Dear Halil,

You said:
I want to come to the Vatican and join Christianity.

If you wish to become a Christian, make an appointment with a priest at a nearby Catholic parish or church. He can tell you what the process is for you and your family in your area.

You can also seek out an Eastern Rite Christian Church and find a priest there who can help you.

You don't have to travel to the Vatican to become a Christian.

I hope this helps,

Mike

Hi All,

I just looked up Halil's location.

He's not too far from the Syrian border. Right now, I'm not too sure what the legal status is for Catholic churches in Turkey.

The Republic of Turkey was set up circa 1920 to be secular after centuries of Islamic rule but the current leadership has Islamic tendencies.

I know they give the Orthodox a difficult time. More than likely, any Catholic parish he finds there will be of the Eastern Syrian, Chaldean, or Armenian Rite but it's important that he not confuse Orthodox Churches with Catholic Churches/parishes.

Of course, if he becomes a Catholic and cannot attend a Catholic parish without difficulty, he can fulfill his obligation to attend Mass at an Orthodox Church. They might deny him Holy Communion but from our perspective and canons, if he has no other option, he can receive in an Orthodox Church, so long as he is in a state of grace.

John