Eastern Rites in communion with Rome

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What eastern rite churches are in communion with Rome? I listen to the Light of the East show on the radio on Sat nights, and I’d like to go to an eastern rite mass to experience it. What churches are in communion with Rome?
 
Here’s an article I just posted on another thread that discusses Eastern Catholicism:

Most people are not aware that the “Catholic Church” is actually comprised of twenty-three independent Catholic Churches, all in union with the pope. The Western, or Latin Catholic Church, is so large, however, that many people, even Catholics, are completely unaware of the other twenty-two churches, which make up the Eastern Branch. (Some have from only a few thousand members to a few million.)

Originally, there was only one denomination… the Catholic Church (the word Catholic meaning “universal”). However, there were five cities that early on were singled out as being important centers of Christianity. They were Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople, and of course, Rome. Each developed its own unique traditions and liturgy, but ALL shared a common theology and were in communion with each other and the Bishop of Rome, known as the Pope. However, about 1000 years ago, due to a variety of unfortunate problems, the other four cities, allied with the Byzantine Empire, mutually broke off from Rome, forming the various Eastern Orthodox Churches. Although doctrinally, they are virtually identical to Catholics, they refuse to acknowledge that the pope is more than a “first among equals”. (A couple groups broke of much earlier in the 400s AD also, to form what are known as the Oriental Orthodox Churches).

What has happened is that over time, some portions of each of the various Orthodox groups have decided to reconcile with the Catholic Church and come back into communion with Rome. When they do, they are allowed to keep all of their traditions and much of their independence, although they acknowledge the authority of the Pope. They become truly Catholic, in that anyone from ANY branch of the Catholic Church can participate in the liturgy and ceremonies of any OTHER branch of the Catholic Church. The only two Eastern groups that never fell out of communion with the Catholic Church were the Maronite Catholic Church, and the Italo-Albanian Catholic Church. So… for every branch of the Orthodox Churches that are NOT in communion with Rome, there is a corresponding and virtually identical branch of the Eastern Catholic Church that IS in communion with Rome. Since their customs and liturgies date from before the Council of Trent, they are allowed to remain.

The following liturgies are used by the Eastern Catholic Churches:
  • The Liturgy of St. Basil
  • The Chaldean Mass
  • The Order of the Divine and Holy Liturgy of Our Father Among the Saints Gregory the Theologian (or Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts)
  • The Liturgy of St. James
  • The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom
  • The Liturgy of St. Mark
  • The Holy Qorbono
 
Here is a listing that includes EACH of the twenty-three Catholic Churches in union with the Pope. Do not confuse “churches” with “rites”. A rite is a series of traditions, that includes different customs and liturgies. Several different churches may use the exact same rite. A Church has its own rules and separate line of authority to the Pope. It may also have a figure in charge, like a Metropolitan or a Patriarch (like an Archbishop), since these churches are generally very small and work very hard to preserve their unique traditions. The major rites are the Latin, Alexandrian, Antiochian, Armenian, Chaldean, and Byzantine.

**The Western (Latin) Catholic Church

Latin liturgical tradition**
  1. Ordinary Form (This is the form of the Mass that you will find in virtually every Latin Catholic Church almost every day of the week. This Mass has existed since the mid-1960s, ever since reforms were made following the Second Vatican Council.)
  2. Extraordinary Form (This is the form of the Mass that was used in virtually every Latin Catholic Church from the Middle Ages until the mid-1960s. It may still be said in Catholic Churches should a priest choose to use it. Some of the differences from the Ordinary Form include the exclusive use of the Latin language (except for the homily), the receipt of Communion exclusively on the tongue and kneeling, the priest facing the same direction as the people (toward the altar and God) so he can lead the people in prayer, no lay participation on the altar, and usually, no responses by lay people.)
  3. Ambrosian Rite (Only permitted in the Archdiocese of Milan)
  4. Mozarabic Rite (Only permitted in the Cathedral of Toledo, Spain and a few surrounding churches of the diocese)
  5. Bragan Rite (Only permitted in the Archdiocese of Braga, Portugal)
  6. Anglican-Use Mass (This form was once only permitted in the extremely rare circumstance in which an Anglican priest converted to Catholicism and brings his entire parish with him. In that event, a parish could continue to use the Anglican liturgy, with corrections to make it conform with Catholic teachings. It was originally meant as a transitional liturgy, and upon the death of the pastor, the church would revert to the Ordinary Form. With the recent provisions announced by the Vatican to allow Anglicans into the Catholic Church and keep their traditions, it seems that the Anglican-Use will now become both far more widespread AND permanent.)
**Rites of Religious Orders **
  1. Dominican Rite
  2. Carthusian Rite
  3. Carmelite Rite
  4. Cisternian Rite
Note: Technically, the forms of the Latin liturgy listed above are NOT different rites, but variations of the SAME rite, although people do tend to commonly use the term somewhat erroneously in this context. The differences between the Latin “rites” are FAR less than those between the Latin liturgy and any of the Eastern Rites.)

