Rome to US Eastern Catholics: New Priests Should “Embrace Celibacy”

[PJ]

So what I'm hearing is that if married EC priests aren't allowed in the US, that will severely harm Orthodox-Catholic relations. Is that accurate?

The passed few times the Vatican has tried to enforce celibacy on Greek Catholics it has resulted in them just parking their cars across the street on Sunday mornings at the Orthodox Church.  Also, church property issues, calender issues and new translated and botched liturgical texts make Greek Catholics "cross the parking lot" to the Orthodox Church.  I say "cross the parking lot" because there are many GC and Orthodox parishes that were built that close together. 

Once one "crosses the parking lot", is Holy Communion offered to and received by those who've crossed?  Or is confession required first, along with a renouncement of Roman "heresies"?

Are you asking whether they can remain Eastern Catholic but still receive communion?

 

[username!]

So what I'm hearing is that if married EC priests aren't allowed in the US, that will severely harm Orthodox-Catholic relations. Is that accurate?

The passed few times the Vatican has tried to enforce celibacy on Greek Catholics it has resulted in them just parking their cars across the street on Sunday mornings at the Orthodox Church.  Also, church property issues, calender issues and new translated and botched liturgical texts make Greek Catholics "cross the parking lot" to the Orthodox Church.  I say "cross the parking lot" because there are many GC and Orthodox parishes that were built that close together. 

Once one "crosses the parking lot", is Holy Communion offered to and received by those who've crossed?  Or is confession required first, along with a renouncement of Roman "heresies"?

Are you asking whether they can remain Eastern Catholic but still receive communion?

Everyone knows that answer "no."

 

[primuspilus]

Once one "crosses the parking lot", is Holy Communion offered to and received by those who've crossed?  Or is confession required first, along with a renouncement of Roman "heresies"?

I know that during my chrismation, we had someone raised RC chrismated as well. It was the same chrismation that I had to go through. No different.

PP

 

[LBK]

Once one "crosses the parking lot", is Holy Communion offered to and received by those who've crossed?  Or is confession required first, along with a renouncement of Roman "heresies"?

I know that during my chrismation, we had someone raised RC chrismated as well. It was the same chrismation that I had to go through. No different.

PP

Where I come from, RCs and BCs are chrismated when entering the Orthodox Church. No "reception by confession of heresies and errors" in my neck of the woods.

 

[Schultz]

As anecdotal evidence, I was chrismated (born RC, practicing EC for 10 years) when received into the Church

 

[podkarpatska]

When large numbers of faithful are received, such as in the two waves of the 20th century which led to the OCA and ACROD,
'economia' governed and the reception was 'blessed' and uneventful. Given the trauma which occurred within the Greek Catholic parishes those folks left, there would be little doubt that any of those faithful needed to publicly profess a rejection of Papalism.

 

[J Michael]

So what I'm hearing is that if married EC priests aren't allowed in the US, that will severely harm Orthodox-Catholic relations. Is that accurate?

The passed few times the Vatican has tried to enforce celibacy on Greek Catholics it has resulted in them just parking their cars across the street on Sunday mornings at the Orthodox Church.  Also, church property issues, calender issues and new translated and botched liturgical texts make Greek Catholics "cross the parking lot" to the Orthodox Church.  I say "cross the parking lot" because there are many GC and Orthodox parishes that were built that close together. 

Once one "crosses the parking lot", is Holy Communion offered to and received by those who've crossed?  Or is confession required first, along with a renouncement of Roman "heresies"?

Are you asking whether they can remain Eastern Catholic but still receive communion?

Not really, although that certainly is one possible interpretation of my question.  I'm asking if when those who crossed the parking lot on any given Sunday morning stayed on the "other side" of the lot or if the next Sunday they went back from whence they came, receiving Holy Communion on both sides of the lot. 

We've had the discussion several times before of Catholics receiving Communion in Orthodox Churches (and vice-versa), and there are some who refuse to accept or are outraged that a) it happens, b) it's more common than admitted in certain areas of the U.S. and abroad, and c) when it happens it's done knowingly and with acceptance from priests and bishops of the dioceses involved.  It's not my intention to revisit that here, but username sort of opened the door by how he worded his comment.  I'm perfectly happy if no one wants to discuss this further here.

 

[PJ]

Not really, although that certainly is one possible interpretation of my question.  I'm asking if when those who crossed the parking lot on any given Sunday morning stayed on the "other side" of the lot or if the next Sunday they went back from whence they came, receiving Holy Communion on both sides of the lot. 

Thanks for that clarification, J Michael. I had thought of 2 possible interpretations of your question

Once one "crosses the parking lot", is Holy Communion offered to and received by those who've crossed?  Or is confession required first, along with a renouncement of Roman "heresies"?

and I wasn't sure which was correct. (Turns out, neither of them.)

