I'm catholic, but far from certain...

[aChildOfMary]

I'm catholic, but I have started to have doubts over the papacy and if I ever decide to leave the Catholic Church it would definitely be for the Orthodox faith.

I have some questions I would like to ask if it's ok
First of all I'm quite western in my mindset so bear with me if my questions seems stupid.

1. Is there any obligation to attend the liturgy every Sunday as it is in the CC?
The reason I ask is because I live in a town where there is no Orthodox churches so traveling 40 minutes by train every Sunday to attend the liturgy would be very inconvenient for me to be honest.

2. If I ever decide on becoming Orthodox do I have to be recieved during a Sunday Divine Liturgy or could I be recieved more descratly.
I'm quite introverted so going through this once as I got recieved into the CC really was hard enough to be honest.

3. Do I have to take classes prior to my conversion and if so, how often?
Once again due to travel distance it would be a huge hassle for me to attend weekly classes.

4. If I where to attend classes how long time would I have to wait in order to be recieved into the OC?
1 year, 2 year or longer?

5. Is there any sort of test in the end of the course or is it like Protestant confirmation when I get received (questioning in front of the whole church)?
I suffer from a mildly form of social anxiety and would really hate the 'protestant' kind of initiation.


Thanks in advance for all replies I may receive



Your brother in Christ
- MarianCatholic

 

[gzt]

1. Not as formally as that - but if there were, there would be consideration for difficulty of travel (by the way, there is in Catholicism as well).

2. No, not necessarily on a Sunday.

3. Catechesis is likely to be personal since there are few people to be taught.

4. Most people convert in about a year, but this varies by the diocese and the parish.

5. Generally not.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I'm catholic, but I have started to have doubts over the papacy and if I ever decide to leave the Catholic Church it would definitely be for the Orthodox faith.

I have some questions I would like to ask if it's ok
First of all I'm quite western in my mindset so bear with me if my questions seems stupid.

welcome to TAW!

1. Is there any obligation to attend the liturgy every Sunday as it is in the CC?
The reason I ask is because I live in a town where there is no Orthodox churches so traveling 40 minutes by train every Sunday to attend the liturgy would be very inconvenient for me to be honest.

obligation? no. you should try to get to all that you can, and I am sure your priest would take the distance into consideration.

2. If I ever decide on becoming Orthodox do I have to be recieved during a Sunday Divine Liturgy or could I be recieved more descratly.
I'm quite introverted so going through this once as I got recieved into the CC really was hard enough to be honest.

no, not on a Sunday. let the priest know about being more introverted and I am sure he can work something out. from what I have seen, receptions into the Church that do not fall near Easter or Epiphany are usually not crazy huge

3. Do I have to take classes prior to my conversion and if so, how often?
Once again due to travel distance it would be a huge hassle for me to attend weekly classes.

usually you do have to have some kind of catechesis because Orthodoxy is very different than the West. and again, I am sure the priest would take your distance into consideration

4. If I where to attend classes how long time would I have to wait in order to be recieved into the OC?
1 year, 2 year or longer?

it depends, usually around a year-ish.

5. Is there any sort of test in the end of the course or is it like Protestant confirmation when I get received (questioning in front of the whole church)?
I suffer from a mildly form of social anxiety and would really hate the 'protestant' kind of initiation.

no test I have seen. there are some professions that will be made during your reception, but it is not long.

 

[Antony in Tx]

I would add that your priest might even conisder allowing you to be chrismated at a monastery so that it would just be you and the monastics. this could be done discreetly and in respect of the disability that your anxiety brings. TALK TO YOUR PRIEST...he can work with you to guide you into the Church in the way that God has set out for you.

 

[Jesus4Madrid]

I would really encourage you to visit with an Orthodox priest. There is a good Russian Orthodox Church in Oslo. Your priest can tailor something to your needs.

The process is likely to be very different from the initiation course into Roman Catholicism.

 

[aChildOfMary]

Thanks for all replies
It's good to know that I can get chrismated in a way where I would feel comfortable (wasn't an option as I entered the RCC).
Yeah I will make contact with a priest at some point if I decide to cross the divide.
One of my issues are that I kind of feel like an idiot if I walk away from my catholic faith as I made quite an earthquake in my families world when I became catholic (my relatives are pentacostals).
anyway who care what they think anyway

Does it matter if I become Greek Orthodox or Russian Orthodox?
What's the difference?




