Can a child that is baptised Greek Orthodox receive communion and confirmation in a catholic church?

Answer 1

Answer # 1

No. The Roman Catholic Church practices closed communion, and doesn't have any shared sacraments arrangements with other churches. For example, the Church of the Holy Apostles in Virginia Beach, Virginia has a common seating area for its Anglican and Roman Catholic congregations. But there are two separate altars, and therefore two different receiving lines depending upon one's denomination.

Answer # 2

Yes.

There are currently two canon laws which provide for this:

Catholic ministers may licitly administer the sacraments of penance, Eucharist and anointing of the sick to members of the oriental churches (e.g. Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, etc.) which do not have full communion with the Catholic Church, if they ask on their own for the sacraments and are properly disposed. This holds also for members of other churches, which in the judgment of the Apostolic See are in the same condition as the oriental churches as far as the sacraments are concerned. (CIC Canon 844, § 3, cited in The Compendium to the Catechism of the Catholic Church)

Similarly,

If the danger of death is present or other grave necessity, in the judgment of the diocesan bishop or the conference of bishops, Catholic ministers may licitly administer these sacraments to other Christians who do not have full communion with the Catholic Church, who cannot approach a minister of their own community and on their own ask for it, provided they manifest Catholic faith in these sacraments and are properly disposed. (CIC Canon 844, § 4, cited in the Compendium to the Catechism of the Catholic Church)

These two canon laws make more explicit the suitable circumstances which the Vatican II document Unitatis Redintegratio speaks of concerning the Orthodox churches:

These churches, although separated from us, yet possess true sacraments, above all - by apostolic succession - the priesthood and the Eucharist, whereby they are still joined to us in closest intimacy. Therefore some worship in common (communicatio in sacris), given suitable circumstances and the approval of church authority, is not merely possible but is encouraged. (Flannery 1996, p. 515)

REFERENCES

Ignatius Press. The Compendium to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 1994).

Flannery, A. ed. Vatican II, The Basic Sixteen Documents - Constitutions Decrees Declarations, (Northport, NY: Costello Publishing Company, 1996.)

Answer 2

Answer # 1

Yes because they are both Christian. Although they are different branches, they both lead to the same ending: GOD.

Answer # 2

Yes.

There are currently two canon laws which provide for this:

Catholic ministers may licitly administer the sacraments of penance, Eucharist and anointing of the sick to members of the oriental churches [e.g. Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, etc.] which do not have full communion with the Catholic Church, if they ask on their own for the sacraments and are properly disposed. This holds also for members of other churches, which in the judgment of the Apostolic See are in the same condition as the oriental churches as far as the sacraments are concerned. (CIC Canon 844, § 3, cited in The Compendium to the Catechism of the Catholic Church)

Similarly,

If the danger of death is present or other grave necessity, in the judgment of the diocesan bishop or the conference of bishops, Catholic ministers may licitly administer these sacraments to other Christians who do not have full communion with the Catholic Church, who cannot approach a minister of their own community and on their own ask for it, provided they manifest Catholic faith in these sacraments and are properly disposed. (CIC Canon 844, § 4, cited in the Compendium to the Catechism of the Catholic Church)

These two canon laws make more explicit the suitable circumstances which the Vatican II document Unitatis Redintegratio speaks of concerning the Orthodox churches:

These churches, although separated from us, yet possess true sacraments, above all - by apostolic succession - the priesthood and the Eucharist, whereby they are still joined to us in closest intimacy. Therefore some worship in common (communicatio in sacris), given suitable circumstances and the approval of church authority, is not merely possible but is encouraged. (Flannery 1996, p. 515)

REFERENCES

Ignatius Press. The Compendium to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 1994).

Flannery, A. ed. Vatican II, The Basic Sixteen Documents - Constitutions Decrees Declarations, (Northport, NY: Costello Publishing Company, 1996.)

Answer 3

No, the Orthodox Church does not allow any of its members to receive Communion in any other church. Although the Catholics and Orthodox share many similar beliefs, they are still not in full communion with each other, and therefore cannot share any sacraments.