r/OrthodoxChristianity Reddit 3 days ago

Catholic considering conversion to Orthodoxy after parish struggles

I have long had sympathy for Orthodox theology and approaches to the filioque, the essence-energies distinction versus divine simplicity, and the general little-o orthodoxy and liturgy that I prefer to Catholic liturgies. I have attended Eastern Catholic Byzantine rite liturgies.

However, I have remained Catholic because I think there is good reason to believe that papal primacy existed in the first millennium, and I also appreciate the Catholic Church's arguably warmer and more accepting attitude to some degree. But I also recognize a lot of apparent contradictions since Vatican I and II.

I moved to a new area and am looking for a parish for my family. Catholic parishes can really run the gamut. I prefer a traditional Novus Ordo, but that is very hard to find here. We found one we have been attending recently, and only today I found out that they are a charismatic Catholic parish that practices speaking in tongues on occasion.

This was something I used to make fun of Protestants for, only to research and find out that speaking in tongues is, in fact, accepted within the Catholic Church.

Sorry for the rant. I have been having a lot of difficulties sorting out the wheat from the chaff in terms of Catholic parishes, and it seems there is so much chaff. I really do love divine liturgies, but converting is not easy, though I think my wife understands and would respect that I need to be able to take the faith seriously for the good of our family.

With all my intellectual and aesthetic preferences for orthodoxy, I am starting to more seriously consider converting. I just wanted to share where I am at and would love to hear from anyone with thoughts or advice.

Thanks much and God bless.

Main points

Sympathy for Orthodox theology on filioque, essence-energies, and liturgy
Remained Catholic due to belief in first-millennium papal primacy and perceived warmer attitude
Struggling to find a suitable Catholic parish; discovered current parish practices speaking in tongues
Wife would respect conversion decision for family's spiritual good
Seriously considering conversion to Orthodoxy and seeking advice

9 opinions in the discussion 7 participants, 4 replies to each other The opinion with the most support Nobody disputes Rome's primacy, but in the "first among equals" sense, not what the papacy has become. Peter was in Antioch too, so why not that patriarchate? Anyway, not trying to start the debate lol. I won't pretend every EO parish or EO history is… Read the discussion

16 comments at the source Original on Reddit

Discussion · 9

Opinions are anonymous retellings of real comments from the original discussion. The same colour marks the same participant.

opinion#3391 1 likes at the source

Nobody disputes Rome's primacy, but in the "first among equals" sense, not what the papacy has become. Peter was in Antioch too, so why not that patriarchate? Anyway, not trying to start the debate lol. I won't pretend every EO parish or EO history is spotless, we're not magically immune, we're all sinners. But converting might be easier than you'd think. Usual advice: talk to a priest! And no harm in visiting a few other EO churches if you haven't already.
opinion#3392 1 likes at the source
The Roman Catholic Church is really several churches in one. There's a conservative wing and a liberal wing. You've seen yourself how the Catholic Charismatic Renewal is basically a semi-Protestant infiltration into it. The Pope doesn't actually do much to keep "unity." Aidan Nichols himself just admits how serious the liberalism problem is in Roman Catholicism.
- opinion#3396 1 likes at the source
  I think letting liberalism creep so deep into the Catholic Church should worry every Catholic. Different worship styles are fine. If you want a charismatic type or a visiting type or a traditional Latin mass one, fine. The problem, like you said, is when genuinely strange and unorthodox practices creep in and get accepted. Speaking in tongues isn't accepted Catholic practice. The fact that the hierarchy not only looks away but openly embraces it would worry me if I were still Catholic. Meanwhile they seem to really hate traditionalists. It's like they want to be the Church of England.
  - opinion#3398 1 likes at the source
    
    Roman Catholics pride themselves on the Pope and his Magisterium sorting things out. They're quick to criticize our "disunity." But I see even less unity among them on all sorts of issues. Look at Substack. Conservative Roman Catholics are forever raging against liberal bishops and theologians. The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Vienna, for instance, just came out in favor of ordaining women. The SSPX issue will only get worse, especially with the Vatican clamping down on the Latin Mass. They're worried the Novus Ordo churches will be emptied of the most motivated people.
    
    opinion#3399 1 likes at the source
    
    Your take on the RCC wanting to stop motivated people from leaving the NO churches is spot on. It's the only reasonable explanation for why they hate the TLM so much. Agreed the magisterium gets hyped up a lot, but it's only brought confusion and division. What blew me away, and still does, is that Orthodoxy doesn't have monastic orders. You're a monk or a nun, not a Franciscan or Dominican etc., since those were created to compete with other groups or push back against papal abuses. It's a system that doesn't work, and with the antipopes in the later Middle Ages, it's been dysfunctional for most of its history.
opinion#3393 1 likes at the source

Corinthians 14 and other passages suggest there are instances of tongues that aren't just speaking a known language, and there's even a reference to the "tongue of angels." The Orthodox Church doesn't universally reject speaking in tongues either, it's just not practiced.
opinion#3394 1 likes at the source

Orthodoxy isn't an aesthetic, and it's not supposed to be easy to convert to. You could argue the harder it is, the closer you are to the truth, to Christ and his church, which is his body, his bride, guided by the Holy Spirit. You can't see "the church" as anything but a life in Christ and his sacraments, arm in arm with the saints. Sadly the west has secularized everything, turning religion into an argument on paper instead of a way of life.
opinion#3395 1 likes at the source
I'm a bad judge of these things when I'm judging emotionally. I will say though that attending an eastern Catholic divine liturgy was one of the best church experiences I've ever had.
- opinion#3397 1 likes at the source
  
  Go to confession and stay in a state of grace. Then use reason to work through this, and take it as far as reason can go. Finally, while in a state of grace, ask the Lord to help you educate your mind. May the Lord be your light, your strength and your refuge.