Good luck OP, and God bless you.
By the way, if your teacher tells you something that you know is wrong, don't hesitate to correct them on it. I'm saying that because I've heard too many horror stories about somebody being taught outright heresy during RCIA (from a Catholic perspective). At least, read the Church Fathers at the same time as your catechesis.
>>562674
Charismatically, we don't and can't know (although at least, from a Catholic perspective, schismatic churches have sacramental ties to the Catholic Church even without being a part of it).
But canonically? From a Catholic perspective, the Oriental Orthodox have excluded themselves from the Church by embracing the heresy of monophysitism. The Church of the East has excluded itself from the Church by embracing the heresy of Nestorianism. The Eastern Orthodox have excluded themselves from the Church by embracing the heresies of monopatrism and whatever you'd call a rejection of papal supremacy. The canonical boundaries of the Church exist for a reason, you know, and in Roman Catholicism, these boundaries are simple: be in communion with the Pope and you are part of the Church.
>>562536
>In any case, the Catholic and Orthodox church are almost one and the same. There exists both Eastern Rite Catholicism and Western Rite Orthodoxy.
Eastern Catholicism can be anything from being identical to Latin Catholicism (see the Maronites) to being Orthodoxy with a different bishop commemorated (see the Melkites).
Western Orthodoxy is doctrinally identical to Eastern Orthodoxy, it just has a different flavor to it.
And Eastern Orthodoxy & Latin Catholicism have very, very different doctrines, my friend. They may be basically the same compared to an Independant Fundamental Baptist, but compared to each other, the differences are way too important to sweep under the rug.
Theologically:
- monopatrism (the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone) vs. "filioquism" (the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son)
- the Papacy is a human institution (thus the bishop of Rome is first among equals) vs. the Papacy is a divine institution (thus the bishop of Rome has a special prerogative)
- the nature of Heaven and Hell is partial, and of a possible purgatory nature for Hell, vs. is total
- God's essence cannot be seen and the energy proceeds from the essence vs. God's essence can be seen, and is the energy
Practically:
- the focus on unending prayer is much more heavy in Orthodoxy
- the rejection of visions and emotions is also much more heavy in Orthodoxy
- for cradles: baptism, chrismation, & first communion all together in Orthodoxy vs. baptism first and chrismation & first communion later in Catholicism
- the differences between oikonomia & dispensations
- the focus on natural law is much more heavy in Catholicism
- which is why artificial non-abortifacient contraception is a mortal sin, while it is a venial sin in Orthodoxy
- in fact, the whole distinction between mortal and venial sins - in Catholicism: "did I sin badly enough to go confess?" vs in Orthodoxy: "oops, i sinned, i better go confess"
- different Eucharistic practices: the Body alone vs. the Body always together with the Blood
- different Eucharistic practices: always must confess mortal sins before communion in Catholicism, vs. it being left up to the bishop and the priest in Orthodoxy (which can be more strict or more lenient than in Catholicism)
- different fasting expectations, especially as of recently, which mean different standards for the laity