Incidentally, I wonder about that too. Not only in terms of what the Orthodox think about it (not that there's much need for me to wonder since I've heard from them many times on the subject) but also from the Catholic p.o.v.: it never fails to amaze me when someone leaves Catholicism but still wants to receive communion in Catholic churches. :emoticon:

 

[J Michael]

Not really, although that certainly is one possible interpretation of my question.  I'm asking if when those who crossed the parking lot on any given Sunday morning stayed on the "other side" of the lot or if the next Sunday they went back from whence they came, receiving Holy Communion on both sides of the lot. 

Thanks for that clarification, J Michael. I had thought of 2 possible interpretations of your question

Once one "crosses the parking lot", is Holy Communion offered to and received by those who've crossed?  Or is confession required first, along with a renouncement of Roman "heresies"?

and I wasn't sure which was correct. (Turns out, neither of them.)

Incidentally, I wonder about that too. Not only in terms of what the Orthodox think about it (not that there's much need for me to wonder since I've heard from them many times on the subject) but also from the Catholic p.o.v.:[size=10pt] it never fails to amaze me when someone leaves Catholicism but still wants to receive communion in Catholic churches.[/size] :emoticon:

I reckon that can only be answered on a case by case basis, no one answer necessarily applying to all.  I know there are some who, rightly or wrongly, see the Church as just that--THE Church, and that the schism between us (Catholic and Orthodox) is "sinful" and they refuse to participate in that sin to the extent they are able.  But, that's just one answer of potentially many.

 

[ialmisry]

Not really, although that certainly is one possible interpretation of my question.  I'm asking if when those who crossed the parking lot on any given Sunday morning stayed on the "other side" of the lot or if the next Sunday they went back from whence they came, receiving Holy Communion on both sides of the lot. 

Thanks for that clarification, J Michael. I had thought of 2 possible interpretations of your question

Once one "crosses the parking lot", is Holy Communion offered to and received by those who've crossed?  Or is confession required first, along with a renouncement of Roman "heresies"?

and I wasn't sure which was correct. (Turns out, neither of them.)

Incidentally, I wonder about that too. Not only in terms of what the Orthodox think about it (not that there's much need for me to wonder since I've heard from them many times on the subject) but also from the Catholic p.o.v.:[size=10pt] it never fails to amaze me when someone leaves Catholicism but still wants to receive communion in Catholic churches.[/size] :emoticon:

I reckon that can only be answered on a case by case basis, no one answer necessarily applying to all.  I know there are some who, rightly or wrongly, see the Church as just that--THE Church, and that the schism between us (Catholic and Orthodox) is "sinful" and they refuse to participate in that sin to the extent they are able.  But, that's just one answer of potentially many.

but only one correct answer, the Orthodox answer.  They can go toddle off to their "THE Church" and leave THE Church to us.

 

[J Michael]

Not really, although that certainly is one possible interpretation of my question.  I'm asking if when those who crossed the parking lot on any given Sunday morning stayed on the "other side" of the lot or if the next Sunday they went back from whence they came, receiving Holy Communion on both sides of the lot. 

Thanks for that clarification, J Michael. I had thought of 2 possible interpretations of your question


and I wasn't sure which was correct. (Turns out, neither of them.)

Care to share what they were?  Not looking for an argument or anything--I'm just curious.

 

[PJ]

Care to share what they were?  Not looking for an argument or anything--I'm just curious.

Sure, that's no problem. When you asked:

Once one "crosses the parking lot", is Holy Communion offered to and received by those who've crossed?  Or is confession required first, along with a renouncement of Roman "heresies"?

I thought either you were asking whether they can remain Eastern Catholic but still receive communion, or you were asking about the manner of reception (cf. Replies #119, 122, 123, 124, and 125).

 

[J Michael]

Care to share what they were?  Not looking for an argument or anything--I'm just curious.

Sure, that's no problem. When you asked:

Once one "crosses the parking lot", is Holy Communion offered to and received by those who've crossed?  Or is confession required first, along with a renouncement of Roman "heresies"?

I thought either you were asking whether they can remain Eastern Catholic but still receive communion, or you were asking about the manner of reception (cf. Replies #119, 122, 123, 124, and 125).

Got it.  Thanks! 

 

[PJ]

Got it.  Thanks! 

You're welcome.

Incidentally, I wonder about that too. Not only in terms of what the Orthodox think about it (not that there's much need for me to wonder since I've heard from them many times on the subject) but also from the Catholic p.o.v.:[size=10pt] it never fails to amaze me when someone leaves Catholicism but still wants to receive communion in Catholic churches.[/size] :emoticon:

I reckon that can only be answered on a case by case basis, no one answer necessarily applying to all.  I know there are some who, rightly or wrongly, see the Church as just that--THE Church, and that the schism between us (Catholic and Orthodox) is "sinful" and they refuse to participate in that sin to the extent they are able.  But, that's just one answer of potentially many.

