question on orthodox membership

[walter metrick]

I was raised Roman Catholic, yet I am [in the RC church's eyes] Byzantine catholic because of my father being baptized in the Ukranian Catholic Church. I have felt a strong leading of the Lord to embrace my eastern roots, yet I feel a stronger pull at times toward Orthodoxy...my wife, however, is a staunch RC...my question is: is it allowable for one spouse to become Orthodox, and what are the canon laws as far as how we treat each other's churches. I appreciate any response.

+Peace,

Walter

 

[CopticOrthodox]

There'd be no problem with you joining an Orthodox Church and receiving the Sacraments, while your wife continued to be Roman Catholic, and receive the Sacraments there. It could cause division in your family, and if there are still any children to be raised it could cause difficult decisions there, but there would be no rules preventing it. Your wife would not be allowed to receive the Sacraments at the Orthodox Church, and you would not be allowed to at the Catholic Church (from the Orthodox point of view). Neither Orthodox nor Catholics are supposed to try to convert each other, this has been agreed between the Churches. Orthodox should respect Catholics, and not go and tell them "my Church is better" and Catholics should do the same. If an individual approaches the other Church with questions, that's fine, as long as they aren't saught from the other Church.

 

[Gideon4God]

Keep in mind that Orthodoxy does not think Catholics are heretics' but they do view them as "outside" the Church. :o

 

[MariaRegina]

I feel a stronger pull at times toward Orthodoxy...my wife, however, is a staunch RC...my question is: is it allowable for one spouse to become Orthodox, and what are the canon laws as far as how we treat each other's churches. I appreciate any response.

+Peace,
Walter

My Dearest Joy in Christ, Walter:

Christ is in our midst!

When I wanted to convert to Orthodoxy, my husband was a staunch Roman Catholic. He was upset and said it wasn't right, so the Orthodox Priest made me wait until my husband desired to take instructions with me. Neither the Roman Catholic Church nor the Orthodox Church will force one spouse to convert. However, they do not want to destroy a marriage either. What helped us tremendously: the Eastern Catholic Priest gave us an Orthodox catechism to study.

Since your wife can receive communion in the Byzantine Catholic Church see if she will be willing to go with you there. That way you can receive Communion together.

One Byzantine Bishop made the comment that many Roman Catholics use the Byzantine (Maronite, Melkite, Carpatho-Russian Catholic) Churches as a stepping stone into Orthodoxy. That's the way we came.

YSIC

Elizabeth