GoLatin:
But what if the situation I described actually happened, and the children REALLY wanted to canonically go back to Rite A?
Would this be possible, considering that the children did not make the original decision to switch, the parents did?
Deacon Ed:
Under the current law, no, it would not be possible unless the children were girls and married a person of the other Ritual Church (not Rite). Then a change could be effected.
My Melkite brother,
I regret that I have to contradict you, but both Latin and Eastern Codes provide that, after the 14th year, children whose canonical enrollment was changed by the action of a parent or parents prior to that time may return to the Ritual Church of their origin.
Latin Code:
Canon 111
§1 Through the reception of baptism a child becomes a member of the Latin Church if the parents belong to that Church or, should one of them not belong to it, if they have both by common consent chosen that the child be baptised in the Latin Church: if that common consent is lacking, the child becomes a member of the Ritual Church to which the father belongs.
§2 Any candidate for baptism who has completed the fourteenth year of age may freely choose to be baptised either in the Latin Church or in another autonomous Ritual Church; in which case the person belongs to the Church which he or she has chosen.
Canon 112
§1 After the reception of baptism, the following become members of another autonomous Ritual Church:
1° those who have obtained permission from the Apostolic See;
2° a spouse who, on entering marriage or during its course, has declared that he or she is transferring to the autonomous Ritual Church of the other spouse; on the dissolution of the marriage, however, that person may freely return to the Latin Church;
3° the children of those mentioned in nn. 1 and 2 who have not completed their fourteenth year, and likewise in a mixed marriage the children of a Catholic party who has lawfully transferred to another Ritual Church; on completion of their fourteenth year, however, they may return to the Latin Church.
Eastern Code:
Canon 29
§1 By virtue of baptism, a child who has not yet completed his fourteenth year of age is enrolled in the Church
sui iuris of the Catholic father; or the Church
sui iuris of the mother if only the mother is Catholic or if both parents by agreement freely request it, with due regard for particular law established by the Apostolic See.
§2 If the child who has not yet completed his fourteenth year is:
(1) born of an unwed mother, he is enrolled in the Church
sui iuris to which the mother belongs;
(2) born of unknown parents, he is to be enrolled in the Church
sui iuris of those in whose care he has been legitimately committed are enrolled; if it is a case of an adoptive father and mother, 1should be applied;
(3) born of non-baptized parents, the child is to be a member of the Church
sui iuris of the one who is responsible for his education in the Catholic faith.
Canon 30
Anyone to be baptized who has completed the fourteenth year of age can freely select any Church
sui iuris in which he or she tthen is enrolled by virtue of baptism received in that same Church, with due regard for particular law established by the Apostolic See.
Canon 34
If the parents, or the Catholic spouse in the case of a mixed marriage, transfer to another Church
sui iuris, children under fourteen years old by the law itself are enrolled in the same Curch; if in a marriage of Catholics only one parent transfers to another Church
sui iuris, the children transfer only if both parents consent.
Upon completion of the fourteenth year of age, the children can return to the original Church sui iuris.
Many years,
Neil
), you are asked by someone from outside “do you come here often?”, there is a special feeling in being able to look to them and say, with love, justifiable pride, and without reservation or explanation - “I belong here; I’m a (Melkite, Ruthenian, Syriac, Ukrainian etc.) Catholic”.