Dear Friends,
I am in need of some advice. I was baptized and confirmed as a Roman Catholic, according to my father's wishes. Because my mother had been Russian Orthodox, I was exposed to that faith as well. When I was in my 20's I "converted" to the Orthodox Church. I became a cantor and a Choir Director there. However, after about 12 years, I began to feel funny about being "outside" of the church - my link to Catholism was difficult to sever! About 2 years ago, around Easter time, I went back to a Roman rite church, confessed that I "left the church for awhile," (I was too ashamed to say what I had done), became a parishoner, and just picked up where I left off. However, I miss the Eastern rite services terribly - particularly now, during the Lenten season! I found a Byzantine church and have been attending services there. I'm so confused now! What are the "rules" about this? Both worship styles feel "right" to me! Is it wrong to go back and forth like this? Please advise! Thanks.

If I understood correctly, as you were Baptized in a modern Roman parish, it doesn't matter if you have practiced the Orthodox faith for many years and have been part of ther Orthodox Church, if you decide to be Catholic you will still be seen as Roman.

You can attend the Eastern Rite parish, attend the Divinel Liturgy and services there and receive communion, but at the time you try to provide your children with the mysteries or to get married there, you will be reminded that you are expected to be registered in your regular local parish, to support that parish, and to make use of their parish for the religious education of their children and for the reception of the Sacraments. So it won't work if you want a traditional Eastern cathechism or the sacraments, so this is why it's always recommended to officially change rites.

It is, somehow, very unfair but that's the way things work, this is because they take the rite of your baptism, and the rite of the father, which was Roman.

Shlomo (Peace in Aramaic) ChoirGirl,

You do have other options. You can pertition to change Churches within the Catholic Communion. One of which is the Russian Catholic Church. Here is the address of the closest Russian Catholic Church to you. There are only a few in the U.S. and the world, but they are a heardy bunch.

St. Michael's Russian Catholic Church
266 Mulberry Street
New York, NY 10012
Tel: 212-226-2644

Pastor: Fr John Soles
Deacon: Christopher Li Greci

Vespers - Saturday, 6 p.m.
Divine Liturgy - Sunday, 11 a.m.

[By Subway: S and F trains to Broadway/Lafayette Station. R and N train to Prince Station. #6 train to Spring Street Station. (Walk EAST from all of the above stations to Mulberry Street.
St Michael is located between Prince and Houston Streets).]

Here is there website:

http://stmichaelruscath.org

And here is a list of all the Eastern Catholic Churches in Connecticut.

Ansonia
Ss. Peter and Paul(Byzantine - Ukrainian/Stamford)
136 Clifton Ave., Ansonia, CT 06401, Phone: (203) 734-3895


Bridgeport
Holy Trinity (Byzantine - Ruthenian/Passaic)
155 Schofield Avenue, Bridgeport, CT, 06605, Phone: (203) 334-7089

Protection of the B.V.M. (Byzantine - Ukrainian/Stamford)
255 Barnum Ave., Bridgeport, CT 06608, Phone: (203) 367-5054


Colchester
St. Mary(Byzantine - Ukrainian/Stamford)
178 Linwood Ave., Colchester, CT 06415, Phone: (203) 537-2069


Danbury
St. Ann (Byzantine - Melkite/Newton)
181 Clapboard Ridge Rd, Danbury, CT, 06811 Phone: (203) 743-5119

St. Anthony Maronite Church (Maronite-Brooklyn)
17 Granville Avenue, Danbury, CT 06810, Phone: (203) 744-3372

St. Nicholas (Byzantine - Ruthenian/Passaic)
13 Pembroke Road, Danbury, CT 06811, Phone: (203) 743-1106

Glastonbury
St. John the Baptist (Byzantine - Ukrainian/Stamford)
26 New London Turnpike, Glastonbury, CT 06033, Phone: (203) 525-7823
Attd By: St. Michael's, Hartford, CT.