Yours in Jesus and Mary
-MarianCatholic

 

[Jesus4Madrid]

Thanks for all replies

Does it matter if I become Greek Orthodox or Russian Orthodox?
What's the difference?

No real difference. Choose the Church that best fits you. I would recommend you go with a service in Norwegian rather than Church Slavonic (spoken in some Russian churches). Otherwise, visit a few different ones.

 

[aChildOfMary]

No real difference. Choose the Church that best fits you. I would recommend you go with a service in Norwegian rather than Church Slavonic (spoken in some Russian churches). Otherwise, visit a few different ones.

There is two Orthodox churches in Oslo, one Greek and the Russian one who you mentioned earlier.
I know a Greek Orthodox family living nearby and from my understanding they enjoy their church a lot and that makes me wanting to become Greek Orthodox rather than Russian as I don't know anyone going to the Russian Church.
The problem is that the Greek one have about 400 members (quite small) and they only have Sunday Liturgy once a month.
They have no possibility of taking on converts as they have a traveling priest only.
So I guess I have to become Russian Orthodox if I decide to leave Catholicism.
If I get chrismated and join the Russian Orthodox Church am I free to live my life as faithful in the Greek Church and receive the sacraments there and only rarely attend the Russian Church or would that be considered a odd thing to do?

Is the priests in either church able for confession often or is it like a hassle to them?
The reason I ask is because due to travel distance I won't be able to attend the divine liturgy often so confession is also inconvenient.
Is it like in the Catholic Church that the church operates with confessional times once a week or so?

 

[~Anastasia~]

Welcome to TAW!!!


You may also find that the Church family, or the relationship you have with the priest, may make a difference to you. That was the main reason I chose my parish over the other one locally. There is an Antiochian parish here that has the liturgy in English, but I attend a Greek parish (I speak precious little Greek, LOL) because the people made me family right away, and the priest is much easier for me to talk to.

I wasn't sure at first about having him as a confessor, but he has offered guidance to me on spiritual matters a few times, and I have learned that his advice is sound and he seems to know what I need, even when I don't like to hear it. He has also helped me through some difficult situations. So I am more than pleased to have his guidance.

I'll leave the other questions for someone else. I'm sure you'll get good answers.

 

[ArmyMatt]

If I get chrismated and join the Russian Orthodox Church am I free to live my life as faithful in the Greek Church and receive the sacraments there and only rarely attend the Russian Church or would that be considered a odd thing to do?

well, it's best to plug into one Church, so that they (especially the priest) can come to know and support and love you. either way, it's still the same Church.

Is the priests in either church able for confession often or is it like a hassle to them?

I would imagine confession would be no issue. sometimes you have to make an appointment, depending on the the priest's schedule.

Is it like in the Catholic Church that the church operates with confessional times once a week or so?

I dunno, most priests that I know do it by appointment and/or after Vespers or something. best to ask him.

 

[HumbleMan]

Thanks for all replies
It's good to know that I can get chrismated in a way where I would feel comfortable (wasn't an option as I entered the RCC).
Yeah I will make contact with a priest at some point if I decide to cross the divide.
One of my issues are that I kind of feel like an idiot if I walk away from my catholic faith as I made quite an earthquake in my families world when I became catholic (my relatives are pentacostals).
anyway who care what they think anyway

Does it matter if I become Greek Orthodox or Russian Orthodox?
What's the difference?

Yours in Jesus and Mary
-MarianCatholic

If I may be permitted to respond,

Coming from a protestant/pentecostal background, I don't think you're family will think much about this. It's been my experience that most protestants who weren't raised in either the RC/EO church don't distinguish much between the RC and EO.

 

[~Anastasia~]

If I may be permitted to respond,

Coming from a protestant/pentecostal background, I don't think you're family will think much about this. It's been my experience that most protestants who weren't raised in either the RC/EO church don't distinguish much between the RC and EO.

Sadly, this is very true.

My husband is still opposed to my joining the Church, based on his aversion to the Catholic Church. To him it is still no different.

(Interestingly enough, the OCA was "different" to him, but he found the Greek to be "Catholic" ... but that was actually coming to Church - his outside opinion is "Catholic" across the board)

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

If you were to attend the Greek parish near my Serb Parish, you'd see

kneelers
lots of kneeling
lots of sitting
icons that look like something from Italy
a 50-55 minute liturgy
an organ

yeah, you'd think it WAS Catholic!!!!

I'm not impressed with the Greek liturgy and life in my area. It's Serbian or bust where I am....at least for me.

Sadly, this is very true.

