I wanted to thank everyone on these forums for helping me during my discernment in trying to navigate between Eastern Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. I know I've had a few back and forth posts on here, which probably annoyed more than one user. And for that, I apologize. By the grace of the Holy Spirit, I have finally reached a point where I am ready and, without reservation, going to embrace Eastern Orthodoxy and leave the Catholic Church. As the title suggests, I'm leaving communion with Rome (hence leaving the Catholic Church), but not really leaving Christ's One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, as the Orthodox have equal claim to this truth. I don't have any animosity toward Rome and don't "desire" to break with Rome. But our Ruthenian parish is simply too far away to do anything with. In order for us to change canonical churches to become Byzantine, we'd need regular attendance for at least one year. But with the distance, we can't even make it once a month more often than not. With our Antiochian parish being 30 seconds from our apartment, and the fact that we spend 99% of our time here on Sundays anyways, it seemed silly to go to such extremes when there's a perfect alternative right there. Not to mention, this parish is authentically Orthodox. No latinizations that need shaking off. Nobody talking about this or that pope being a heretic, about this or that bishop being a heretic (though I imagine these conversations will come up from time to time). All in all, everyone is just....happy. I have found such peace in the Orthodox Church that I can't wait anymore lol. I feel confident that God is calling me to Orthodoxy. I, and my children, will start the process to become Orthodox officially and my wife, God willing, will join us when the time comes or shortly after. While I would be lying if I said that it didn't pain me to knowingly break communion with Rome (and all my new Eastern Catholic friends), my soul will perish under Rome. I cannot, in faith, remain. But I will continue praying for the schism to end and Catholicism and Orthodoxy to be united as one again. I just wanted to make this post as a farewell and a thank you to all those on here who helped me through this journey. Without many of you, I likely would have been too scared to ever go East and would have remained an angry, bitter, resentful traditional Catholic with a bad case of Roman supremacy lol. But thanks to your collective words of wisdom and your prayers, I have found peace. God Bless you all and grant you many years. St. Nikephoros, pray for us!
