Eastern rite / Latin rite & Communion / Confirmation

[jmw1018]

I will apologize in advance for the length of this question, but I feel I need to start at the beginning to fully understand it all…

Last Fall my daughter was to start CCD classes at our Roman Catholic Church, they did not offer classes at the church and it was to be home schooled. Seeing as though she would be making her First Holy Communion I felt it was an important year and wanted her to actually attend a CCD class so that a teacher could properly answer any questions/concerns she may have and having her learn together with other children in class I thought would be beneficial. I politely told them that I felt more comfortable with her attending an actual class with other students (as did another child and her mom) and we found a CCD class at our local Ukrainian Catholic Church. We started attending mass at the Ukrainian Church a few times a month as well, the Priest told us that she was welcome in the CCD class and would make her First Communion in the Spring and for us to “try out the church”. He did mention that things would be a bit different…

Growing up Roman Catholic I really did not know much about the Eastern rites… I found it was different but we stuck with it and completed the CCD classes and now it is time for her First Communion. During the year we have been attending Sat. masses at the Ukrainian Church and if we cannot make it on Sat., Sun masses at the Roman Catholic Church (main reason being that the Sunday mass is in Ukrainian and we cannot understand it)

Today after CCD class the Priest handed out prayer books, I told him that we had one and I preferred not to purchase the one he had because it was half in Ukrainian (we are not Ukrainian and would not be able to read it all) plus we had one. He told me that if it wasn’t the exact one he had than it was the wrong one. I replied that it was one that was given as a gift from my family (that is Roman Catholic). I was then told that if I plan to continue to attend the Roman Catholic church he cannot give my daughter her First Communion! (It is a week away!) He told me that I am to bring her up by the Eastern rite even though I am Roman Catholic. And will need to have her make her Confirmation at his church as well in a few years… Honestly, I did not know about the differences between these two churches only having known Roman Catholic growing up. He then insinuated that I would be “using” his church if I went back to the other one. I was so taken back by his remarks and literally shaking. I replied that I thought it would not matter to God where we attend mass, only that we attend mass. He told me that it wasn’t about God only about following the rites of the church.

I am so confused and upset that I have done something wrong and my daughter will not be able to make her Confirmation at our Roman Catholic church now, I do not know what to do being so close to the First Communion with everything all set for it now… Does anyone know if she will be allowed to make her Confirmation in a Roman Catholic Church? I was never told of this in the beginning and am worried now…

 

[Vico]

It seems that the priest is not familiar with the canon laws for the Latin and eastern Catholic Churches. There are 23 Catholic Churches sui iuris (of their own laws).

The reception of the sacraments, called the sacramental discipline, is determined by what Catholic Church sui iuris you belong to. The priest of a Church sui iuris is to follow their ritual forms in administering the sacraments, but the discipline and ritual of the Church sui iuris of the faithful is to be followed for reception of Christian initiation (and other sacraments with some specific allowances for Matrimony, Confession, Eucharist, Annointing of the Sick).

If you are a Latin Catholic and you do not have a Catholic spouse, or you are both Latin Catholic, then the infant (under 14) being baptised is enrolled into the Latin Church, and should receive Baptism, Confirmation, and first Eucharist according the Latin rituals and timing. If there was a Ukrainian Catholic parent then there is the possibility of being enrolled in the Ukrainian Catholic Church, or for age 14 and later.

If you want the specific canons I can post them here.

Are you in the USA? Also what Catholic Church does your baptismal certificate show (hopefully it is correct), and Catholic spouse if any?

 

[5Loaves]

Christ is risen!
Welcome to CAF, Eastern Catholicism section.

…I found it was different but we stuck with it and completed the CCD classes and now it is time for her First Communion. **During the year we have been attending Sat. masses at the Ukrainian Church **and if we cannot make it on Sat., Sun masses at the Roman Catholic Church (main reason being that the Sunday mass is in Ukrainian and we cannot understand it) … He told me that I am to bring her up by the Eastern rite even though I am Roman Catholic. And will need to have her make her Confirmation at his church as well in a few years…

Was your daughter baptized in the Latin/Roman Catholic Church? Is her father an Eastern Catholic?

Just for your own information, as a child baptized in the Latin Church, assuming the father isn’t Eastern Catholic, your daughter is a Latin Catholic and having “First Communion” and Chrismation in a UGCC would not affect her status in any way, i.e. she would not become a Ukrainian Greek Catholic. She is and will remain a Latin/Roman Catholic. You don’t say here that the priest is telling you she will become UGC as a result of receiving sacraments in his Church, only that his position is that you need to raise her in the UGCC if you are choosing to have these sacraments there. If for some reason the UGC priest (or any Latin priest) thinks your daughter would become UGC by means of this “First Communion”, or any future Chrismation in the UGCC that is absolutely not the case. Where the rite takes place does not affect the Church to which one is canonically enrolled.