**The Eastern Catholic Churches
  1. Alexandrian liturgical tradition**
  2. Coptic Catholic Church (patriarchate): Egypt (1741)
  3. Ethiopian Catholic Church (metropolia): Ethiopia, Eritrea (1846)
    2. Antiochian (Antiochene or West-Syrian) liturgical tradition
  4. Maronite Church (patriarchate): Lebanon, Cyprus, Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Egypt, Syria, Argentina, Brazil, United States, Australia, Canada, Mexico (union re-affirmed 1182)
  5. Syriac Catholic Church (patriarchate): Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Palestine, Egypt, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, United States and Canada, Venezuela (1781)
  6. Syro-Malankara Catholic Church (major archiepiscopate): India, United States (1930)
    3. Armenian liturgical tradition:
  7. Armenian Catholic Church (patriarchate): Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Turkey, Jordan, Palestine, Ukraine, France, Greece, Latin America, Argentina, Romania, United States, Canada, Eastern Europe (1742)
    4. Chaldean or East Syrian liturgical tradition:
  8. Chaldean Catholic Church (patriarchate): Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Turkey, United States (1692)
  9. Syro-Malabar Church (major archiepiscopate): India, Middle East, Europe and America.
    5. Byzantine (Constantinopolitan) liturgical tradition:
  10. Albanian Greek Catholic Church (apostolic administration): Albania (1628)
  11. Belarusian Greek Catholic Church (no established hierarchy at present): Belarus (1596)
  12. Bulgarian Greek Catholic Church (apostolic exarchate): Bulgaria (1861)
  13. Byzantine Church of the Eparchy of Križevci (an eparchy and an apostolic exarchate): Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro (1611)
  14. Greek Byzantine Catholic Church (two apostolic exarchates): Greece, Turkey (1829)
  15. Hungarian Greek Catholic Church (an eparchy and an apostolic exarchate): Hungary (1646)
  16. Italo-Albanian Catholic Church (two eparchies and a territorial abbacy): Italy (Never separated)
  17. Macedonian Greek Catholic Church (an apostolic exarchate): Republic of Macedonia (1918)
  18. Melkite Greek Catholic Church (patriarchate): Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Jerusalem, Brazil, United States, Canada, Mexico, Iraq, Egypt and Sudan, Kuwait, Australia, Venezuela, Argentina (1726)
  19. Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic (major archiepiscopate): Romania, United States (1697)
  20. Russian Catholic Church: (two apostolic exarchates, at present with no published hierarchs): Russia, China (1905); currently about 20 parishes and communities scattered around the world, including five in Russia itself, answering to bishops of other jurisdictions
  21. Ruthenian Catholic Church (a sui juris metropolia, an eparchy, and an apostolic exarchate): United States, Ukraine, Czech Republic (1646)
  22. Slovak Greek Catholic Church (metropolia): Slovak Republic, Canada (1646)
  23. Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (major archiepiscopate): Ukraine, Poland, United States, Canada, Great Britain, Australia, Germany and Scandinavia, France, Brazil, Argentina (1595)
 
thomasf said:
What eastern rite churches are in communion with Rome? I listen to the Light of the East show on the radio on Sat nights, and I’d like to go to an eastern rite mass to experience it. What churches are in communion with Rome?
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There are 22 different Eastern Catholic Churches in communion with Rome, list of which can very conveniently be found on Wikipedia here.

