Define "Eastern Catholic" for me

[ConstantineTG]

The Eastern Catholics are also known as Eastern Rite Catholics and Byzantine Rite Catholics, While in the West those who l follow the traditions of Rome are known as the Latin Rite.

I hope this helps

There are other Eastern Catholics who do not follow the Byzantine Rite. Although 14 of the 22 Eastern Cathoilc Churches do, the second largest Eastern Catholic Church isn’t Byzantine (the Syro-Malabar).

 

[Fone_Bone_2001]

Is Latin Rite synonymous with Roman Rite?

No. The western component of the Catholic Church is known as the Latin Church; its origins lie in the ancient Christian communities throughout western and central Europe and some regions of north Africa.

The term Roman Rite refers specifically to the rite used by the Diocese of Rome.

The term Latin rite refers instead to any rite that is or was ever used in the Latin Church. So there isn’t only one Latin rite.

There used to be many Latin rites. At the Council of Trent (1545-1563), the bishops decided that - with the exception of Latin rites that were a certain number of centuries old - other Latin rites were to be suppressed and the Roman Rite used throughout the Latin Church. In addition, even those non-Roman Latin rites that were preserved were forbidden to expand - i.e. if they sent out missionaries to an area and converted people, they’d institute the Roman Rite. Thus the surviving post-Tridentine Latin rites were limited to their original areas.

That is why the vast majority of the Latin Church uses the Roman Rite today. Other Latin rites that still survive include the Ambrosian Rite (from Milan), the Mozarabic Rite (from Toledo, Spain), the Bragan Rite (from Portugal), and the rites of various religious orders (Dominican Rite, Carmelite Rite, Carthusian Rite, etc.).

Can someone list the 23 churches for me?
Ruthenian, Maronite, Byzantine… my list stops there…

The wikipedia article on “Eastern Catholic Churches” lists the twenty-three self-governing Catholic churches correctly.

And, since I just asked the same question regarding Eastern Orthodoxy, is there an overarching hierarchy or governing body charged with keeping the Catholic faiths in communion with one another, or do we share the Orthodox view that part of the role of the Holy Spirit is to guide the Church in unity?

We do share the Orthodox view that the Holy Spirit guides the Church in unity, but there is a curial office (the curia, if you didn’t know, is the pope’s bureaucracy that helps him carry out his responsibilities) called the Congregation for the Oriental Churches whose responsibility it is to maintain communication between the pope and the eastern Catholic churches. Their continued existence is a controversial matter, as many eastern Catholics do not believe the existence of such a Roman congregation is appropriate or fitting.

Vatican II is the most recent church council, right?

The most recent general council of the entire Catholic Church, yes.

Were the Eastern Catholic bishops part of that, or was that strictly regarding the Roman Rite?

All Catholic bishops were invited, western and eastern. So yes, eastern Catholic bishops were a part of Vatican II. The Melkite Patriarch of Antioch was a particularly vocal and influential participant of the Second Vatican Council.

First understand the difference between Church and Rites

Church = developed from the Greek usage of eklesia, a gathering. A Church has a Bishop who is the presider of the gathering. As St. Ignatius of Antioch taught, where the bishop is, and where the multitude of people are gathered, where Jesus Christ is present, there is the Church.

Rites = is a ritual tradition. It is the tradition how the Liturgical services are done and how the Sacraments are performed/celebrated.

Multiple Churches can share the same Rite, as with the Byzantine Rite that is followed by 14 Churches.

A Church possibly can also have multiple Rites. Although everything has been grouped as one Latin Rite, there are actually a number of Rites under the Latin Rite such as the Roman Rite (OF/EF/Anglican Use), Mozarabic Rite, etc. Concievably, one Church can have multiple Rites. This is why many Eastern Catholics do not want to be called “Eastern Rite Catholics”. Because it insinuates they are not separate Churches from Rome, but merely Roman Catholics that use a different Rite.

Well said, Constantine!

 

[runningdude]

The term Roman Rite refers specifically to the rite used by the Diocese of Rome.

“Roman Rite” refers to the rite that uses the Roman Missal, which is used worldwide, not just in Rome itself. It has several variations (“uses”) including the 1969 Ordinary Form, the 1962 Extraordinary (Tridentine) Form, the 2011 Anglican Use, and other variations used especially among monks, friars, nuns and sisters.

Roman Rite refers not just to the liturgy recorded in the various editions of the Roman Missal, but also all of the spiritual traditions, prayers, and even architecture used by Catholics in the Latin Church.

The term Latin rite refers instead to any rite that is or was ever used in the Latin Church. So there isn’t only one Latin rite.

This is true. There are several minority Latin rites used in the Latin Church, which are distinct from the Roman Rite.

 

[Ian1968]

There are other Eastern Catholics who do not follow the Byzantine Rite. Although 14 of the 22 Eastern Cathoilc Churches do, the second largest Eastern Catholic Church isn’t Byzantine (the Syro-Malabar).

So are Armenian Catholics not considered part of the Byzantine Rite?

 

[ConstantineTG]

So are Armenian Catholics not considered part of the Byzantine Rite?

No. Some lists have them as their own separate Rite, others have them as part of the Western Syriac tradition. Their Liturgy is a blend of Latin and Byzantine elements.