www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Communion... a potentially dumb question... sorry..

I have a question about recieving communion.

Can orthodox christians recieve communion in the Catholic church? I have heard mixed answers on this. What about the other way around?

Mrs. Jensen:

The answer depends on which side of the street you're on. From a Catholic standpoint the answer is, yes, under certain conditions. From an Orthodox standpoint the answer is no.

Note, however, that in the Middle East my Melkite parishoners go to the local Orthodox Church and the Orthodox come to the local Melikite Church and nobody says anything about it.

Edward, deacon and sinner

I'm almost afraid to answer because FrDeaconEd surely knows more than me. I do agree with his answer, of course.

In my own limited experience, Russian Orthodox churches are strictest. However, some will allow Catholics to Communtion. My baba's priest permitted this since our family was split and my mom Orthodox. Everyone was expected to be properly fasted and prepared.

I have attended Liturgy at my friend's church. (She is Orthodox.) Her priests welcome the few Catholics in attendance to Communion if they have properly fasted and prepared.

I have several Orthodox friends who have gone to Communion in Catholic churches. Despite being permitted, I have not gone to Communion in an Orthodox church. But this is mostly because I was not properly fasted or spiritually prepared at the time and, of course, it is a serious sin to approach the Sacrament when one knows one is not in a proper state.

But I sure hope there are no schisms in heaven, because they sure complicate life for the faithful! :-)

In the USA, as a practical matter, you are best advised to speak with the Orthodox priest ahead of time before approaching the chalice. This applies also for Orthodox Christians who are visiting a parish that they do not regularly attend. The parishes in Orthodoxy are, for the most part (with the exception of some urban Cathedral parishes), rather small, and if the priest does not recognize a communicant he will sometimes ask you about yourself and your background while you are standing in front of the chalice, which can be an uncomfortable situation for everyone involved.

Brendan

Dear Brendan,

You are right on target.

I have heard and have seen it happen in G.O. churches I have attended.
Sometimes the giveaway is not giving a Christian baptisimal name.

Curiously though, in the case of a few spouses of Orthodox who went on to convert from Roman Catholicism, and who WERE granted Holy Communion by a more flexible priest, this 'economia' had a profound effect on them accepting conversion.

As uncomfortable, (and lamentable that we haven't overcome this hurdle with the West), as it may be, my priest usually makes an announcement about only 'Orthodox Christians' being allowed to approach the chalice.

Until we solve the intercommunion obstacle, I suppose that his announcements are less embarassing than having to turn someone away in front of the church.

In Christ,
Alice

Alice:

Sometimes I think that your question should be re-phrased to "are Orthodox or Catholic Christians in full agreement on all points of the faith and thus able to be in communion with each other?"

There are certainly pastoral situations that have been discussed at length here on the forum and as Brendan and others have so ably put it the cases should be discussed ahead of time with the clergy officiating.

That having been said, I think that the problem with the original question is that being in communion is a reality experienced on many levels. We are in communion with Christ, with the Father, and with the Holy Spirit--that should go without saying and probably every stripe of Christian could agree with that.

On another level, however, we must come to recognize that receiving Communion in any given parish means that the person approaching is admitting being in communion with the clergy of that particular parish and the wider church that the parish is a part of--the diocese, the province, and the particular church, whether that is the Catholic Church or the Orthodox Church--perhaps even a particular church within these greater communions. That also means that the one communing is in full and complete agreement with the doctrine of that church on all points. This is why communion isnot a help on the way to Christian unity, but the expression of its final and perfect form.

There are specific cases in which the Catholic Church allows certain Orthodox and other Christians to particpate in communion at her parishes. But to casually go back and forth is not something that falls under this permission. I've cited some cases that I know of personally here on other threads, but there is no blanket permission that I am aware of. It's always case by case and done by approaching the parish priest in advance. Neither the Catholic nor the Orthodox Church practices what some Protestants call "open communion" wherein anyone who approaches may receive. I believe that stems from the earliest communities where those who were not able to commune were not even permitted to remain for the Liturgy of the Eucharist. I was reminded of that vividly again at a local OCA parish where the priest chanted the Litany for the Catechumens during Presanctified: "let all Catechumens depart."

BOB

Alice, I love you. And Annie too.

I know full well the canonical aspects of so-called 'inter-communion', and I agree that the "open communion" of some Protestant communities is waaaaay too lax.

But when it comes to Catholics and Orthodox, we are dealing with a whole different breed of cat. What some priests observe, as Deacon Ed has evidenced, is the fact that among the ethnics, there is oftentimes a realization that in families, some go here, some go there, but it's still the same blood-family. And the mission of Christ's priest is to serve the baptized. And sometimes, like at baptisms and weddings, the priest realizes that the family is the family and the Church should do nothing to rend the fabric of family life. So, if you're a -opoulos, or a -iuk, or a -vich, then there's not going to be a problem. Canonists may suffer seizures; good pastors do not.

I don't think we should worry too much about it. I'm not sure that Christ cares too, too much about this issue.

Christ is Risen!!! (The Reason we are here!!!)

Dear Bob,

I know all about, 'the doors', 'the doors', (or as we say in Greek,'tas stiras, tas stiras').

I know all about the supposed differences and have studied them at length.

I also know that we both experience and believe in the true presence of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ in the most Holy Eucharist. Although I realize that preparation for each church is different (no offense to my Latin brethren who I love, but the one thing I can't reconcile is the one hour fast ), and should be followed, I also think that ultimately, God does not care about these differences as much as we do!

Patriarch Bartholomew came very close to granting inter-communion to the Greek Orthodox church in 1995. Unfortunately, political tensions in the Ukraine, side tracked us. I am praying that the Holy Spirit will guide him to revisit this issue.

Ofcourse, one should follow his or her own discipline, and try to commune in one's own church...but spiritual communion to me means more than agreeing on every small detail of doctrine...for ecclesiastical cultural understandings will always suffer from the great divide between East and West, but our HEARTS having love for Jesus, the saints, and His most Holy Mother will always be the same.

Christ is Risen!

Alice

Dear Dr. John,

Christos Anesti!

and...THANKS!

In Christ,
Alice

I actually think that is appropriate. I know the little (but mighty!) Melkite parish I go to has a note printed on the Liturgical books, laying out terms (in Communion with Rome, free from sin, fasted). I know my old RC church used to have little laminated cards in the pews to this effect.

It helps avoid confusion. I've gotten to the point where I sit down and have a polie little chat with my Protestant friends who vist about why they shouldn't receive communion. Most don't have a problem with this--at the very least, most folks won't seek to offend while visiting a strange church.