questions re eucharist

[zaida]

1)Are those of the eastern orthodox faith allowed communion in roman catholic churches?

2)Are Roman Catholics allowed the Eucharist in eastern orthodox churches?

3)Are divorced people allowed the Eucharist in eastern Orthodox Churches?

4)Are gay people (who might engage in a sexual relationship/partnership) allowed to receive the Eucharist in eastern Orthodox Churches?

Not looking for debate, just clear answers! (if such exists - sometimes these things are not clear)

Will be posting the same on the oriental orthodox forum -

Thanks!

Zaida

 

[Anhelyna]

Zaida - sorry , I think you have phrased your questions badly.

Question 1) Yes - according to the RC Church they are - I~ think~ what you meant was - are EOs [and OOs] permitted by their own priests to Commune in an RC Church.

Question 2) On the whole the answer to that is NO - I attend , from time to time, Liturgy in a Russian Orthodox Church - but I may not Commune there. I suspect that in some areas ekonomia may change things , but this is not universal

 

[zaida]

actually, no, I meant my first question as I wrote it - do the eastern orthodox allow their members to be in communion and partake in the Eucharist in roman catholic churches - I already know the answer from the other side, lol!

 

[zaida]

sorry again - you are correct - thats exactly what Im trying to ask! (Im not thinking straight this morning...)

 

[Anhelyna]

It happens - no worries

 

[gzt]

1. Catholics kind of allow Orthodox to receive, but Orthodox are not allowed to by the Orthodox.
2. No.
3, 4: Without specifics, the answer is yes, but the answer could be no. That would also be my answer if you asked about married people and heterosexuals, by the way. For the divorced person, the tricky part is remarriage, but divorce and remarriage is certainly possible in the Church in certain circumstances. For the homosexual, the tricky part is that sexual contact outside of marriage is a sin, and this must be repented of and confessed like any other sin - it doesn't matter if it's a man with another man or a man with a woman or a man with himself or etc etc.

 

[Anhelyna]

Need to go back to Question 2 - I'm guilty of carelessness here

Agreed Roman Catholics [ i.e. Latin Catholics in the terminology I prefer using ] may not Commune in Orthodox Churches but there are anecdotal stories that some Orthodox Priests ~may~ under some specific conditions , permit Eastern Catholics to approach the Chalice.

I won't attempt to respond to questions 3 and 4 - I leave that to my knowledgable Orthodox Brethren

 

[ArmyMatt]

1)Are those of the eastern orthodox faith allowed communion in roman catholic churches?

Rome says we can, but we say that we cannot.

2)Are Roman Catholics allowed the Eucharist in eastern orthodox churches?

nope

3)Are divorced people allowed the Eucharist in eastern Orthodox Churches?

depends. the priest may feel some penance needed because divorce is a great sin, especially if other things like abuse or infidelity happened.

4)Are gay people (who might engage in a sexual relationship/partnership) allowed to receive the Eucharist in eastern Orthodox Churches?

if they are unrepentant, then no. if the person has SSA, struggles, slips up as we all do, and then repents, then yes after confession.

 

[zaida]

Thanks everyone for the helpful replies!!!! Much appreciated - and blessings -

 

[zaida]

Thanks everyone for the helpful replies!!!! Much appreciated - and blessings -

 

[RileyG]

1)Are those of the eastern orthodox faith allowed communion in roman catholic churches?

2)Are Roman Catholics allowed the Eucharist in eastern orthodox churches?

1) An Orthodox Christian may not receive communion outside an Orthodox Church otherwise they would be excommunicated. Yes, it DOES say in the back of RC missal they may receive, with permission from THEIR bishop. BUT of course the EO wouldn't approach the Eucharist in a RCC anyway...(I'm RC, not Orthodox but that's the best to my understanding).

My RC priest, for example, would NOT allow a non-RC to receive the Eucharist.

2) Absolutely not. A RC also may NOT receive the Eucharist outside the RC Church. That's forbidden. (I'm forbidden by both Orthodox and Roman Catholic displicine to approach the chalice in the EO or OO Church).

 

[Anhelyna]

Riley

you said

My RC priest, for example, would NOT allow a non-RC to receive the Eucharist.

but if the person approached him and didn't say words to the effect of " BTW I'm an Anglican - do you mind if I Receive " would he actually know ?

The difference is that many Orthodox [ and for that matter EC ] Parishes are small enough that the Priests know those coming forward. A stranger will be 'challenged' . I've seen that this summer in the USA where the Priest [ GOARCH] I was visiting did challenge someone who came forward in the Communion line - they were Copts. Most Orthodox Christians visiting another Parish , where they are not known will , in practice , make themselves known to the priest beforehand .

 

[~Anastasia~]

Just a follow-up question?


Is it possible that, if either a Catholic or Orthodox have no priest available, that it might be possible if this were considered an especial need, that they might be allowed by the EO bishop to either offer (to the Catholic) or accept (for the Orthodox) in the other Church?