My husband is still opposed to my joining the Church, based on his aversion to the Catholic Church. To him it is still no different.

(Interestingly enough, the OCA was "different" to him, but he found the Greek to be "Catholic" ... but that was actually coming to Church - his outside opinion is "Catholic" across the board)

 

[~Anastasia~]

If you were to attend the Greek parish near my Serb Parish, you'd see

kneelers
lots of kneeling
lots of sitting
icons that look like something from Italy
a 50-55 minute liturgy
an organ

yeah, you'd think it WAS Catholic!!!!

I'm not impressed with the Greek liturgy and life in my area. It's Serbian or bust where I am....at least for me.

I confess that I don't know really what "Catholic" looks like.

We have kneelers built into the pews. They only get used during the prayer for consecration of the Eucharist on Sundays (outside the Lenten season) - so far. We are about half standing - half sitting. The iconography is Byzantine pretty consistently. I'm not sure what something from Italy would look like? Our liturgy lasts close to 2 hours at least, and with Orthros more like 3-1/2 hours. There is an organ, but you don't usually hear it - it's kind of a background for the choir voices (and not all the time or every week) - the choir is LOUD, and there is no organ or other sound during the chanting, which is mostly Greek.

Not sure how "Catholic" that sounds.

My husband sees the incense (which I'm also not sure has anything to do with Catholic Churches), the vestments, the fact that the Church is richly decorated, and people crossing themselves. The altar and the chalice and all that. I think that's all he needs.

I don't think he's been in a Catholic Church any more than I have. Not trying to disrespect him - just saying that that's his impression.

The OCA parish he visited was in a temporary building. Icons were hung on the wall, but it wasn't like our nearly 100-year-old Church building. They didn't come out and cense the nave and narthex (it was an open room with no pews) - so that was enough of a difference that he managed to enjoy it. I think if he had come with me to visit the OCA parish downtown that is under construction but in a permanent building with icons in the process of being painted over all the walls, it would have been different. (Besides they had about 7 or more clergy doing all sorts of things, and I'm sure that would have gotten his attention too.)

At least our Greek parish has just the priest. We have a sub-deacon, chanters and readers, and some altar boys, but we are very short on clergy. Unfortunately that means a lot of work for our priest, and probably didn't decrease the sense of "Catholic" to my husband that much.

 

[aChildOfMary]

If I may be permitted to respond,

Coming from a protestant/pentecostal background, I don't think you're family will think much about this. It's been my experience that most protestants who weren't raised in either the RC/EO church don't distinguish much between the RC and EO.

If anything I guess I'm going to make them happy.
They do think that the Pope is misleading, but since I became Catholic they couldn't keep onto their mindset of The Holy Father as antichrist (they did until such opinion would deem me to hell), but if I choose to become Orthodox I guess they'll see it as I'm leaving antichrist which is good I guess?
I am concerned about the pontificate and the power given to the popes so it's complicated to be honest...
Else from that they would probably don't notice any other differences other than the fact that I no longer will be obligated to go to church on Sundays.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Hopefully they will see it as an improvement then?

Honestly, Catholic and Orthodox seem pretty far apart to me, in some things. In some cases, Catholic seems more closely related to Protestantism in general, and if you mean Lutheranism in particular, then they are quite close in many things.

But Orthodox and Catholic do also share certain things that might also be shared by Lutherans and some Anglicans, but are far from the more recent Protestant denoms.

As far as the required Mass attendance, I guess I have a hard time "getting" that. I'm in Church every single time I can be anyway, and I WANT very much to be there. If I got to where I was lukewarm and stayed away intentionally for a couple of weeks, I'd worry about my priorities. But it seems odd to make it a requirement, and somewhat of a salvation-requirement if you consider the situations where it would be a mortal sin?

That's just me though.

I hope your inquiries are going well.

 

[wynd]

There is two Orthodox churches in Oslo, one Greek and the Russian one who you mentioned earlier.
I know a Greek Orthodox family living nearby and from my understanding they enjoy their church a lot and that makes me wanting to become Greek Orthodox rather than Russian as I don't know anyone going to the Russian Church.
The problem is that the Greek one have about 400 members (quite small) and they only have Sunday Liturgy once a month.
They have no possibility of taking on converts as they have a traveling priest only.
So I guess I have to become Russian Orthodox if I decide to leave Catholicism.
If I get chrismated and join the Russian Orthodox Church am I free to live my life as faithful in the Greek Church and receive the sacraments there and only rarely attend the Russian Church or would that be considered a odd thing to do?

