How many CEC clergy have gone Roman?

How many of the faithful here have been on the Tiber Swim Team?

Are any CECer serving as priests or deacons in the Catholic Church?

41 views to date......

NO ONE?

Quite a few clergy have gone to Rome. I'm personally aware of several (myself included).

To the best of my knowledge, only one is currently serving in an ordained capacity and that is Fr. Steve Anderson, who is in one of the Michigan Dioceses. I have been told that Vaughn Treco is close to being ordained in, I believe, the Bahamas, but I have not heard an update on his situation in a very long time, so I just don't know.

I am aware of others in the process, including a few former CEC priests, and, I believe, a former CEC deacon.

To the best of my understanding, each case is being examined on its own merit. Former CEC clergy do not fall under the mandate of the Pastoral Provision (with the possible exception of former CEC clergy who were ECUSA (TEC) prior to the CEC).

Again, to the best of my understanding, the Apostolic Succession of each case is also being independently examined. There were (and are) several CEC bishops who, in spite of the agreement with Brazil, refused to use the correct Ordination Rite. Clergy going to Rome who have been ordained by one of the former Eastern Province bishops (Lipka, Sly, and Zampino) seem to have a greater chance of the Apostolic Succession recognized than, say, clergy going to Rome from the Central Province (with a couple of exceptions.)

Education is also an issue. Fr. Steve Anderson was, I believe, required to attend 3 years of seminary, as his previous ministry training had been entirely Pentecostal. For others, the seminary requirement has been mitigated or eliminated.

Regardless of the situation, each case has to be presented to the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith with the endorsement of the local bishop. Upon approval by the CDF, the case goes to the Holy Father.

Other special circumstances and cases exist as well. If anyone is interested, I'll continue!

Blessings,

Hi David and Simple.

I beleive Vaughn Treco has also been required to "bolster" his seminary credentials. I believe he formerly attended Trinity in Chicago...before his ordination in the CEC.

My last knowledge (Easter 2007) is that he is very close.

I was just asked this question of someone via another forum. It seems ther eis enough rumbling within the CEC that clergy are starting to "look elsewhere".

Papa Z - We're intererested, we're intererested!

There are other issues as well.

For example, if one has previously been a Roman Catholic, leaves the Catholic Church, enters ordained ministry with another denomination, then returns -- the likelihood of that person returning to Holy Orders is very, very low. Not impossible -- but in most cases, the timing of when the individual left the Catholic Church would be critical. For example, someone who has been baptized (or even confirmed) Catholic, but whose family leaves the Church while in his teens, and the individual was never ordained (or even, really, an adult) -- such a person would be looked at far more favorably than, say, an individual who was ordained a deacon or priest in the Catholic Church, left, and accepted ordination elsewhere (say ECUSA/TEC or the CEC) and then wanted to return -- that would be far more problematic.

Deacons and priests would also have a much easier time being received in the fullness of their orders and ministry than bishops, and the main reason is, of course, celibacy. When Graham Leonard, the former Anglican bishop of London, converted, he was granted faculties as a priest -- even given the honorific as Monsignor -- but was not permitted to exercise Episcopal ministry. The only exception of which I am aware is the case of Salamao Ferraz who was consecrated in ICAB, reconciled with Rome, and was accepted as a bishop without re-consecration. In spite of his marriage and seven children! Bishop Ferraz participated in Vatican II, but it was quite some time before he was given diocesan responsibilities. When he died, he was buried with appropriate episcopal honors. But he is the only exception of which I am aware.

Over the past couple of years, a number of ECUSA/TEC bishops have left that body for the Catholic Church. It remains to be seen how they will be received by the Catholic hierarchy -- but I suspect strongly that it will be as priests, and not bishops.

Just a few more thoughts . . .

What if a married Orthodox priest became Catholic? Will he end up being a Catholic priest. Its pretty obvious that they have a valid apostolic succession. So how?

Lets complicate the issue a little bit and see how it goes. Worse, what if this Orthodox priest was raised Catholic?

I suspect that a married Orthodox priest could fairly easily make the transition to Catholic priest.

BUT . . . If the person was originally a Catholic, then went Orthodox, then returned to Catholicism, I suspect that the case would be looked at far more closely. Reasons for the departure in the first place would be questioned, as would the motivation for the return.

Just my thoughts here . . .