If an Orthodox were given permission to do so (assuming it were possible), then that would not constitute excommunication, would it?

Just curious.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Riley

you said but if the person approached him and didn't say words to the effect of " BTW I'm an Anglican - do you mind if I Receive " would he actually know ?

The difference is that many Orthodox [ and for that matter EC ] Parishes are small enough that the Priests know those coming forward. A stranger will be 'challenged' . I've seen that this summer in the USA where the Priest [ GOARCH] I was visiting did challenge someone who came forward in the Communion line - they were Copts. Most Orthodox Christians visiting another Parish , where they are not known will , in practice , make themselves known to the priest beforehand .

Our priest offers letters of membership in good standing to those who move or travel, so they can be accepted for the Eucharist in another parish.

No one who is not known can receive the Eucharist here, I know. Even the ushers may stop someone, if they know.

But I also know of a girl who went up who was not Orthodox, and the priest didn't make a big deal out of it. He blessed her and gave her antidoron.

 

[RileyG]

Riley

you said but if the person approached him and didn't say words to the effect of " BTW I'm an Anglican - do you mind if I Receive " would he actually know ?

The difference is that many Orthodox [ and for that matter EC ] Parishes are small enough that the Priests know those coming forward. A stranger will be 'challenged' . I've seen that this summer in the USA where the Priest [ GOARCH] I was visiting did challenge someone who came forward in the Communion line - they were Copts. Most Orthodox Christians visiting another Parish , where they are not known will , in practice , make themselves known to the priest beforehand .

If he didn't know, that's not his fault, rather if they did it out of ignorance it's not their fault either. He doesn't ask if they are RC or not, but those in communion line are generally supposed to be prepared to receive the Eucharist anyway, but unfortunately that's not always the case....

 

[RileyG]

Just a follow-up question?


Is it possible that, if either a Catholic or Orthodox have no priest available, that it might be possible if this were considered an especial need, that they might be allowed by the EO bishop to either offer (to the Catholic) or accept (for the Orthodox) in the other Church?

If an Orthodox were given permission to do so (assuming it were possible), then that would not constitute excommunication, would it?

Just curious.

If Orthodox WERE somehow given permission to receive in a RC parish, they would have to let the RC priest to know beforehand so they can also get permission from the RC priest....is that what you mean? Obviously, that very rarely- if ever happens.

 

[~Anastasia~]

If Orthodox WERE somehow given permission to receive in a RC parish, they would have to let the RC priest to know beforehand so they can also get permission from the RC priest....is that what you mean? Obviously, that very rarely- if ever happens.

I thought that would be the case as well.

I just wondered if it would be possible to get permission from an EO bishop in either situation?

 

[Knee V]

Just a follow-up question?


Is it possible that, if either a Catholic or Orthodox have no priest available, that it might be possible if this were considered an especial need, that they might be allowed by the EO bishop to either offer (to the Catholic) or accept (for the Orthodox) in the other Church?

If an Orthodox were given permission to do so (assuming it were possible), then that would not constitute excommunication, would it?

Just curious.

In short, it happens. As for myself, that is not something that I would ever want to do, even if I were told I was allowed to (and I know that my SF would never give me a blessing to do that anyway). As for those cases where it does happen, I don't know whether or not a bishop's blessing has been given. I would imagine not in most cases, but I don't know. Standard practice is that if you're Orthodox and you're not near an Orthodox parish/monastery, then do prayers at home until you're able to make it to a liturgy.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

... if the person approached him and didn't say words to the effect of " BTW I'm an Anglican - do you mind if I Receive " would he actually know ?

The difference is that many Orthodox [ and for that matter EC ] Parishes are small enough that the Priests know those coming forward. A stranger will be 'challenged' . I've seen that this summer in the USA where the Priest [ GOARCH] I was visiting did challenge someone who came forward in the Communion line - they were Copts. Most Orthodox Christians visiting another Parish , where they are not known will , in practice , make themselves known to the priest beforehand .

We had that in one Antiochian Orthodox Church I and others visited. If someone is a first time visitor - regardless of whether or not they go to another Orthodox Church (or are not Orthodox) - they generally let you know about it in the pamphlets they offer as to what the procedure is with Communion. Thus, the visitors who come simply chill on the back-row participating in the rest of the Divine Liturgy and service and yet have the freedom to talk to the priest afterward for future encounters where communion can be served. Open Communion is a very intricate subject - but a necessary one for others to understand and it really does help for accountability when communion is closed. It does help to foster others getting to truly know one another - and helps the leaders know what others are about before Bread is broken.

 

[~Anastasia~]

In short, it happens. As for myself, that is not something that I would ever want to do, even if I were told I was allowed to (and I know that my SF would never give me a blessing to do that anyway). As for those cases where it does happen, I don't know whether or not a bishop's blessing has been given. I would imagine not in most cases, but I don't know. Standard practice is that if you're Orthodox and you're not near an Orthodox parish/monastery, then do prayers at home until you're able to make it to a liturgy.

Thank you. I was just wondering.