[Teófilo]

I wonder, though, what if one goes to a part of the world where there generally are no Catholic churches, but there are generally Orthodox churches, and one goes for a good while, say some number of months or even years.

Does one just not go to Mass? Is one excused from the Sunday Obligation? Or does, at some point, the persistent lack of an available Catholic church eventually move one to a place where one should be attending Orthodox Divine Liturgy in the interim?

Obviously, this is an extreme situation and in extreme situations, dispensations -- ekonomia for the Orthodox-- are readily granted in a per case basis, with the concurrence of local Orthodox authorities. A bishop, an Apostolic Administrator or a Vicar can grant this dispensation for sufficient pastoral reasons. The local Orthodox pastor may extend communion with permission from his own superiors.

I am confident that this has happened already and may be happening now in high-risk and/or hard-to-reach territories where there is not Latin presence but an Orthodox presence is already established.

-Theo

[Kolokotronis]

"I am confident that this has happened already and may be happening now in high-risk and/or hard-to-reach territories where there is not Latin presence but an Orthodox presence is already established."

I don't doubt this at all. In fact, in the Middle East it likely went on last Sunday...and with Maronite, Melkite and Orthodox Churches all open in the same town (they share catechism classes and teachers too)! 'Course, in some parts of the world, rules are made to be broken. :)