Still thinking about that one.

 

[J Michael]

Got it.  Thanks! 

You're welcome.

Incidentally, I wonder about that too. Not only in terms of what the Orthodox think about it (not that there's much need for me to wonder since I've heard from them many times on the subject) but also from the Catholic p.o.v.:[size=10pt] it never fails to amaze me when someone leaves Catholicism but still wants to receive communion in Catholic churches.[/size] :emoticon:

I reckon that can only be answered on a case by case basis, no one answer necessarily applying to all.  I know there are some who, rightly or wrongly, see the Church as just that--THE Church, and that the schism between us (Catholic and Orthodox) is "sinful" and they refuse to participate in that sin to the extent they are able.  But, that's just one answer of potentially many.

Still thinking about that one.

I suppose I should add that there are those amongst the people I mention above who actually *do* partake of Communion with the knowledge and assent of the presiding priest and bishop, and those who, even though they may *want* to, choose to abide by rules/regulations of their Church and do not partake.  I judge neither.

 

[username!]

As anecdotal evidence, I was chrismated (born RC, practicing EC for 10 years) when received into the Church

It doesn't matter how I was received.  I flew to Athos and was baptised just to make sure because someone on the internet said you had to do so.

Ok, I was chrismated.

 

[PJ]

As anecdotal evidence, I was chrismated (born RC, practicing EC for 10 years) when received into the Church

It doesn't matter how I was received.  I flew to Athos and was baptised just to make sure because someone on the internet said you had to do so.

I really wouldn't say you have to, but it's definitely preferable over driving.

 

[username!]

As anecdotal evidence, I was chrismated (born RC, practicing EC for 10 years) when received into the Church

It doesn't matter how I was received.  I flew to Athos and was baptised just to make sure because someone on the internet said you had to do so.

I really wouldn't say you have to, but it's definitely preferable over driving.

We drove there once and boy I'll never do it again.  Tolls are way too expensive.

 

[PJ]

As anecdotal evidence, I was chrismated (born RC, practicing EC for 10 years) when received into the Church

It doesn't matter how I was received.  I flew to Athos and was baptised just to make sure because someone on the internet said you had to do so.

I really wouldn't say you have to, but it's definitely preferable over driving.

We drove there once and boy I'll never do it again.  Tolls are way too expensive.

Huh ... I would have thought you'd come back with a "boy were my arms tired" line.

 

[podkarpatska]

As anecdotal evidence, I was chrismated (born RC, practicing EC for 10 years) when received into the Church

It doesn't matter how I was received.  I flew to Athos and was baptised just to make sure because someone on the internet said you had to do so.

I really wouldn't say you have to, but it's definitely preferable over driving.

We drove there once and boy I'll never do it again.  Tolls are way too expensive.

Geez, I can't imagine...Johnstown to Chicago was $80 round trip last month for the Turnpikes. Must be a lot on the trans-Atlantic expressway....

 

[WetCatechumen]

I recognize this topic has been active for a while, but there are two married deacons in my Eparchy who are going to be ordained next summer. We only have one married priest in the Eparchy (Father Francis from Sacramento), but he is Slovak ethnically, so he is an import.

We'll see what happens, though.

 

[podkarpatska]

I recognize this topic has been active for a while, but there are two married deacons in my Eparchy who are going to be ordained next summer. We only have one married priest in the Eparchy (Father Francis from Sacramento), but he is Slovak ethnically, so he is an import.

We'll see what happens, though.

Your Bishop is a vocation from Holy Spirit BCC in Binghamton, NY - which today has a married priest and family (from Slovakia). He had many relatives at our next door Orthodox parish as well. Let us pray he follows through with the ordinations.

 

[Volnutt]

I'm actually slightly in favor of clerical celibacy because it seems like the priesthood is one of those jobs that almost requires a workaholic (especially if you're one of those Orthodox who wants the priest to be everyone in the parish's personal life coach). It can't be good for the family to have dad preoccupied with work all the time. And it seems like the children of clergy tend to grow up a bit screwy in all denominations.

Just saying, I can see where the Pope is coming from on the issue.

 

[Alpo]

So apparently nothing came out of cardinal's comment?

 

[podkarpatska]

So apparently nothing came out of cardinal's comment?

Yeah..Rome rescinded the eighty year ban on ordaining married men as  enforced under "Cum data Fuerit" in the fall of 2014, actually admitting it was a mistake. In April of this year the first married candidate for the priesthood in the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh since 1928 was ordained. So apparently SOMETHING came out of his comment.