Catholics Joining The Episcopal Church

[Franny50]

How common is it for catholics to join the episcopal church.My maternal grandparents were episcopalian and I attended both churches growing up,but do not follow all of the catholic teachings.Would I have to be reconfirmed?

 

[New_Found_Faith]

A lot of Catholics join TEC. I was a Catholic who did so, as was my parish priest. You would not have to be reconfirmed. At most, you would be allowed to be formally "recieved" into TEC when the Bishop came to your parish at some point during the year if you would like to be.

 

[mark46]

About half of our large church are former Roman Catholics. My GUESS is that this is a very large part of new membership in Episcopal and Anglican churches in many parts of the US.

Our family came from the Catholic to the TEC 2 1/2 years ago.

 

[Franny50]

I was wondering what the difference is between a "high church" and a "low church",and whether or not some episcopal churches still offer private confession?

 

[Araceli]

The Low church is more evangelical than liturgical and they also let women be ordained. As for the High Church, it varies. The High Churches commonly tend to disagree with women ordination. Some High Anglican Churches believe in the transubstantiation. Many of them also have private confession available. Some High Churches also honor Mary and pray to her and the saints. I'm Catholic, but I occasionally attend the local High Anglican church to pray along during their rosary hour. In a lot of ways, it's like Catholic-lite.

 

[EricOntario]

I'm also a former Catholic who joined the Anglican Church. I go to a somewhat "high" church but there is no veneration of Mary or private confession in general. A church that makes those things part of everyday importance would have to be very high, I think, as it's not very common and not of great importance to most Anglicans (at least around here).

 

[ContraMundum]

The Low church is more evangelical than liturgical and they also let women be ordained.

Not always. In fact, the most "Low church/evangelical" diocese I know of on the planet (Sydney) does not, nor does the REC/FCofE either.

 

[Franny50]

Are catholics who are not yet formally received into tec allowed to receive communion?

 

[MKJ]

Are catholics who are not yet formally received into tec allowed to receive communion?

Yes, normally any baptized Christian who would receive in his own church would be allowed to.

Mot priests will do private confession - they should - but often you will have to ask and make an appointment. It is more common in high churches. A few very Romish ones even have confessional booths.

 

[PaladinValer]

How common is it for catholics to join the episcopal church.My maternal grandparents were episcopalian and I attended both churches growing up,but do not follow all of the catholic teachings.Would I have to be reconfirmed?

There are many Vatican Catholics who convert to the Anglican Communion. I do not know how exactly "common" it is, although my mother was an extremely nominal Roman Catholic who converted officially last Advent and I know of many Episcopalians and other Anglicans, both in the Communion and of the Continuing Churches, who came from the Vatican Catholic Church.

As for Reconfirmation, that would not be necessary. We accept the validity and licity of all the sacraments of the Vatican Catholic Church. You need only be given a Rite of Reception whenever the Diocesan Bishop or an assisting or suffragen bishop were to given an official visit.

I was wondering what the difference is between a "high church" and a "low church",and whether or not some episcopal churches still offer private confession?

They relate to one's churchship; how they prefer the liturgy. High churches such as myself enjoy a more traditional and elaborate liturgy, with smells, bells, and all the options. Low churches tend to have a more basic but still meaningful and even beautiful liturgy, which just the required parts. There is also the broad church, which is basically a meeting in the middle of the two extremes (and which most parishes and missions tend to be).

Private confession is considered at the option of the individual, and a priest or bishop is, if he or she is worth his or her salt, happy to hear the private confessions of a Christian. We consider it a sacrament, and the priest or bishop is under canon law to be absolutely confidential about whatever is said.

Are catholics who are not yet formally received into tec allowed to receive communion?

All people who have been 1) given the Sacrament of Holy Baptist in 2) Trinitarian formula and 3) in Nicene Trinitarian dogma, 4) and are Nicene Christians are welcome to come forth to the altar and receive the Body and Blood.

 

[ebia]

PV: why do you use "Vatican Catholic" rather than "Roman Catholic"?

 

[Franny50]

What are the major differences between The Lutheran and Episcopal churches,in terms of beliefs and liturgy

 

[PaladinValer]

PV: why do you use "Vatican Catholic" rather than "Roman Catholic"?

1) It is in Vatican City, not truly Rome, in which that particular Communion is based in.
2) Not all Vatican Catholics are Roman/Latin; there are still the Eastern Rites which are as much Vatican Catholics as the Roman Riters.
3) Vatican City isn't targeted by that utterly ridiculous Fundamentalist idea of the "City of Seven Hills" nonsense.
4) Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy, etc, are just as Catholic as the Vatican Catholics are.

What are the major differences between The Lutheran and Episcopal churches,in terms of beliefs and liturgy

Lutherans are largely confessional traditionally, whereas Anglicans adhere to lex credendi lex oranti.

Lutherans have a very unique view of soteriology which is largely particular to them whereas Anglican soteriology is usually very vague. There are plenty of agreements, but we can and do have disagreements.

Really, there is more that is the same or similar than there is different, although IMO, we are more traditional than some forms of Lutheranism.

 

[TomUK]

As was revealed in Parliament a couple of months ago, at least 14 Roman Catholic priests (in reality higher) have converted from the Roman Catholic the Church of England in the past few years. In England the media have got a little obsessed with the ordinariate but failed to recognise that the flow of traffic goes both ways.

 

[Franny50]

How can one find out whether a church is "High",or "Low",before attending services.I noticed no designation outside of the churches on the bulletin.Is there an episcopal directory?

 

[PaladinValer]

How can one find out whether a church is "High",or "Low",before attending services.I noticed no designation outside of the churches on the bulletin.Is there an episcopal directory?

It is really hard to tell from the outside.

In the end, while everyone has a preference, attending liturgy is most important.

 

[sbvd]

I feel happy there's only one priest in my island. That way I don't have to worry about high, low or middle

 

[freezerman2000]

I was going to answer some questions, but the ones that I am sure of the answers, have already been addressed.

 

[mark46]

There are usually clues on the church website. Holy Eucharist at every service is sort of a start. Cathedral churches in central cities tend be more high church and perhaps seem Anglo-Catholic. Consider Trinity in Boston. The most asked question is whether this is a Catholic or Episcopal Church. One would think that the female rector might give folks their answer.

Some churches have many different services to serve those who prefer various styles of worship. For example, we have four services (soon to be five), all very different.

But in reality, it is not as if we have separate denominations called "high" and "low" church.

How can one find out whether a church is "High",or "Low",before attending services.I noticed no designation outside of the churches on the bulletin.Is there an episcopal directory?

 

[ebia]

1) It is in Vatican City, not truly Rome, in which that particular Communion is based in.
2) Not all Vatican Catholics are Roman/Latin; there are still the Eastern Rites which are as much Vatican Catholics as the Roman Riters.
3) Vatican City isn't targeted by that utterly ridiculous Fundamentalist idea of the "City of Seven Hills" nonsense.
4) Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy, etc, are just as Catholic as the Vatican Catholics are.

.

1. But the Communion's symbol of unity is not the place but the person, and the person is the Bishop of Rome.
2. The idea that Roman in RCC refers to the rite seems to be an invention of Catholics looking for an objection. "Roman Catholic" most sensibly refers to Catholics in full communion with the Bishop of Rome (and that's how Benedict uses the term along with Vatican documents).
3. Hmm
4. Arguable but not relevant to the point
5. Roman Catholic is a self designation used by the Catholic Church occasionally and the current Pope. To the best of my knowledge "Vatican Catholic" is not.