I had my first meeting with a Priest the other day. It went very well. We mainly talked about church history but I also expressed my desire to convert to Orthodoxy. I told him about my current job situation and how it would be difficult to attend the liturgy on Sundays. He suggested I come to other services during the week when I am available to. It sounds like it could be a while before I can actually join the Church, or even become a catechumen because of my inability to attend Sundays.
The part that is going to be very hard for me is the fact that I am not a very patient person! When I decide I want to do something, I usually do it right then. Or if there is something I want to buy, (within reason, of course. im not very wealthy... ha!) i go buy it right then. I realize this isnt always a good thing, but its the way Im wired. I guess its something I also should work on. Anyone have this in common with me and want to share how they dealt with it? Basically, I think I took from our meeting that I can live, pray, attend church, etc like an Orthodox but I obviously cannot commune. Until I am Orthodox, is it ok for me to still take communion in another Church? At least until there is some scheduled time where I can join the church....
Timon,
Please be aware of what I write is my own opinion. Your priest's answers to your questions are the advice you should follow.
Being unable to attend Liturgies on Sunday should not bar you from becoming a catechumen or even being received into the ORthodox Church. There are other days when the Liturgy is celebrated such as great feasts. There are two coming up here in September (assuming you're on the Revised Julian Calendar)--the Nativity of the Theotokos on Sept. 8 and the Exaltation of the Cross on Sept. 14. If you can make those, please do so.
Also--again, my opinion--the best way to learn the richness of the Orthodox faith and understand is to attend Vespers and Orthros even if during the week. I have long said that the best way for any Orthodox to understand their faith is to go to Orthros and Vespers, but, few do so. So many people are missing out. So, if your church offers such services during the week, attend them and pray and pray with fervor.
As to your last question about receiving communion in another church while you are still a catechumen, the answer is no. If you wish to join yourself to the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church (as we confess in the creed) then you must separate yourself from it (notice I did not say from people or your former church's family). A crude analogy: it would be like a college football player transferring to another school to play football there, but, before that happens, he continues to work out with his former team, train with them, learn their plays, all of which will be different at his new school. I am to trying to be patronizing about this. When I was a catechumen, I never went back to my old church. Why would you even want to convert if to the Orthodox Church if you still want communion with the old? That does not work.
I hope this helps. Please feel free to ask questions and people, wiser and more learned than I, shall help as best we can.
