Q. We have a candidate who received all of her sacraments in the Eastern Orthodox Church and wants to become Roman Catholic. She has been attending our sessions so that she understands the nuances and differences. When is it best to have her do the Profession of Faith? (We celebrate reception and sacraments for our baptized candidates at some time during the Easter season, but not at the Easter Vigil.) Does she need to do it at the Mass we have scheduled for all of the other baptized candidates? Is there a specific rubric for this?
A. Take a look at RCIA 474. For Eastern Christians, “no liturgical rite is required, but simply a profession of Catholic faith….” This seems like a straightforward statement, until we go deeper.
Since no liturgical rite is required, your Eastern Rite person would not go through the Rite of Reception that is found in the RCIA. There is no specific liturgical ritual she would need to go through to be received…other than making a profession of Catholic faith.
Really? No liturgical rite?
The wording in the RCIA is perplexing here. How do you follow the directive “no liturgical rite is required” while having the person make a profession of faith, which sounds like a liturgical ritual? We asked Fr. Paul Turner this question. You can see his response here: https://paulturner.org/receiving-orthodox-christians/.
Based on Fr. Turner’s response and how we read the RCIA, here’s what we recommend. Your person would only need to say the Profession of Faith text that is at RCIA 491. Then your pastor, laying his right hand on the person’s head, would say the Act of Reception text at RCIA 492. There is no need to celebrate confirmation since your person’s confirmation is validly recognized by the Roman Catholic Church.
Now, this verbal exchange could be done as low-key as you like, for example, at the parish office, if that is beneficial for the person. But if it would be more beneficial for her to have some kind of liturgical expression of this dialogue, then it could certainly be done in a prayer service, like a Liturgy of the Word or other liturgy with a small group. Or it could even be done at a parish Mass if it would benefit your candidate to have the wider community witness her profession of faith and reception. In this case, she would recite the Nicene Creed together with the rest of the assembly as usual at Mass. Then the profession of faith and act of reception dialogue follows.
The Latin Rite and the Eastern Rite
In terms of when this would happen, she could be received as soon as she is ready, even before Easter, so that she could celebrate the Paschal Triduum fully. If you and she wanted to wait, you can do this sometime during the Easter season. But it is best not do it at the same celebration as your other Christians being received, if you have any. I think there are subtle differences in the nature of reception between an Orthodox Catholic and other Christians. In addition, your Eastern Rite person would not be confirmed while other Christians received would be. As explained above, her confirmation is validly recognized by the Roman Catholic Church.
One other point to clarify is that she does not become a Latin Rite Catholic. She becomes an Eastern Rite Catholic. Fr. Paul Turner’s book When Other Christians Become Catholic explains this clearly: “When an Orthodox Christian becomes Catholic, he or she becomes a member of the parallel Eastern Catholic Church, not a member of the Latin (Roman) Church. For example, if Greek Orthodox persons wish to become Catholic, they are received into the Greek Catholic Rite….If they wish to be Roman Catholic, they make recourse to the Apostolic See.” (p. 141)
He goes on to say that becoming Roman Catholic is not necessary or encouraged, if the concern is participation at the Eucharistic table. Eastern Catholics and Roman Catholics are able to share in the Eucharist together at their respective rites.
After her profession of faith, you would record this in your parish’s sacramental registry as you normally would for the reception of other Christians.
As with all these kinds of things, it would be good to inquire with your diocese’s tribunal to be sure you are doing what is required by your bishop.
Your turn
How many Eastern Rite Christians have you encountered in your RCIA ministry? What have your conversations about your community been like? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Nick and Diana,
I am glad for the catechesis for everyone about Orthodox individuals wanting to enter in to Full Communion with the Catholic Church of the Latin Rite. We had a situation with 2 gentlemen this year. As you said they would be “in communion” through a corresponding Eastern Rite. In our diocese we followed all the procedures listed, but with our bishop’s approval, we announced one of the gentlemen as entering in to Full Communion with the Catholic Church (but did not use the word Candidate) as he was un-catechized and was not raised in any faith tradition. He of course, is not to celebrate (repeat) any reception of the Sacrament of Initiation . Our bishop is a Canon Lawyer recognized on the Vatican level so it was only with conversation and permission that we did this.
We actually did not have an in-person Rite of Election and Enrollment of Names and Calling to Continuing Conversion of the Candidates. These combined Rites were to be celebrated in the parishes.But, since our Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown does have a regularly televised Mass, our Bishop included a full message on the First Sunday of Lent, to the Catechumens and Candidates as part of the Homily and I announced the names of those who would have been participating at our Cathedrals. This Mass is taped so those for whom the message was for could view it later in the day or even another day individually or as a group.
I once had a Greek Orthodox person who wished to receive communion in the Roman Catholic Church, but felt that becoming a Catholic could cause hard feelings in her family. In discussing this our Archdiocesan Chancellor, I learned that she was free to receive communion in our tradition immediately as we recognize the validity of the Orthodox sacraments. No formal profession of faith in the RC was needed. We however are not welcomed to the table in Orthodox Churches.
I am often confused about all the differences among the Eastern Rites…which ones are in conformity and recognized by the Latin Catholic church and which are not. Orthodox, Eastern, Greek, Coptic and so on.
Could you give us a mini lesson on them?
Hi Marie. Here is an article that may be helpful:
https://www.avemariapress.com/engagingfaith/what-difference-between-eastern-catholic-churches-
So I got that Eastern means in union with Rome and Orthodox means NOT in union with Rome.
So what does Eastern Orthodox mean????This tern is used in the above article.
Hi Marie,
There are Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic rites. Eastern Catholic rites are in communion with Rome.
So I got that Eastern means in union with Rome and Orthodox means NOT in union with Rome.
So what does Eastern Orthodox mean????This tern is used in the above article.