www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Reception of Russian Orthodox Infant into Catholic Church

I've been asked to be the godfather to a recently adopted young Russian child. It turns out that she has documentation attesting Orthodox baptism. My friends do not understand the implication and are planning on having her re-baptized.

Am I correct that she should not (cannot?) be re-baptized? Is that also true for confirmation? If correct, how would she be received into the Catholic Church? Would she become Roman Catholic or be considered Russian/Greek Catholic?

NW

You are correct in that the child may not be re-baptized or re-chrismated (re-confirmed). You might share this with your friends and let them know that the Catholic Church does not allow re-baptism of someone baptized in the Orthodox Church. If they don't understand, tell them to present the documents to their parish priest. He'll know what to do.

Technically, the child would be received as a Russian Greek Catholic. But parents have the right to raise the child in their Roman Catholic parish, so effectively they can simply state that they wish this and an appropriate note is made in the parish sacramental record. Keeping the record of Baptism, Chrismation (Confirmation) and Eucharist in the Orthodox Church will be useful should the child ever wish to become Russian Greek Catholic when she comes of age.

If you are in this child's life when she is old enough for RC "First Holy Communion" you could point out that she has already received. Very often she can prepare with her class but then witness her own experience to the class and (if she had not received in the intervening years) can make a Solemn Communion.

Well, now I realize that the Russian Orthodox weren't lying at all when they complained about Russian Orthodox children being raised Catholic.

I'd be very offended if someone baptized Catholic will be raised Orthodox or Protestant. I'm sure that the reverse is also true.

Wouldn't it be better to simply raise a child according to the faith of his or her baptism, or, if this is not possible, to raise a child in the faith of his / her adoptive parents but keeping him / her aware of her original Church and giving that child the choice of going back there once the child is of age?

AP,

Religious affiliation is not typically a factor in adoption, particularly international adoptions, unless the adoptee is old enough to have practiced his or her faith and understand its nature. While that may or may not be the ideal, it is a reality since there are certainly many international adoptions that effectively relocate a child to a place where his or her cradle faith is not practiced or is uncommon.

Many years,

Neil

Actually, that's not the case, John.


When the child to be received is not of age, his prior faith becomes subjugated to the current faith of his parents - in this case the adoptive parents.

Canon 34, relative to the return of a child to its Church of origin, does not consider such situations as are described here, since it focuses on instances in which the parents themselves make a change of canonical enrollment - not instances in which a child is brought into a family and is ascribed on the basis of an already existing Church enrollment on the parents' part. For all intents and purposes, adoption is treated no differently than were it a birth - just as it is in civil venues.


Many years,

Neil

I notice there have been many adoptions of Ethiopian children to people in western countries. I suspect all but a very few will be brought up in the faiths (if they have one at all) of the adopting families and will be lost to the Orthodox Church.

Neil,

Thanks for posting the canons. What I wrote was accurate and correct. Someone who is baptized Orthodox is received into the Catholic Church in the parallel Catholic Church. In this case, since she was baptized Russian Orthodox she would be immediately Russian Greek Catholic. The change from the Byzantine-Russian Church to the Latin Church does not occur until both parents specifically express their desire for the child to be enrolled in that new Church (the receiving priest is supposed to ask this specific question). Canon 29, 2 step 2 references back to step 1. But the transfer does not occur "by virtue of baptism" since the child is already baptized. It occurs upon declaration of intent. This leaves open the possibility of the parents remaining RC while at the same time raising the child in the Russian Greek Catholic Church (of which there is one on every corner!). Nothing, of course, is required of the child. But the reception is recorded in the Sacrament Record Book along with the intent of the parents on which Church the child will be raised in. One can argue that this is a technicality since the child will be raised RC and effectively become RC but it is still a two step process (even if handled with one entry in the book).

John

Thank you, all, for the answers and discussion!

I'd like to be able to fully explain the minutiae to my friends. Of big concern is that they want to have something to mark the "life event" of becoming Catholic...they just assume that that's baptism.

(1) Where is the process (including the actual ceremony) laid out for receiving Orthodox? RCIA documentation? Would this be something like a standard reception (including sponsor) less the actual conferral of sacraments?

(2) Is there a canon or other documentation that addresses a child's transfer from one church sui iuris to another based on parents' intent rather than by virtue of baptism?

(3) What is the implication in this case of the fact that there is no Russian GC church sui iuris? Is it even possible for the child to be considered "personally" Russian GC at reception in the absence of an actual self governing church parallel to the ROC?

Q1: Where is the process (including the actual ceremony) laid out for receiving Orthodox? RCIA documentation? Would this be something like a standard reception (including sponsor) less the actual conferral of sacraments?

