Catholic affiliation

[shikame]

If some of your great-grandparents were eastern catholic and never formally changed rites to roman catholic and your parents raised you roman catholic, are you formally still an eastern catholic?
If you were baptized and confirmed in the roman catholic church but your family was eastern catholic by the previous question what are you considered?

 

[shikame]

Another part of that question is how would you find proof of your ancestor’s membership in an eastern church?

 

[John_of_Patmos]

You may want to check Baptismal records.

 

[Vico]

If some of your great-grandparents were eastern catholic and never formally changed rites to roman catholic and your parents raised you roman catholic, are you formally still an eastern catholic?
If you were baptized and confirmed in the roman catholic church but your family was eastern catholic by the previous question what are you considered?

If your great-grandfather was eastern Catholic and then he had your father baptised Catholic, then your father is eastern Catholic, and so on. But it is allowed to baptize the children into either Catholic church, with agreement of the father, in a mixed Catholic marriage. That would have to be noted in the parish records if it happened that way. Confirmation does not determine the church of enrollment. The church of baptism does not determine the church of enrollment either, but normally you should be baptized in the church of enrollment.

 

[ConstantineTG]

If your great-grandfather was eastern Catholic and then he had your father baptised Catholic, then your father is eastern Catholic, and so on. But it is allowed to baptize the children into either Catholic church, with agreement of the father, in a mixed Catholic marriage. That would have to be noted in the parish records if it happened that way. Confirmation does not determine the church of enrollment. The church of baptism does not determine the church of enrollment either, but normally you should be baptized in the church of enrollment.

Noting on records may not have been done properly. Most RC parishes think they are the only kind of Catholics out there, or that there isn’t really a difference between Roman and Eastern Catholics. It may be hard to trace.

 

[Vico]

Noting on records may not have been done properly. Most RC parishes think they are the only kind of Catholics out there, or that there isn’t really a difference between Roman and Eastern Catholics. It may be hard to trace.

I have head of that also, and that sometimes the records were destroyed. As an example of error, my baptism and confirmation were in different parishes but my baptismal parish reported me (when a copy of the record was requested) as having received confirmation there but it was actually received at the second parish where it was recorded correctly. (This occurred before I canonically changed churches so baptism and confirmation were separated.)

 

[shikame]

So if both parents are Catholic you follow up the father’s lineage to get if you belong to the east or the west? Even if the mother is a latent Eastern Catholic but practices Roman rite and the father is Roman?

 

[Vico]

So if both parents are Catholic you follow up the father’s lineage to get if you belong to the east or the west? Even if the mother is a latent Eastern Catholic but practices Roman rite and the father is Roman?

Yes, the canon laws say the infant is enrolled in the church sui iuris of the Catholic father, unless at the time of baptism they both agree to make it the Catholic mother’s church sui iuris. If the baptism occurs at age 14 or later, one can choose any Church sui iuris.