Monk

Greetings one and all.
Could i ask, if im a married, ordained Old Catholic priest in communion with the orthodox church, can i seek to be a monk within the Coptic church? Im already connected in part to a Coptic church, but if the answer is yes, then could someone explain to me what would be required please?
Due to the pandemic that is over the world right now, finding it hard to actually speak and discuss any of this.
Every blessing
Revd Ricci 

Comments

  • There are a few problems with your question I think.

    1. If you are married then you cannot become a monk. The monastic ilife is a vocation as much as the married one, but it is not the same. It is for those who choose the single and consecrated life.

    2. Also if you are an Old Catholic priest then it is not clear how you are in communion with the Orthodox Church.

    3. It is also not clear how you can be connected to part of the Coptic Orthodox Church if you are an Old Catholic. 

    Perhaps if you can add some detail to your post, and which group you belong to, this might become clearer. But it is the case that there are many groups which claim to be connected to Orthodoxy, but Orthodoxy does not consider them connected to her. 
  • I don't believe so. Unless your entire marriage has been celibate.

    As a convert from Catholicism, the Coptic church does not have formalities like the Catholic church. I have a formal education in Coptic Theology, but unlike the Catholic church, it does not equate to me automatically being ordained a Priest.

    I love how you feel such a wonderful connection to our church, but you would have to first focus on converting.

    Both churches, as they have many similarities, are rather different in theology. Having credentials in one, doesn't necessarily make someone more qualified, as Coptic churches look more at the person than education.

    Just as Bishoy pointed out, Latin and Byzantine Catholicism are not in communion with Byzantine or Oriental Orthodoxy. Oriental Orthodoxy and Byzantine Orthodoxy are also separated and may only commune in each other's churches in extreme circumstances.
  • edited April 2020
    @ItalianCoptic... just a quick comment.....a "celibate marriage" is one that is contradictory since the Church can never and would never ever try to prove or disprove. This would confirm the muslim's idiotic idea that "abouna would spend the first night with a newly married bride to confirm that she is a virgin"--which is absurd. But it really comes down to the fact that a marriage is expected to have sex. If it doesn't, then it's a virtue to the couple, but for sure not one that the Church or anyone is allowed to talk about or interfere in.

    That being said, married individuals are never expected to take the vow of celibacy and therefore cannot become monks. If they are widowed, then the door is kinda open very narrow for some to go to that path. 
  • Thank you. To note, i did say the OLD Catholic Church, not the RCC. Hence communion with the Orthodox Church. 
    It was more on the lines of a Monk, not a priest i was inquiring about.

  • Again, thank you.
    Just seen last post as i posted mine.
    I will seek further guidance from the Coptic Church here in the UK.
  • edited April 2020
    @Minatasgeel

    It was a back-handed comment. I am aware a married man cannot become a monk, but didn't want to come off like a total, "You know what" when I saw him write that. The Old Catholic church is...unique...to say the least.

    We have one in Ohio not too far from the Dair. They believe because they separated from Catholicism in the 19th century they're, "Orthodox" somehow when they still use a Latin Mass. It's like Western Rite Orthodoxy prevalent in the Antiochian church in the U.S. with mission churches. See, now you see why I tried to be...kind of polite.
  • Sorry to correct you but i'm afraid your history is not correct, you need to go back much further than that, at the time the RCC wanted to make the Pope infallible, well the Pope at that time wanted to. If you go back there you will see that some Bishops walked out and would not accept that, so we are going back? Im sure you will find out. Anyway, thanks again. 
  • What exactly is the “old Catholic Church”?
  • The Old Catholic Church, and there are many using that name, are not in communion with any Orthodox Churches. 

    There was a brief point when one group was in communion, but none of the groups claiming that name are in communion with Orthodoxy. 

    The Old Catholic movement in Utrecht was a schism from Roman Catholicism, and an English man was made a bishop by this group and then separated from them himself because they became more and more liberal. He managed to be recognised briefly by the Greek Orthodox, but by his death there was no group in communion with Orthodoxy.

    There are about 100 groups today claiming to be Old Catholic, which is up to them, but none of them are in communion with Orthodoxy.
  • edited April 2020
    @ricci

    “These Acts of Union have never been repudiated either by the Eastern Orthodox Churches or ourselves.”
    This is taken from the website link you posted in regards to my question. We are not Eastern Orthodox, and we are not in communion with them either, so you are not related to the Coptic Church, in any way.
    Also, you guys accept and initiate the ordination of women to the Priesthood and Episcopacy, NO Orthodix church accepts this, neither Oriental NOR eastern! Lots of general things just keep on telling me that something is fishy!
    You’re welcome to join the Coptic Orthodox Faith if you’re interested and convinced by its Theology and Ideology so much! Monasticism, was after all founded by the Coptic Church, and it seems that by speaking with a Priest or Servant (knowledgeable), you will surely like what you hear but if you ever decide on joining the Church, you must forget about your life in the “Old Catholic Church..”, especially as a priest!

    +God Bless+
  • I hear all words. To note, we dont accept and initiate the ordination of women to the Priesthood and Episcopacy, unsure where you read that, or did not read in the link.
    Again, i thank you for your remarks and thoughts.
    I have no thoughts of hanging onto any priesthood as i thought i made that clear.
    In communion with... i might beg to differ on that point, but, my questions were not on about that, thank you.
  • Everything I read was from your link, it was somewhere under timeline...
  • I don't think we need to talk about what the Old Catholic Church is or isn't in this discussion. I think the original question was answered.....lets move on...
  • Thank you. I will seek the guidance and other questions i have with the Coptic church here. Thank you for the time you took to answer.
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