A1: The Catholic Church says in Canon 896 that “no obligation except what is necessary” be required. Canon 897 says “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.” This is not and does not have to be a formal procession of faith. In practice, this is most often simply a declaration of intent (stating that one wishes to become Catholic is itself a profession of faith). Currently Orthodox Christians are already welcome to take Eucharist in the Catholic Church (although forbidden by Orthodoxy and Orthodox are directed to respect that) and there is really not much more one can ask. In reality, in some situations the declaration of intent is to join the parish and get a set of envelopes. For adults, participation in RCIA is possible but that is just the educational aspects and not required (but RCIA programs range from fantastic to horrible). Sponsors are not required since the individual has already validly received the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Chrismation / Confirmation, Eucharist). [Sometimes, however, this is ignored.]

For a child who is validly baptized in the Orthodox Church there is nothing to be asked. The declaration of intent by the adoptive parents and the enrollment in the parish sacrament book is sufficient.

Q2: Is there a canon or other documentation that addresses a child's transfer from one church sui iuris to another based on parents' intent rather than by virtue of baptism?

This is covered more by application of Canons 29, 34, 36, 897 and 898 (you can follow the links on the main website in the “Documents” section under “Resources” and look them up). Canon 36 is relevant but really only paperwork for a child: “Canon 36: The transfer to another Church sui iuris takes effect at the moment a declaration is made before the local hierarch or the proper pastor of the same Church or a priest delegated by either of them and two witnesses, unless the rescript of the Apostolic See provides otherwise.” In this case the adoptive parent speaks for the child (the way canon 29 is applied).

Q3: What is the implication in this case of the fact that there is no Russian GC church sui iuris? Is it even possible for the child to be considered "personally" Russian GC at reception in the absence of an actual self governing church parallel to the ROC?

A3: None really. They could declare the child to remain Russian Greek Catholic even though there is no parish. Then they could raise him in another Catholic Church (Roman, Byzantine-Ruthenian, etc.). She could liver her whole life in a Roman parish and yet remain Russian Greek Catholic. And if they enroll her in the Latin Church she can always transfer back someday should she desire (a copy of the Baptismal certificate would be sufficient for that but even someone baptized RC could make such a change).

In the end the whole thing is a matter of a simple declaration of intent and an entry in the parish sacrament record. Sadly, all too often the child is re-baptized (either because the pastor didn't know or was ignorant of the canons and how they are properly applied).

I understand they wish to celebrate a “life event” and they certainly could have a party. They could ask their pastor to pray a special prayer of dedication and renewal. He could then use the occasion as an excellent opportunity to speak of Orthodoxy and the Christian East, and develop it to speak of the wonderful gift of adoption these parents have given the child.

Neil / John,

I see that Neil addressed a similar issue in another post: https://www.byzcath.org/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/311590/Re:%20Understanding%20CCEO%2035.

Maybe this is the route to go?

nowa,

There is not a lot you can do other then bring attention to the parents and possibly their pastor. You might consider printing out this thread and giving both a copy. But you know them, your relationship to them, and must choose the method that would enlighten in the most educational way, without causing ill feeling.

I recommend that you first take a copy of this thread and speak with your own pastor, asking his advice. He might recommend putting a 'word to the wise' by speaking to their pastor (if they are different priests).

John

Thanks again!

I thought there is no Russian Catholic Church sui iuris by virtue of lack of a hierarchy...I've now come across some non-authoritative sources that list it as such. Can y'all confirm? Is there an authoritative list?

Technically it still exists. A valid hierarchy is not necessary.

There are a handful of Russian Greek Catholic parishes in the United States. St. Michael's Russian Catholic Community [stmichaelruscath.org] in New York is one example.

See the following article. [cnewa.org]

What is noteworthy is that the Russian Greek Catholic
Church, in the form of these scattered communities,
reappeared in Russia in the 1990s.This was the work
of a few priests and laity, not of any hierarch. There
were some among the Russian Latin-Rite Catholics to
whom this reappearance was not welcome. A sobor
was held, and appealed to Rome for the appointment
of an exarch but this, perhaps understandably given
the circumstances, was not done. Instead, the communities,
along with the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic communities, were
put under the omophor of Bishop Joseph Werth SJ, who
has the reputation of being sympathetic to Greek-Catholics.
This at least provided the communities with canonical
standing, which they had lacked previously.

The history of the resurrection of the Russian Greek-Catholic
Church is obscure and communications with them difficult.
We know that they are laboring under great difficulties.Keep
them in your prayers.

The American communities are in San Francisco and El Segundo,
CA, in Denver and in New York City. There were formerly
parishes in Montreal and Boston.

Edmac

Someone very close to me and who is a member of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (Canada) recently adopted a 10 year old girl from Eastern Ukraine. Her adoption records simply stated that she was baptized by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The girl also remembered having a godmother when she was younger. Her new adoptive parents decided not to re-baptize her and instead made arrangements for a first (technically 2nd) Communion. The local parish priest supported their decision and the little girl is now a member of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

I.F.