www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall latin who wants to be a byzantine priest

Ive been pursuing this for a while now my first major expeariance with byzantine christianity was at annunciation Greek Orthodox Church. i go there when i can after mass. many of the parishiners support me and like my family alot. i have been meeting with a priest from my church but he reacently retired. any suggestions

It is wonderful that you are considering a call to the priesthood.

I think you need to find another priest who can guide you on your way.

Have you ever visited an Eastern Catholic church, such as St. Michael Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Grand Rapids?

http://www.stmichaelgrandrapids.org/

Christ is Risen!
Welcome to Byzcath!

By "your family" do you mean your birth parents etc., or do you mean you have a wife and children? Are you saying you're a Catholic of the Latin Church who is married and would like to become a priest in an Eastern Catholic Church. This isn't permitted. I think you could be ordained deacon if that vocation were discerned. East and West have married deacons. But men who change their enrollment to the Eastern Catholic Churches from the Latin Church and are married are not permitted to become priests. Had you been a cradle Byzantine it would be different. I'm willing to be corrected on this, but I've always heard this is the restriction.

Since you're talking about a Greek Orthodox Church do you mean you'd be converting to Orthodoxy? That is another story.

You've been meeting with a priest from your church. Is that the Latin Church where you go to Mass, or the priest at the Orthodox Church where you go after Mass?

From what I understand, you cannot state it as a reason for switching Rites. But once you have switched Rites, there is nothing stopping you. Of course, it would be disingenuous of one to hide that fact from the Latin and Eastern Bishop when that is their true intention.

Although there are those who informally switched Rites, as in attend an Eastern Rite for years and then one day decide to pursue Ordination. They can work on the transfer right there and then and it would be acceptable for the Bishops if this is the case. But for one to jump right into an Eastern Rite and seek ordination immediately, you'd probably get denied on both accounts (ordination and switch).

I'm Latin as well and I believe Jesus is calling me East. My son has been discerning a call to the Priesthood for several years and is nearing the age of possible entry to seminary. This issue has crossed my own mind, if in fact we were to transfer Rites...eventually. But then I remember that the whole point in any discernment is to discern the direction of Holy Spirit is calling you toward. So, first things first...first continue to examine the path East... if Priesthood is in your future or my son's, for that matter, that is God's calling--not your desire or my son's. One should not endeavor to be a Priest because they "want" to -- one should endeavor to WANT to follow Jesus and that following will lead to your vocation. So I'd suggest flipping that train of thought around a bit and continuing prayerful discernment. Perhaps a book from a trusted author on spiritual direction/discernment of spirits. Typically the will of God can be distinguished by a quiet burning within your heart... vs. the impulsive adreneline pumping impulses of the devil (imho) Blessings! AA

when i say family im talking about my step mom and dad and the orthodox church is the only one in my area im not converting and im graduating this year so im not married

i havent and my dads truck is in no condition to make it that far. hopefully we can get a better one of find someone to take me

Is this a common practice or does one feel that it is neccesary to go first to mass then divine liturgy? Seems that one or the other is considered less than holy?

bergschlawiner: Catholics need to attend Mass or Divine Liturgy in a Catholic church on Sundays. MEXcath is talking about Divine Liturgy in a Greek Orthodox church. As a Catholic he is right to attend a Catholic church.