Canonical question - ideally I'd like a reference to a pastoral document, if such exists, but happy to have my understanding confirmed.

If a child (below the age of reason, to use that awful scholastic term) who was baptised in the Orthodox Church was brought into a Catholic Church, would the Catholic priest (say Latin rite to pick the most extreme example) legitimately give them communion?

My understanding is yes, because Catholic Canon Law permits Orthodox Christians to receive the sacraments in Catholic Churches, and as I understand it even Latin rite priests are obliged to give communion to eastern catholic children (so by extension Orthodox, since infant communion is their practice).


The second part of the question is would that child then in some sense have been received into the Catholic Church? Given that Catholics normally receive Orthodox by confession and Communion, and the child is too young to confess, does that imply that they have been recieved?

I'm not sure you'll find this explicitly in a single document. Presumably it is not possible to receive someone into Catholic Church without some expression of desire on their part. It is possible for an Orthodox Christian to receive communion and confess in a Catholic church without meaning to leave Orthodoxy or join Catholicism. In the case of a young child, the intent of their parent must be taken into account, but otherwise, yeah, I think you're right.

I think I found the answer; canon 900 from the CCEO.



1. One who has not yet completed his fourteenth year shall not

be received if the parents are opposed to it. 2. If from the

same reception, grave inconveniences are foreseen either to the

Church or to the person, the reception may be put off unless

there is imminent danger of death.

Hmm... Interesting find there. Quite interesting to see that second scenario there. This could be a fairly technical topic after a while. There are loopholes, I'm sure, especially from one of Orthodox faith attending a DL in either a UGCC or Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Church, even though they are both of the Eastern Church, things could get a little picky. It's best that you let your local priest or deacon know if you are from an Orthodox faith, and see what they tell you. They may have to call the bishop to work through all kinds of red tape.

Otsheylnik,
You have correctly pointed out Canon 900 and any deceptive deviation from this is morally wrong. The only exception I can think of is if there is a disagreement pitting one parent against another, or with a foster parent dispute.

Just receiving the Eucharist without discussion is NOT a valid change of Church ritual.

Canon 897 A member of the Christian faithful of an Eastern non-Catholic Church is to be received into the Catholic Church with only the profession of the Catholic faith, after doctrinal and spiritual preparation according to each one's condition. (emphasis mine)