Question: After 14 years in the CEC my husband and I left to return to the Roman Catholic Church (into which we were born, and in which we were baptized, confirmed, married, and had our children baptized). When we cut our ties with the CEC we began attending Mass again in the Roman Catholic parish we left 14 years ago (when we orignally joined the CEC). We seek to formally return to the Church and "re-register" as members of our former parish. Before doing that, I would like to be prepared for any questions or concerns that might be raised about our decision to leave 14 years ago. My husband was ordained in the CEC (deacon) but is NOT seeking to enter Holy Orders in the Roman Catholic Church. Would you please share any information or knowledge you might have about a situation such as this, i.e. would we be required to attend an RCIA program or something similar? As stated above, we were both raised in the Roman Catholic Church, baptized, confirmed, and married there and desire simply to return "home."

I thank you!

Well, I think that your case is similar to that of one person: Francis Beckwith. He was the former chairman of the Evangelical Theological Society and returned to the Catholic Church a few months back. He was recieved back into the Church through absolution and confession. Nothing more. Only his wife is going through the initiation process as she is Presbyterian.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Beckwith
http://www.abpnews.com/2139.article

Btw, are you guys from OKC?

To the best of my understanding, you would NOT have to complete an RCIA program, or anything like it. My wife was raised Catholic, but subsequently joined first the Episcopal Church and later the CEC.

All I believe that you need to do is make your confession, and you should be good to go. I'd check with your parish priest, of course, but there should not be any major difficulty.

Blessings,

Your responses to my question about returning to the RCC are sincerely appreciated and I thank you. I do not usually participate in online forums and the like, so I am unfamiliar with how this is done, but collin_nunis asked if we were from OKC. Since I don't know what OKC means (or where it might be), I think I can pretty safely answer that we're not from there.

Again, thank you so much for your responses. They were very helpful.

Hi Grandma.

Not to be a downer, but I'm pretty sure you should refrain from receiving the Eucharist until you "run into your father's arms, let him put the robe on you, and kill the fatted calf" and all that jazz. It will make the return all that much sweeter.

You haven't said whether you're receiving communion now or not, (and I'm not assuming anything), but I thought I'd throw this part in.

If you need a little help in the confession department (as I do every time I go), I HIGHLY recommend Father Larry Richards' Confession talk. You will CRY! But you'll also realize how much you are loved. I listen to it and his "What More Could He Do For You" every time in preparation. I'm a scaredy-cat.

You can get it one of two ways:

First, for FREE from here http://www.catholicity.com/cds/ where you'll also get 7 other awesome CDs. I ordered them myself.

OR here at Father Larry's website:

http://www.thereasonforourhope.org/online_order/index.php

Don't be surprised if it takes a while to acclimate. That's normal. Oh, and OKC is Oklahoma City.

God bless you!!!
Jaybird

This has in fact happened a number of times... And it happened en masses in parts of Ukraine when the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church came out from the underground.

The local bishop is the one who examines case by case and proceeds from there.

Orthodox priests who enter communion with Rome are never re-ordained. They are recieved by profession of faith and then incardinated. That is exactly what happened in the last ten years with 2 or 3 priests in the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh - one from the OCA, one from ACROD and one from a Greek Old Calendar jurisdiction.

Were there any who become Latin Rite priests?

I know of one fellow who was granted bi-ritual faculties right off the bat, and now serves a Latin diocese for a Russian Catholic community. The intricacies of canon law are such that if there is no hierarchy present for a given sui juris church, the Latin bishop provides for them...

But this is a rather unique situation...

It is exactly true that Latin bishops are instructed to care for any Eastern community without any hierarchy of their own. Nevertheless, when I was in Singapore, it was mentioned that the Eastern Catholics in Singapore are under the jurisdiction of Ukrainian Catholic Archbishop Peter Stasiuk CSsR rather than the Latin-Rite Metropolitan of Singapore. Someone even went as far as to say that they'd rather become Orthodox than to be under the authority of the Latin-rite bishop. Shocking.

But given what some Latin-Rite Catholics have mentioned themselves, their bishop is a pain most times. :lol:

My husband and I are returning to the Roman Catholic Church after having spent 14 years in the CEC. Several days ago I posted a request on this forum for information regarding that process and a few of you were kind enough to respond. Just as a follow up, and again thanking your for your kind responses, we spoke to our parish priest this morning. He welcomed us "home" with joy and sincerity! Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!

It is important for me to add that my husband and I are grateful for the time we spent in the CEC. We were privileged to meet many wonderful men and women whose hearts sought after our Lord. One of them was Bp. John Holloway - a man I respect and admire. He and his family are in my prayers daily and I will continue to pray for the Charismatic Episcopal Church and for her leaders.

Welcome back home, Grandma! I agree with you about the CEC. God's love is immense and His grace is immeasurable. :)

Home to Rome via the CEC: 1999

Welcome Home!

If you made your journey to the Catholic Church (and are under the Petrine See of Rome) via the CEC, please make a quick post here!

Please include when you came "home to Rome".

Came home, February 2005!