Did I have to be a Greek Catholic?

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augustus

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Hello!

I have heard that ,according to the Code of Canon Law,an Orthodox who converts to Catholicism and wants to become a priest or wants to be married has to be ordained it married in the Greek Catholic Church.
Is this true? Can you state the place where it is written that clearly? Can you explain the logic behind it?
 
Yes, this is true.
The Canon Law of the Eastern Catholics Churches, Canon 35
Baptized non-Catholics coming into full communion with the Catholic Church should retain and practice their own rite everywhere in the world and should observe it as much as humanly possible. Thus, they are to be enrolled in the Church sui iuris of the same rite with due regard for the right of approaching the Apostolic See in special cases of persons, communities, or regions.
The logic behind this is because otherwise the eastern sui iuris churches would cease to exist if eastern Christians became Latin rite. That would imply the eastern rites are inferior. Thus, it is a great good for eastern Christians to belong to the sui iuris church of their rite when they convert. For example, if you were to become Catholic you would do so in the Greek Byzantine Catholic Church ideally. However, since this church is mainly in Greece, if you live somewhere else then seek out the closest sui iuris church. The closest is the Italo-Greek Catholic Church which is mostly in Italy. The Melkite Catholic Church is the second closest and has a wide diaspora. Barring that, any Byzantine rite church (Ukrainian, Ruthenian, Romanian, etc.) will do. When an Orthodox Joins the Catholic Church | EWTN
 
augustus said:
Hello!

I have heard that ,according to the Code of Canon Law,an Orthodox who converts to Catholicism and wants to become a priest or wants to be married has to be ordained it married in the Greek Catholic Church.
Is this true? Can you state the place where it is written that clearly? Can you explain the logic behind it?
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When you were you baptized the first time, was it with an Eastern Orthodox Church? If so, which one, and were you an infant or adult (age 14)?

From Comparative Sacramental Discipline in the CCEO and CIC: A Handbook for the Pastoral Care of Members of Other Catholic Churches Sui Iuris, p. 17:
The general principle is that membership in a Church or ecclesial community is determined by the membership of the minister of baptism.35
35 For example, an infant Baptized by an Anglican minister becomes Anglican. An infant Baptized by an Orthodox presbyter becomes Orthodox. An infant Baptized by a Catholic presbyter becomes Catholic. However, this basic principle is not followed in determining membership in a Church sui iuris. If a child of Ukrainian Catholic parents is Baptized in a Latin ceremony by a Latin presbyter, the child becomes a Ukrainian Catholic in virtue of Baptism and the canonical rules of ascription.
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augustus said:
I have heard that ,according to the Code of Canon Law,an Orthodox who converts to Catholicism and wants to become a priest or wants to be married has to be ordained it married in the Greek Catholic Church.
Click to expand...
An Orthodox person who becomes a Catholic becomes a member of the corresponding Eastern Catholic Church (so, for instance, a Ukrainian Orthodox person becomes a member of the Ukrainian Catholic Church).

At the time that this person marries a Latin Catholic, he may choose to become a member of his spouse’s rite (“Latin” or, as commonly called, “Roman” Catholic), if this is his wish.
augustus said:
Can you explain the logic behind it?
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The patrimony from which an Orthodox person emerges is an Eastern Church. Therefore, the Catholic Rite to which that person becomes associated is the sui iurus Church which is most closely affiliated with the Orthodox Church in which he was baptized.
 
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LordofByz said:
The logic behind this is because otherwise the eastern sui iuris churches would cease to exist if eastern Christians became Latin rite. That would imply the eastern rites are inferior. Thus, it is a great good for eastern Christians to belong to the sui iuris church of their rite when they convert. For example, if you were to become Catholic you would do so in the Greek Byzantine Catholic Church ideally. However, since this church is mainly in Greece, if you live somewhere else then seek out the closest sui iuris church. The closest is the Italo-Greek C
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I have been baptised as a baby.
 
If I want to follow a Latin parish and maybe receive ordination or be married in the Roman Catholic Church, do I have to complete a demand and send it to the Holy See?
 