That said, if you are from the US, the ones you are most likely to find near you are the Maronites, Ukrainians (UGCC), Melkites and Byzantine Catholics…though these usually require substantial native populations. A quick online search will usually produce the information you need about parishes in your location.

In general, if someone talks about Eastern Catholics you are talking about Churches in communion with the bishop of Rome. Otherwise you would call the Churches in question Eastern Orthodox (e.g., Greek or Russian Orthodox) or Oriental Orthodox (Copts), depending on their history.

salaam.
 
I see that you live near both Ann Arbor and Detroit, Michigan. Here are some Eastern Catholic parishes in your area:

Detroit/Dearborn
St Stephen Byzantine (Ruthenian Catholic)
St Nicholas Byzantine (Ruthenian Catholic)

St Mary Byzantine (Romanian Greek-Catholic)
St John the Baptist Byzantine (Romanian Greek-Catholic)

Holy Ascension (Ukrainian Catholic)
holyascension.org/
Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Ukrainian Catholic)
St. Michael the Archangel (Ukrainian Catholic)
St. John the Baptist (Ukrainian Catholic)

Holy Cross (Hungarian Catholic)
holycrosshungarian.com/

St. Maron (Maronite Catholic)
saintmaronchurch.com/

Flint
Eritrean (Ge’ez) Catholic Community of Flint (Ethiopian Catholic) - I included this one even though it’s a bit far because Ethiopian Catholic Churches are not at all common.
 
thomasf said:
What eastern rite churches are in communion with Rome? I listen to the Light of the East show on the radio on Sat nights, and I’d like to go to an eastern rite mass to experience it. What churches are in communion with Rome?
Click to expand...
Find-A-Parish lists parishes all over the world. I’d encourage you to look for a parish that has Divine Liturgy (Mass) in English.

Fr. Tom’s "Light of the East " is an important resource.

There are a number of threads here about visiting Divine Liturgy for the first time.

Wed. 9/8 is the feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God. Next Tu., 9/14 is the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Parishes are likely to have Divine Liturgy on these days and Festal Vigils the evening before so these are additional times to visit an Eastern Catholic Church, on wonderful feast days. 👍
 
I find the different Rite’s of the Catholic Church interesting, Coming from an Irish Catholic family, we are just used to the ordinary mass. What was introducd after Vatican II

I might have to go to one of these different Rites might be interesting.👍
 
Patrick_Joshua said:
I find the different Rite’s of the Catholic Church interesting, Coming from an Irish Catholic family, we are just used to the ordinary mass. What was introducd after Vatican II

I might have to go to one of these different Rites might be interesting.👍
Click to expand...
You should also find a Latin Mass and experience our own heritage (Italian born in Latin American speaking here).
 
Patrick_Joshua said:
I find the different Rite’s of the Catholic Church interesting, Coming from an Irish Catholic family, we are just used to the ordinary mass. What was introducd after Vatican II

I might have to go to one of these different Rites might be interesting.👍
Click to expand...
Slainte!

Here is a site that has an English translation (albeit not one approved by the Catholic Church) of the Celtic Mass and also the Celtic Breviary:

www.celticchristianity.org

The Celtic Church was heavily influenced by the Coptic Church and it was the only Western Rite that did prostrations. The Celts prayed in the Alexandrian/Coptic way i.e. by praying the psalms in groups of 12 (as revealed to St Pachomius by an Angel). And we know of the great ascetic feats of the Celtic saints who prayed the Psalter twice in a day, often by standing in cold water to keep awake etc.

The Anglican Nicholas Ferrar and his family at Little Gidding in the 17th century adopted this practice and prayed 12 and 13 psalms at the turn of every hour to get through the psalter in a day - they then held vigils from 9:00 p, - 1:00 am to pray the Psalms through once again.

