Ukrainian Orthodoxy		Orthodoxie ukrainienne

Intercommunion

Question:

I am a Ukrainian Orthodox member of the church and was Christened Orthodox and I was wondering if it is okay to take communion at a Catholic church? If not, please explain why. thank you.

Answer:

Very Reverend Ihor Kutash kutash@unicorne.org

Since the two Churches (Orthodox & Catholic) still have rather serious doctrinal issues that are not resolved (one of the chief being ecclesiological, i.e. the status of the Bishop of Rome), their communicants do not normally inter-commune, since participation in the eucharistic table is an expression of the fullest sort of unity. I am aware that at times Orthodox Priests and even Bishops have permitted Catholic faithful to receive the eucharist on exceptional occasions. It is painful to many of us that this lack of inter-communion persists. One should not rush to resolve the pain by doing what one's eucharistic family is not doing. Instead this pain ought to spur us on to beseech the Lord to help us attain the full communion that would certainly be pleasing to Him. And we must believe that ultimately this shall be so. The Lord's timing, however, is not ours.

[ Home ] [ Articles ] [ Prayer ] [ Saints ] [ Theophilus ] [ Q & A ] [About Us] [ ]