Hartford
St. Michael(Byzantine - Ukrainian/Stamford)
Wethersfield Ave. , Hartford, CT 06114, Phone: (203) 525-7823

Meriden
St. Nicholas,(Byzantine - Ruthenian/Passaic)
89 Summer Street, Meriden, CT, 06450, Phone: (203) 237- 1809

New Britain
Holy Trinity (Byzantine - Ruthenian/Passaic)
121 Beaver Street, New Britain, CT, 06051, Phone: (203) 229-2531

St Josaphat (Byzantine - Ukrainian/Stamford)
307 Eddy Glover Blvd, New Britain, CT 06503. Phone: (203) 225-7340

New Haven
St. Michael(Byzantine - Ukrainian/Stamford)
555-569 Gcorge St., New Haven, CT 06511, Phone: (203) 865-0388

Stamford
St. Vladimir(Byzantine - Ukrainian/Stamford)
24 Wenzcl Terr., Stamford, CT 06902, Phone: (203) 324-0242

Terryville
St. Michael(Byzantine - Ukrainian/Stamford)
35 Allen St., Terryville, CT 06786, Phone: (203) 583-7588

Torrington
St. Maron Maronite Church (Maronite-Brooklyn)
613 Main St, Torrington, CT 06790, Phone: (203) 489-9015

Trumbull
Saint John the Baptist (Byzantine - Ruthenian/Passaic)
100 St. John Drive, Trumbull, CT, 06611, Phone: (203) 377-5967

Waterbury
Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Church (Maronite-Brooklyn)
8 East Mountain Road, Waterbury, CT 06706, Phone: (203) 753-6633

Waterford
St. Ann (Byzantine - Melkite/Newton)
41 Cross Rd, Waterford, CT, 06385 Phone: (203) 442-2211

Willimantic
Protection of the B.V.M. (Byzantine - Ukrainian/Stamford)
70 Oak St., Willimantic, CT 06226, Phone: (203) 423-5031

Poosh BaShlomo (Stay in Peace),
Yuhannon

I don't see how it's "unfair" that she is technically Roman.

ChoirGirl,

Catholic is Catholic is Catholic, Western or Eastern, and you can commune and basically live out your entire spiritual life in an Eastern parish if you want. Whether or not you are officially Roman seems to have little overall affect on the way you live out your spiritual life. It would only be affected if you wished to marry (isn't that right, guys?) in an Eastern Catholic parish, or some other small concerns. My advice is: don't let it bother you.

Logos Teen

Thank you all for your input and assistance!

Actually to the poster who said that since you were baptised Roman, it doesn't matter if you were Orthodox, you still are considered Roman on your return to the Catholic Church, I don't necessarily think that's always the case. I know of two individuals who did the same thing but were received back as Byzantine Catholics. The canons say that Orthodox becoming Catholic go to the Eastern Rite. I don't think it has a footnote that says "unless originally baptised Roman". Anyone else know the facts?

Sincerely,

anastasios

ChoirGirl,

Go where your heart calls you. Eventually you should plant yourself fully into one tradition or the other. There is nothing wrong with occasionally visiting a parish following another liturgical tradition. Just be careful not to pick and choose what you like in each tradition as it can lead to spiritual chaos. There are really no rules except the rule of common sense.

--

Anastasios:

A person who is baptized and enrolled as a member of the Latin Catholic Church (Roman Catholic), who later becomes Orthodox (leaving communion with Rome) and then eventually re-establishes communion with the Catholic Church retains membership in the Latin Church. If the person desires to remain Byzantine/Eastern upon re-establishing full communion with the Catholic Church this can be done almost immediately through a �change of suri iuris Church� (i.e., "change of rite"). A Byzantine Catholic priest can certainly receive them back into Catholic communion but that would not change the Church they are enrolled in unless it was intended to make such a change and the appropriate blessings were obtained from the Latin and Byzantine bishops.

Admin

You are blessed. You have always been in a church where you received the Sacred mysteries, RC, ROC and now again RC-BC.

The Holy Spirit dwelling in you will guide you on your earthly pilgrimage. A good friend and a priest can help too.

I wish you well.

God bless you,

Paul

How wonderful it would be if the churches could just come together! I so often thought of that while I was in the Orthodox church. I loved the Orthodox faith, and the many friends I made there, but I never felt comfortable being "outside" of the Catholic church. The schism that happened so many years ago was such a tragedy. I feel like the child of divorced parents - I love them both, but they don't love each other!