As a Catholic, you can go to any Catholic parish for Mass or Divine Liturgy and receive the Eucharist. It doesn’t matter if you are part of one of the over 20 Eastern Churches or the Latin Church. I have been to several Oriental Divine Liturgies and was always very welcome. It doesn’t matter which language the Liturgy is celebrated in. You don’t have to be “Latin” to go to a “Latin church parish”.

If you are from one of the +20 Eastern Churches in union with the bishop of Rome, and live in an area where the Latin Church is the most common, then the bishop of that diocese automatically (almost every time) gives the priests faculties to celebrate both the Latin rite as well as the priest´s own rite, if the priest knows both rites.

I know a priest (diocesian priest Eastern Church) whose ordaination was celebrated in one of the Eastern rites and the liturgy was bi-lingual with the ordination part translated into the vernacular language so that the Latin Church bishop of the diocese could understand what he was supposed to say and do. A bishop is allowed to celebrate all the different Church Liturgies as long as he knows what to say and do.

The parish priest or seminary contacts the bishop´s office (which contacts the Vatican) if there is a need for it regarding ordination or marriage.
 
augustus said:
Hello!
… Can you state the place where it is written that clearly? …
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Canon Law

CIC (Latin Catholic church canon law)
Can. 112 §1. After the reception of baptism, the following are enrolled in another Church sui iuris:
1° a person who has obtained permission from the Apostolic See;
2° a spouse who, at the time of or during marriage, has declared that he or she is transferring to the Church sui iuris of the other spouse; when the marriage has ended, however, the person can freely return to the Latin Church;
3° before the completion of the fourteenth year of age, the children of those mentioned in nn. 1 and 2 as well as, in a mixed marriage, the children of the Catholic party who has legitimately transferred to another Church sui iuris; on completion of their fourteenth year, however, they can return to the Latin Church.
§2. The practice, however prolonged, of receiving the sacraments according to the rite of another Church sui iuris does not entail enrollment in that Church
§3. Every transfer to another Church sui iuris takes effect from the moment of the declaration of the fact before the local Ordinary of the Church or the proper pastor or a priest delegated by either of them with two witnesses, unless the rescript of the Apostolic See provides otherwise; and this is to be recorded in baptismal register.
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CCEO (eastern Catholic church canon law)
Canon 35 - Baptized non-Catholics coming into full communion with the Catholic Church should retain and practice their own rite everywhere in the world and should observe it as much as humanly possible. Thus, they are to be enrolled in the Church sui iuris of the same rite with due regard for the right of approaching the Apostolic See in special cases of persons, communities or regions.

Canon 36 - The transfer to another Church sui iuris takes effect at the moment a declaration is made before the local hierarch or the proper pastor of the same Church or a priest delegated by either of them and two witnesses, unless the rescript of the Apostolic See provides otherwise.

Canon 38 - Christian faithful of Eastern Churches even if committed to the care of a hierarch or pastor of another Church sui iuris, nevertheless remain enrolled in their own Church.
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augustus said:
If I want to follow a Latin parish and maybe receive ordination or be married in the Roman Catholic Church, do I have to complete a demand and send it to the Holy See?
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In regards to ordination, you can, but there is a process. Simply contact the Vocations Director to start the process.

In regards to marriage, if you are marrying a Latin Rite Catholic, there isn’t an issue - it’s simple. If you are marrying another Eastern Catholic or non-Catholic then you would need to go through the process of changing rites, which requires the bishop(s). Not overlay complicated for you, but the bishops will want to know why. I don’t know the exact details, simply contact your local priest or call the dioceses.

NOTE: local priests and secretaries at the dioceses might have no idea what you are talking about. So you (or the priest) will most likely need to be referred to the bishop or one of his aides.
 
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Judging by your name, I gander that you are Romanian Orthodox. If that’s the case, then the Romanian Greek Catholic Church would be the one you seek out. If you’ve been baptized and chrismated, then entering is as simple as making a profession of faith. Here is the eparchy in Bucharest which you should contact.
https://episcopiabucuresti.ro/
 
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More specific.
Like Russian Orthodox? Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch?
I think you understood the question, and are intentionally being obtuse.
 
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