I am so confused and upset that I have done something wrong and my daughter will not be able to make her Confirmation at our Roman Catholic church now, I do not know what to do being so close to the First Communion with everything all set for it now… Does anyone know if she will be allowed to make her Confirmation in a Roman Catholic Church? I was never told of this in the beginning and am worried now…

You’ll need to speak with a priest in the Latin Church. He will be the one to make the decision. Since you have ready access to Latin Churches I suspect it would require special permission from your Latin Ordinary for her Chrismation to take place in a Church other than the Latin Church. Since “First Communion” happening apart from Chrismation is outside the normal tradition of the Eastern Churches I won’t touch that topic.

Today after CCD class the Priest handed out prayer books, I told him that we had one and I preferred not to purchase the one he had because it was half in Ukrainian (we are not Ukrainian and would not be able to read it all) plus we had one. He told me that if it wasn’t the exact one he had than it was the wrong one. I replied that it was one that was given as a gift from my family (that is Roman Catholic).

I wonder what your goal was in what sounds like telling the UGCC priest that you knew better than he did what prayer book you should use as a full time member of his parish, preparing for sacraments under his care, even that your Roman Catholic family is in a better position to meet your needs than is he, your parish priest. To me what you describe seems disrespectful and even patronizing. I would actually assume that having gone through CCD and worshipped in this parish even in the English language Divine Liturgy your daughter and you have learned some Ukrainian. Surely there has been a lot of Chrystos voskres! Voistynu voskres! going back and forth the past couple of weeks, and some Hospody, pomyluj throughout the year you’ve been there every week.

 

[jmw1018]

Both my husband and I are of the Latin rite and my was daughter was baptized as such. I just wanted to make sure she would be able to go to our Roman Catholic church to recieve Confirmation and the rest of her CCD study. He told me that she would not be able to do that.

As for purchasing the prayer book, I meant no disrespect and I do not think it came across that way in my conversation with the priest, he knows I am Roman Catholic. It was only more of a question as to whether we needed that one instead of the one we had. Money is tight right now but no dispresct… In fact I felt a bit uncomfortable when I was told that the one I had was not good enough. I did end up purchasing the book. I have not learned any Ukranian, everyone has spoken English at every class and I only attend the English mass. We split our time between this church and our regular one because I would feel strange not attending at all while they were so kind enough to let her join in the CCD class (as well as another friend of ours from the other church)

This is not my parish, and I asked the priest in the beggining if it would be ok to attend the CCD classes because our church didnt offer ones in the classroom setting. I am just being told that she should be attending this church since her Fist Communion is being given here. I was not told that she would automatically be changed to the Eastern rite. I am feeling a bit bullied into joining this church when I belong to the one down the road. I only want to be able to return to my regular church full time but was told that was wrong…

 

[Vico]

Both my husband and I are of the Latin rite and my was daughter was baptized as such. I just wanted to make sure she would be able to go to our Roman Catholic church to recieve Confirmation and the rest of her CCD study. He told me that she would not be able to do that.

As for purchasing the prayer book, I meant no disrespect and I do not think it came across that way in my conversation with the priest, he knows I am Roman Catholic. It was only more of a question as to whether we needed that one instead of the one we had. Money is tight right now but no dispresct… In fact I felt a bit uncomfortable when I was told that the one I had was not good enough. I did end up purchasing the book. I have not learned any Ukranian, everyone has spoken English at every class and I only attend the English mass. We split our time between this church and our regular one because I would feel strange not attending at all while they were so kind enough to let her join in the CCD class (as well as another friend of ours from the other church)

This is not my parish, and I asked the priest in the beggining if it would be ok to attend the CCD classes because our church didnt offer ones in the classroom setting. I am just being told that she should be attending this church since her Fist Communion is being given here. I was not told that she would automatically be changed to the Eastern rite. I am feeling a bit bullied into joining this church when I belong to the one down the road. I only want to be able to return to my regular church full time but was told that was wrong…

You can go to any Catholic church. Since you are Latin Catholics, the norm for first Eucharist varies with the bishop, as to being before or after Chrismation, and must be administered by your bishop or his delegate priest.

In our Byzantine Catholic Church, our priest has baptised Latin infants, but does not give Confirmation or First Communion to them. The baptism is given with permission from the Latin Church.

 

[joshua_b]

Both my husband and I are of the Latin rite and my was daughter was baptized as such. I just wanted to make sure she would be able to go to our Roman Catholic church to recieve Confirmation and the rest of her CCD study. He told me that she would not be able to do that.

I am just being told that she should be attending this church since her Fist Communion is being given here. I was not told that she would automatically be changed to the Eastern rite. I am feeling a bit bullied into joining this church when I belong to the one down the road. I only want to be able to return to my regular church full time but was told that was wrong…

You are being told incorrectly. Since both you and your husband are members of the Roman Church, your daughter is a member of the western Church as well. Thus, you are bound by the Canon Law and disciplines of the Western Church. We are free to receive the Sacraments in any Church in communion with Rome, but are still bound by the Canons and discipline of the Church which we are a member of.

I can not see how it can be justified in saying that you “should” be attending a Church of which you are not a member, and to which you are not bound jurisdictionally.

I agree with the last poster that this should all be under the direct approval of the local bishop. Has the bishop been involved in this?