends,

I think ByzanTN is right.

My parish has a number of RC's who come every week and will never become BC.

What's wrong with that? I think they like the fact that our parish doesn't pressure them into joining our Church as members or the parish organizations.

Alex

It is all One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. One does not �convert� within the same Church. One can transfer to another Patriarch. There are proper ways to do that. The Roman Catholic church does not consider the Orthodox church to be anything other than a particular church within the universal Church. A Roman Catholic can transfer to be under another Partiarch.

Some of the Orthodox churches are also leaving the 'conversion' mentality behind.

Yes - I am aware that not everyone thinks it is the same church. I consider that - their problem and not mine.

-ray

Not a blessed thing, Alex! I myself am a "RC" (actually, I prefer the term "C" ;-) ) who has been attending the "BC" for over a year now, on Sundays as well as the occasional Saturday morning.

And you know what? The longer I go there, the more I appreciate my "RC" church and heritage. Not in a negative way, but just, when you become aware of the beautiful traditions in another rite, it can remind you of the beautiful traditions in your own rite, which perhaps you've forgotten about or haven't seen for a while.

The longer I attend the BC rite on Sundays, the more I look forward to attending my RC church on weekdays -- because I am more aware than before that, East or West, it is the same Christ. :-)

I approach practicing Romans about visiting my Byzantine parish often. I present it as a pilgrimage option and always assure them that I will be there to help or answer questions. I encourage them to make an occasional trip out our way, I never give anyone the impression that they should change churches, I myself have not changed churches.

I also encounter other eastern Catholics (though rarely) of various traditions whom I invite as well, always with the idea that it is just a visit that I hope they find beneficial.

This is just part of how I do things, I also recommend to some people to visit the Abbey, which is a Latin rite institution. Exposure to all of these things is very good for the well-being and spiritual growth of people.

There could be a question of poaching if we were proselytising specific groups of practicing Catholics but inviting them to visit a liturgy is not the same as encouraging them to abondon their theological and liturgical traditions. It is more like inviting them to a retreat, the Byzantine churches have a certain charism which can be explored.

I also attend the local Latin parishes on occasion, so there is traffic going both ways!

I am fairly certain that strictly numerically there are more Eastern Catholics attending the Roman Rite parishes than there are Western Catholics attending the Eastern parishes. If anyone, from anywhere should come, visit and wish to remain as a permanent member of the parish I say they are more than welcome.

In Christ,
Michael

I like your approach.

I think 'conversion' (which I consider a misused term) is a thing of �last resort�. I appreciate that Providence (the Will of God) has placed each of us into a particular church. His universal (Catholic) Church is as varied as the countries and cultures it spans (the gentiles) and so I recognize that the good Lord - populates his church as he wishes.

I am Roman Catholic - and to fill myself with the Eastern life of the Church I associate with the local Orthodox Church (while receiving the sacraments in the local RC). I am more active within the OC than I am in the RC - but I consider it all one church. Sons of the same Father. It is the same Jesus Christ - equally - in sacrament within both.

Next week, I will be assisting an Orthodox priest as we go around to many of the local Roman Catholic churches and introduce ourselves (I jokingly tell the OC priest that I will be his �interpreter�). The goal is that we will be able to announce in local RC bulletins - such events hosted by the local OC that RCs might be interested in. Such as - the local OC has invited a Dominican priest to come and talk.

After receiving at Friday morning Mass - I asked the RC priest how we should do this - and if there would be any problems.. He replied that he would - love - to make these announcements in the bulletin - and he did not even ask me what the Dominican would be talking about. He would also announce events which are specifically Orthodox (Orthodox speakers). And I know that I shall get the same response from 99% of all the priests we shall visit. And this is good because this OC priest is very good and knows many good biblical scholars.

Another local OC priest teaches Patristics in the local RC seminary. And the near by Orthodox seminary uses many books written by Catholic scholars.

Yes - I am blessed to live in New England.

The riches of the Eastern Church here, are open to Roman Catholics. Catholics may not receive the sacraments in the OC - but they are the same sacraments that are received in the RC - so there is nothing lacking to the Roman Catholic who wants to experience and be with his brothers and sisters in the OC.

Here in New England - neither the RC nor the OC talk of �conversion�. It is a word seldom used. And in practicality - if one wished to join an OC parish - one is transferring - within the same Church.

A Roman Catholic need not �convert� to associate with the treasures of the OC� the riches of Eastern theology and rites - are his own heritage as a Roman Catholic - within the Eastern Catholic rites. He can experience these within the Eastern Catholic churches (and receive the sacraments) or within the OC churches (and receive the sacraments in the local RC).

Here in New England - the false barriers of �heretical� are long dead. And it is way past time for that! Each �church� is a positive experience within itself. Each church is recognized as being under a Patriarch - and so it has its rules to follow. But neither theology is called �wrong� - one is simply within a Eastern and Greek expression and the other in a Latin expression. The varied life of the Body of Christ.

I would encourage anyone - to experience the varied life of the Church through visiting another rite. There is a fullness to doing that. I breaks the �my church is the only legitimate church� mentality. The �conversion� mentality.

-ray

Have to laugh at byzanTN's comment - it's so true.

To me the really sad thing about this is that on the whole and especially over here I suspect the East is just an unknown quantity.

The idea is that East means ssssssssssssh Orthodox - and you can almost see the horror on folks' faces - but it's only because they know nothing about it.

I find that in my own case it was one experience of DL and I was hooked - totally . No-one has forced me into anything - my feet stay in the West - at present there is no other option - but my heart is in the East.

My Celtic sister,

How true, I was brought into the Church via the West, but I have been re-energized spiritually with the Church via the East.

james

Oops! "Convert" was not the proper term for me to use! I really like the "pilgrimage" aspect that Coalesco introduced.

Also, I agree that we can develop a new appreciation of the Western elements once we have seen what a kaleidoscope the catholic church is.

Tammy

Dear sister in Christ, Angela,

Just out of curiousity, is the 'horror on people's faces' over in the U.K. at the mention of Orthodoxy? (Your post was a wee bit unclear ) If so, are Brits, generally familiar with Orthodoxy? Or is it just some wierd religion practiced in Greece to them? Do they know that Prince Charles is growing increasingly closer to it, and that his paternal grandmother was an Orthodox nun?

Coincendantally, just this morning, a visiting young priest from North Florida gave the homily at my church, and mentioned how, being in the Bible Belt, he is often asked by Southern Baptists what he is, when they see his clerical collar. When he responds 'Orthodox Christian', they often ask, he said, "what's that??". He was sharing with us the responses he has formulated to give them...

With love in Christ,
Alice

We knew that we know your heart an unconscious use of a word which is quite habitually misused by so many. My own post was on the �word� itself and not anything about your sweet heart.

-ray

Sorry about the previous posting. What I intended to say was that my feelings are different and almost opposite. I as and RC very much miss what I came to love in my church, an altar server for may years, reciting the creed and other venerations. Now I am finding that the Roman Church Mass is very little different from the Episcopal and Luthern Tradition. The Creed is very seldom recited and within the sanctuary there ar female altar servers-sorry for beinng sexist. It is a church that I feel has moved closer to the heretics that it one time accused. I feel very much at home in the beautiful Melkite Parish that I attend.