Can I go to Mass in one Rite and Adoration in another?

[AdriannaJean]

Hey Everyone,

While looking into the Ukrainian Catholic Church someone said that I would be giving up Eucharistic Adoration since there is normally no Eucharist kept in chapels in the Ukrainian Catholic Church. My question is this, I know I have to formally “belong” to one rite or another. But can I not “mix and match” as I choose? Such as attending Mass at a Ukrainian Catholic Church, going to Adoration at a Roman Catholic Church and confession at a Romanian Catholic Church if I liked?

I understand that it seems like a lot of trouble not to go to just one, but I am speaking theoretically here. Is it allowable?

 

[a_pilgrim]

Hi, AdriannaJean!

Here’s what’s great about being a Catholic: **any **Catholic individual may freely avail himself/herself to the Sacraments and devotions of any of the 23 sui iuris Churches that today comprise Catholicism at any time! Short answer: Yes, you may “mix-and-match” devotions as you say. Don’t think of it as “giving up” any particular devotions (as per your example with regard to Eucharistic Adoration); think of it instead as gaining access to the devotions of all 23 sui iuris Churches!

The fear with regard to “mixing-and-matching” devotions, however, lies in the fact that you may be inadvertently denying yourself the full experience of theological life associated with each of the 23 Churches. While all 23 Churches are united under the dogmas of the Catholic Church and the pastoral care of the Pope of Rome, each has its own unique and equally-valid interpretation of these dogmas and doctrines. As such, the devotionals that each Church has developed over the centuries all act together as a cohesive expression of that particular Church’s interpretation. They all work together to paint a theological picture of that particular Church’s interpretation of Catholicism. My own opinion is that, in an effort to fully assimilate and “make sense of” theology as viewed by any one of the 23 Churches within the Catholic Communion, it is far better to allow yourself to grow an appreciation for the devotions unique to that particular Church. Yes, you may continue to attend Eucharistic Adoration (indeed, many Eastern Catholics do!), a practice foreign to the Ukranian Catholic Church, but perhaps you may want to explore instead, for example, participating in an akathist or other such devotions unique to the UGCC.

Above all, you are correct to remember that you can only officially “belong” to one of the 23 Churches at any given time and, as such, you are bound by the Code of Canons unique to that particular Church, regardless of where you choose to worship and which devotionals you choose to participate in. Here’s an example: A Latin (Roman) Catholic individual may freely attend a Ukranian Catholic Church for his or her entire lifetime - despite this life-long attendance, he or she is *still *a Latin Catholic and, as such, remains bound by the ecclesiastical calendar of the Latin Church. Case in point: the Feast of the Immaculate Conception is still a holy day of obligation for that individual (while it is not in the UGCC).

Hope this helps!

 

[Aramis]

Also, whomever told you the UGCC doesn’t keep the Blessed Sacrament reserved didn’t know what they were talking about.

 

[AdriannaJean]

Also, whomever told you the UGCC doesn’t keep the Blessed Sacrament reserved didn’t know what they were talking about.

They didn’t say that they didn’t have it reserved. They said that they don’t keep it in a chapel for people to pray to/with (unsure of the proper term here).

 

[malphono]

They didn’t say that they didn’t have it reserved. They said that they don’t keep it in a chapel for people to pray to/with (unsure of the proper term here).

Ah. There’s a difference between normal reservation of the Sacrament and having an “adoration chapel” which is essentially a Latin Rite phenomenon. In general, Eastern and Oriental churches do not do the latter, but the former is a given. The Presence Lamp (aka Sanctuary Lamp) is a dead giveaway to where the Sacrament is reserved, same as in Latin Rite churches. But, wherever the Sacrament is reserved, the Real Presence is, well, real, “adoration chapel” notwithstanding.

 

[GodIsGracious]

This is cool to know. I am Roman Catholic. I am dating a Byzantine Catholic. I LOVE LOVE LOVE to attend Divine Liturgy with him. It’s SUCH beautiful worship. We switch off and on between Mass and Divine Liturgy. To honour each of our own backgrounds in growing up Catholic.

Hi, AdriannaJean!

Here’s what’s great about being a Catholic: **any **Catholic individual may freely avail himself/herself to the Sacraments and devotions of any of the 23 sui iuris Churches that today comprise Catholicism at any time! Short answer: Yes, you may “mix-and-match” devotions as you say. Don’t think of it as “giving up” any particular devotions (as per your example with regard to Eucharistic Adoration); think of it instead as gaining access to the devotions of all 23 sui iuris Churches!

The fear with regard to “mixing-and-matching” devotions, however, lies in the fact that you may be inadvertently denying yourself the full experience of theological life associated with each of the 23 Churches. While all 23 Churches are united under the dogmas of the Catholic Church and the pastoral care of the Pope of Rome, each has its own unique and equally-valid interpretation of these dogmas and doctrines. As such, the devotionals that each Church has developed over the centuries all act together as a cohesive expression of that particular Church’s interpretation. They all work together to paint a theological picture of that particular Church’s interpretation of Catholicism. My own opinion is that, in an effort to fully assimilate and “make sense of” theology as viewed by any one of the 23 Churches within the Catholic Communion, it is far better to allow yourself to grow an appreciation for the devotions unique to that particular Church. Yes, you may continue to attend Eucharistic Adoration (indeed, many Eastern Catholics do!), a practice foreign to the Ukranian Catholic Church, but perhaps you may want to explore instead, for example, participating in an akathist or other such devotions unique to the UGCC.

Above all, you are correct to remember that you can only officially “belong” to one of the 23 Churches at any given time and, as such, you are bound by the Code of Canons unique to that particular Church, regardless of where you choose to worship and which devotionals you choose to participate in. Here’s an example: A Latin (Roman) Catholic individual may freely attend a Ukranian Catholic Church for his or her entire lifetime - despite this life-long attendance, he or she is *still *a Latin Catholic and, as such, remains bound by the ecclesiastical calendar of the Latin Church. Case in point: the Feast of the Immaculate Conception is still a holy day of obligation for that individual (while it is not in the UGCC).

Hope this helps!

 

[Cluny]

As I might have said earlier in answer to a similar question, the Holy Gifts are reserved in all Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches either in a small tabernacle on the high altar, or in a hanging dove-shaped pyx above it. (There may well be side chapels or additional altars, but Reservation takes place only on the main altar.)

If you were to attend the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts in Great Lent (generally celebrated on Wednesday and Friday), you would find that in places it’s very much like Benediction.