www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Converts From Eastern Catholicism

Christ is Born! (Old)
Christ is Baptized! (New)

Does any body know how many people convert to
Orthodoxy from Eastern Catholicism yearly?
Is it a large number? Just wondering.

In Christ
Daniel

I don't like posting these kinds of figures because they are purely anecdotal and some people get into too many arguments based on very limited information. This is ONLY my experience and may or may not be representative.

From Dallas, I don't know of any who became Orthodox. I did know one convert to Byzantine Catholicism from ROCOR. Dallas (St. Basil the Great), in my opinion, is a shining beacon for what Eastern Catholicism should be. It is very Eastern and those who are attracted to the East seem to be satisfied.

The mission in Tulsa is also quite Eastern. There, however, because of lack of funding and, more importantly, attention, a large number of people became Orthodox because they wanted to more fully participate in the Life of the Church through the number of services that are not available from a part-time (although extremely effective) priest.

From Tulsa, not counting myself, five became Orthodox, three of whom became ROCOR monks.

From Houston I don't really know the total who have joined Orthodoxy. Most parishioners are Roman Catholic, the priest is Roman Catholic, and their practices are very Western. They kneel (we stood), say the filioque (we did not and argued against its use), etc. I spent the past seven years of my life trying to learn, live and love the Eastern way. My wife and I fought very hard for that way and lost. Perhaps it's because we agreed with Orthodox ecclesiology and theology and thought that Byzantine Catholicism did too. We didn't feel comfortable for this and many other reasons and so we are now catechumens in the Serbian Orthodox Church.

From my experience, when a Byzantine Catholic church focuses on Eastern spirituality and has the economic and attentive support of the eparchy, Byzantine Catholics stay BC. Whenever either of those things are missing, the more Eastern minded parishioners become Orthodox.

Re converts TO Eastern Catholicism, I can say that my wife and I attended an OCA church here, but have found the Ruthenian BC Church to be more fully satisfying, in fact more so thanks to our priest, and a congregation that works well together. The cycle of services has expanded to include regular Vespers services, as well as Hours. During the time we attended the OCA church a family of 4 also departed for another Ruthenian parish here. Reasons for leaving have had to do with micro-managing parishioners in small t tradition matters, and clerical leadership that was often too remote or aloof to effectively address the needs of those who decided to leave.

Ciz,

Christ is Born!

I'm on the same road you are my friend. I was
Byzantine Catholic and now am going to be baptized into the Antiochian Orthodox Church,
with in the next 6 months.

I brought this up because I know a few people
on this very forum who have coverted to Orthodoxy from Byzantine Catholicism and it sparked my intrest. First they all went Orthodox and I said I would be a Byzantine Catholic forever but here I am. May Gods' will be done.

Poor Sinner In Christ
Daniel

Saint Ambrose of Milkovo, Pray for me a sinner!

My reasons for leaving were purley theological. My Byzantine Ruthenian Parish was nice, I loved the community. I dont have that type of community now at my new Orthodox parish but I sacrificed that for truth.

In Christ
Daniel

Saint Philotheos, Pray for me a sinner!

I thought that converts from Catholicism, and Eastern Catholicism in particular did not have to go "all the way" to join the Orthodox, I mean, cathecumenate.

I thought that cathecumen was a non-Baptized person who was learning about the Christian faith for the first time to be baptized, while those who are transfering or converting were "candidates".

Is that ok?

There are exceptions...but I would generally agree.

David Ignatius DTBrown@aol.com

Ciz,

I was one who went from St John Chrysostom (Houston) into the Antiochian Orthodox Church because of the lack of adequate Eastern teaching and praxis, as you mentioned in your post. What got to me more than anything was that there were no Saturday night Vespers or Sunday morning Orthros (lauds) before liturgy, which really seems to me to be a kind of bare minimum of (weekly) services in the true Eastern tradition.

After a couple of good years with the Orthodox, though, ironically I just came to realize that I'm really a latin after all, for good or for bad. So now I'm back in the Roman fold. I still like this list and all its members, though!

PS, make sure you visit Holy Archangels Monastery in Kendalia (just south of Blanco). It's a true athonite monastery (established by Elder Ephraim) in the Texas Hill Country. Be prepared for long services, all in Greek. (In the trapeza at informal times they all speak good English and are very friendly, too). One of my cradle Arab Orthodox friends told me that he once attended a holy day service there which went on for so long that he became tired and had to return to the dormitory for a nap. After awaking, he returned to the catholicon to find that they were still going strong! Maybe we latins need some of that--both the length of service and the freedom to come and go--as if, indeed, one were in one's Father's house.

All the best,
Woody

Interesting story...

I've known a few who decided to enter the Catholic Church from Orthodoxy and decided to go Roman Rite instead of the Byzantine Catholic Church. One in particular could not handle the bare minimum approach to Eastern praxis in the B C parish in his city. I tried to encourage him to be a positive leaven for that parish but he decided to enter the Roman Rite instead.

David Ignatius DTBrown@aol.com

Mexican,

No all converts to Orthodoxy must become a Catechumen. Depending on what Church your converting from and which "jurisdiction" your
joining depends on wither your Baptized or
Chrismated.

Usally they Recieve Catholics by Chrismation
but I will be recieved by Baptism, Chrismation and the Eucharist (Lucky me!).

But all converts must go threw the stages of
Inquirer, Catechumenate then either Baptism or Chrismation.

In Christ
Daniel

Jones,

You werent offically recieved into Orthodoxy by
Baptism or Chrismation were you?

In Christ
Daniel

Daniel,

Not true, this varies by jurisdiction. Some will Chrismate but not require any prolonged catechumanate. ACROD will receive a Byzantine Catholic by confession if they require even that.

Fr. Deacon Lance

Christ is Baptised!!!

Dear brother daniel, nice to see you again. I was worried you had forgotten us!!

Michael

Christ is Born!

Celtic,

I sent you a Long ByzCath PM

In Christ
Daniel

Well thats the ACROD, can you expect any more from them? They are under the (Ecumenical)Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.

In Christ
Daniel