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Baptism

bel138bel138 member
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in Catholic Weddings
Hi ladies! It's been a while. So, thanks to my wonderful charting with Creighton and some Metformin, DH and I are expecting a little blessing on the 24th! We wanted to bring our LO home to receive baptism, chrismation, and communion as is tradition in the Eastern church by OUR priest. We really love him and miss him and our church in our new city. I jut got an email from him saying he's converting to Orthodoxy! And they're allowing him to be married before he joins their priesthood! In June! I don't know what to do. He said his replacement can do it, but the reason we wanted to go home was for HIM. He could technically do it before he's excommunicated, but then, would I want a priest who I KNOW won't be in communion a week later to receive our little one into the church? I'm sure pregnancy hormones are playing a role here, and I'm really happy he's following what God has called him to do, but I'm feeling very shocked and selfish right now too.
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Re: Baptism

  • ootmother2ootmother2 member
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    Hi & Congratulations on the baby news!

    I'm sorry that I have no suggestions for you but I wish you the very best  :)
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  • Calypso1977Calypso1977 member
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    bel, congrats on the baby!  so happy for you!
    that's  tough one. 

    the sacraments he administers prior to his excommunication will still be valid.  also, its a stretch, but maybe administering these sacraments to your child may cause him to rethink his decision when he sees hwo much he and his services mean to his followers?
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  • agapecarrieagapecarrie member
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    I dunno... while the sacraments would be valid, if he doesn't believe in the authority of Rome, then I'd feel like there's some loss of integrity on his part in continuing to do sacraments.
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  • bibliophile2010bibliophile2010 member
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    Many, many congrats on the coming LO, Bel!

    I'm inclined to side with not having this particular priest confirm the sacraments. They would be valid, but there seems something disingenuine. Plus, I imagine having to explain to my child someday that, "Right after your initiation, Fr. So-and-so left the Church, got married and became Orthodox." I mean, I know that stuff happens with priests, but if you know that it's going to happen, I wouldn't seek that person out, even though they might be otherwise good people or might have provided great spiritual direction, etc. in the past.
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  • lalaith50lalaith50 member
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    I'm confused. Are you Roman Catholic? Orthodox? Byzantine? (Which "Eastern Church" are you referring to? I assume you're an Eastern Rite yourself since you want your LO to receive the Sacraments in the Eastern fashion?) But your priest is currently Roman Catholic? Or is he Byzantine or something else Eastern? But he's becoming Orthodox? (Why would a Byzantine ever become Orthodox?)
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  • monkeysipmonkeysip member
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    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_baptism-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:615Discussion:0f12b586-a867-49f4-babf-75e9eb969ffaPost:4b73a3f2-736a-4662-a6a5-b51c8bdee921">Re: Baptism</a>:
    [QUOTE]I'm confused. Are you Roman Catholic? Orthodox? Byzantine? (Which "Eastern Church" are you referring to? I assume you're an Eastern Rite yourself since you want your LO to receive the Sacraments in the Eastern fashion?) But your priest is currently Roman Catholic? Or is he Byzantine or something else Eastern? But he's becoming Orthodox? (Why would a Byzantine ever become Orthodox?)
    Posted by lalaith50[/QUOTE]

    <div>I assumed the OP was Eastern rite, and so is her priest.  Seeing as how Eastern/Byzantine catholics do not have the same exact beliefs as Orthodox (for example, only the former recognize the authority of the Pope), then I can understand why he might convert.  </div>

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  • bel138bel138 member
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    edited May 2012
    We are Byzantine, as is the priest. He is converting because he feels the structure of the early church is best preserved in the Orthodoxy. Basically, although JPII said the Eastern Rites should return to their traditions, we keep getting shot down by the Vatican and there is no long term plan on how to fix it. Many are frustrated by the continued Latinization. Our previous Metropolitan was telling Rome that there would be converts to Orthodoxy, and still nothing has been done. We also just had a new Metropolitan installed, and I believe he is less aggressive on this front. Where the marriage comes in, I have no idea. The details of that he kept to himself. The priest he said was taking over the parish now is listed on the diocese' ROMAN Catholic website, though. So I'll need to look into that. I imagine he would at least need to be dual rite to perform the sacraments.
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  • lalaith50lalaith50 member
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    Yeah, I actually had a BF for a while who was raised Byzantine; he mentioned a few situations of how Rome really treated them horribly. That is REALLY sad. You have such beautiful rites! We have so much to learn from you!
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  • lb1212lb1212
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    I'm sorry you have to make this difficult decision - and it would be difficulty with or without pregnancy hormones!  I think it's not only ok, but perfectly natural for you to feel shocked and betrayed!  I would think more about the future and less about the past.  I would think about what sort of relationship you want your child to have.  I think it would be completely acceptable for a child to have an emotional and spiritual attachment/connection to a religious figure of a different religion.

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