If you convert you will just be Orthodox, not Greek Orthodox or Russian Orthodox, and you can attend and receive communion at any Orthodox church in the world. So don't feel like you have to pick one parish and never go to the other parish again.

 

[SuperCloud]

As far as the required Mass attendance, I guess I have a hard time "getting" that. I'm in Church every single time I can be anyway, and I WANT very much to be there. If I got to where I was lukewarm and stayed away intentionally for a couple of weeks, I'd worry about my priorities. But it seems odd to make it a requirement, and somewhat of a salvation-requirement if you consider the situations where it would be a mortal sin?

When I was young it was never stressed in Catholicism--at least not at the Catholic school I attended--that missing Mass intentionally warranted damnation in hell if you die before repenting.

When I found out as an adult that this was traditional Catholic teaching, it caused me a great deal of fear and anxiety. Of course, being the committed sinner I am the fear still didn't stop me from skipping Sunday Mass quite often.

And I could never understand why God would damn someone to hell for eternity for skipping Masses. But me understanding was not necessary.

Now you and other Orthodox are telling me God does not damn baptized Christians, Orthodox Christians, or Catholics, to hell for intentionally skipping Mass or Divine Liturgy to sleep in or do other things?

The Catholic Church is already admitting they were wrong about homosexuality, saying active homosexual coupling can be beneficial to the people engaging in that romantic and/or premarital sexual coupling (near occasion for sin meaning nothing). So, if they were wrong about that then does not it logically follow there exists a potential that the Catholic Church is wrong about skipping Mass? Skipping Mass to go on a date with a woman, nurse a hangover, or touch, or simply cut the lawn and enjoy the beauty of a morning... might be beneficial to the person doing it, no?

 

[~Anastasia~]

When I was young it was never stressed in Catholicism--at least not at the Catholic school I attended--that missing Mass intentionally warranted damnation in hell if you die before repenting.

When I found out as an adult that this was traditional Catholic teaching, it caused me a great deal of fear and anxiety. Of course, being the committed sinner I am the fear still didn't stop me from skipping Sunday Mass quite often.

And I could never understand why God would damn someone to hell for eternity for skipping Masses. But me understanding was not necessary.

Now you and other Orthodox are telling me God does not damn baptized Christians, Orthodox Christians, or Catholics, to hell for intentionally skipping Mass or Divine Liturgy to sleep in or do other things?

The Catholic Church is already admitting they were wrong about homosexuality, saying active homosexual coupling can be beneficial to the people engaging in that romantic and/or premarital sexual coupling (near occasion for sin meaning nothing). So, if they were wrong about that then does not it logically follow there exists a potential that the Catholic Church is wrong about skipping Mass? Skipping Mass to go on a date with a woman, nurse a hangover, or touch, or simply cut the lawn and enjoy the beauty of a morning... might be beneficial to the person doing it, no?

That.
is.
NOT.
what.
I.
am.
saying.

I am merely saying that the legalistic requirement "attend Sunday Mass or you lose salvation" does not make sense to me.

God is not sitting up there like a sniper, watching us through a scope, hoping for an occasion to take us out.

God wishes us to take part in those things that are beneficial to our souls - and attendance at the Divine Liturgy is such a thing. I want to be there, every single time I can. Because I want to, and because it is good for me. Not because I'm afraid God will wipe me out if I don't.

The Orthodox Church just does not have a legalistic tit-for-tat kind of understanding. Instead, we strive toward what is beneficial for us. When we fail, we repent and confess, we get back up, we try again. We are in a process.

As to the rest of your post about what the Catholic Church teaches or believes or is wrong or right about, I don't know anything about that. I tend to hear rumors about the Catholic Church that are not true, and it's probably better to go to the source and find out what they actually teach and why. I'm not going to speculate on that.

 

[aChildOfMary]

The Catholic Church is already admitting they were wrong about homosexuality, saying active homosexual coupling can be beneficial to the people engaging in that romantic and/or premarital sexual coupling (near occasion for sin meaning nothing). So, if they were wrong about that then does not it logically follow there exists a potential that the Catholic Church is wrong about skipping Mass? Skipping Mass to go on a date with a woman, nurse a hangover, or touch, or simply cut the lawn and enjoy the beauty of a morning... might be beneficial to the person doing it, no?

Yes, it's only logic.
Without knowing it themselves the Vatican is undermining their own catechism and their own dogmas.