AboutGeorge A. Card,sfo, M.I Expertise I am willing to attempt answer any question, if I dont know, I will look or pass the question on to friends for feed back. Beside Catholicism(especially the social/moral and the Eastern rites),I am well read on Mormonism and so-called Christian Fundamentalism.Also I study Franciscan History as means of growing in my lay Fraciscan calling to holiness in Christ.
Experience 15 years as the Justice and Peace Laison for my (local)Secular Franciscan Fraternity,15 years public speaking on the Faith,and/or teaching CCD and Youth Retreats,a former Officer for K of C and my SFO Fraternity,still hold appointed offices in SFO fraternity
Organizations Catholic Church, Rome Rite
Secular Fraciscan Order
Knights of Columbus
The Men's Study (A local Catholic study group I co founded)
Others
Militia Immaculata(Knights of the Immaculate
Publications Local News Letters:Mostly my Poetry
Education/Credentials 2 years of Minor Seminary
Bible and Adult Faith Studies and Seminars
Question Can you please explain the relationship of the Catholic Church to the Eastern Orthodox Church? It is my understanding that they are not in communion with Rome, but that the Catholic Church recognizes their consecration of the Eucharist as valid. How can that be if they don't believe in papal infallibility? Are they still part of the true Church that Christ instituted? If we don't agree with some of their beliefs, how can we say the Eucharist is vaild? Wouldn't they simply be another Christian church? Thanks for your time.
Answer Peace.
Eastern Orthodox are not in union with Rome. However Eastern Catholics are in union with Rome, they are as Catholic as we Roman Catholics are. In other words, Eastern Catholics and Roman Catholics are the same body. Pope John Paul the Great referred to these to parts of the same body as the two lungs of Christ's spirit.
Catholics (as well as E.O.) believe once a man is ordained, he is always ordained. When E.O. bishops (and others)broke with Rome, they lost authority of the ordination but not the power. So if they ordain, consecrate, they do so without authorization.
I hope this clarifies things