Alex
 
Slainte!
Click to expand...
  • Haha nice Irish!
Is gearr go mbeidh tú cainteoir líofa Gaeilge!
Here is a site that has an English translation (albeit not one approved by the Catholic Church) of the Celtic Mass and also the Celtic Breviary:
Click to expand...
  • Although I love my Celtic heritage and would more then love to go to a Celtic Mass and speak Irish Gaelic, if the Church does not approve of the Mass, I would not go to it.
 
The 22 Eastern Catholic Churches make up about 1.5% of total Catholics.
 
Patrick_Joshua said:
  • Haha nice Irish!
Is gearr go mbeidh tú cainteoir líofa Gaeilge!
  • Although I love my Celtic heritage and would more then love to go to a Celtic Mass and speak Irish Gaelic, if the Church does not approve of the Mass, I would not go to it.
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Dear Padraig,

Neither would I - but we can both avail ourselves, as much as we wish, of the Celtic Breviary therein contained.

The Irish had a beautifl devotion of praying three Our Father’s in all four directions/cross-wise which is outlined in that breviary.

Slainte!

Alex
 
Dear Vico,

Yes, but it’s quality, not quantity, that counts . . . 😃

Alex
 
wynd said:
I’m not sure if this is an Eastern church. Rather, from the website it looks like a Roman Catholic church with a substantial Hungarian population.
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That church Roman Catholic, Archdiocese of Detroit. an example of an Eastern Catholic Church in Detroit is St. Stephen Byzantine Catholic Church, Detroit, which moved to Allen Park.

Hungarian Greek Catholics in the USA are under jurisdiction of the Byzantine Catholic Church. But, as an example, in Illinois there are Hungarian Greek Catholics.

Three IL churches (Joliet, Chicago, Oak Lawn) merged into Annunciaton of the Mother of God Byzantine Catholic parish 1999 (Homer Glenn), including at least the heritages of Carpatho-Rusyn and Hungarian faithful:

(St. Mary’s) Holy Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary (founded 1906, end 1996) Byzantine Catholic Church (Chicago).

St. Mary Byzantine (Ruthenian) Mission, Oak Lawn (1978-1999) established from St. Mary’s.

Dormition of the Mother of God Uhro-Rusin Greek-Catholic renamed Saint Mary Assumption Greek Catholic Church (founded 1917 Joliet, end 1996) with Hungarian faithful, but many eventually became members of the Roman Catholic Church nearby.

byzantinecatholic.com/aboutus.htm
 
Dear brother Thomas,
thomasf said:
What eastern rite churches are in communion with Rome? I listen to the Light of the East show on the radio on Sat nights, and I’d like to go to an eastern rite mass to experience it. What churches are in communion with Rome?
Click to expand...
This is a technicality, but there are many who will make a fuss about it, so I thought I would point this out for you, in case you want to visit non-Latin, non-Catholic websites.

Technically speaking, the Eastern rite does not use the term “Mass.” When referring to the liturgy, the Eastern rite, which is Byzantine (composed of the Melkites, Greeks, and the great majority of Slavic Churches), it is properly called Divine Liturgy. The word “Mass” is sometimes (often??) regarded as an intrusive Latinization.

On the other hand, among the Oriental rites (Armenians, Copts, Ethiopians, Churches of the Syriac Tradition [East and West]), it is wholly proper to refer to the liturgy as “Mass.” This is because Orientals, when referring to the liturgy, always point directly to the Holy Sacrifice or the Eucharistic Liturgy - Badarak [Armenians], Qurban (Copts), Qedasi (Ethiopians), Qorbono (Syriac) - and this is exactly what the word “Mass” (historically and etymologically) does in English.

Note 1 - some in the Ethiopian Tradition would say that Qedasi does not perfectly equate to “Mass,” but will nevertheless use Qedasi and “Liturgy of the Eucharist” interchangeably.

Note 2 - a few slavic Churches accept or tolerate the designation “Mass” either because they are of the Latin rite (Polish), because of a history and environment of Latin Catholicism (Hungarian), or because of historic tension with their Eastern Orthodox counterparts (Romanian).

I hope that info was useful to you.

Blessings,
Marduk
 
please give a brief particular answer not the general one qouted from earlier post becouse it make things complicated the only thing i wanted to know is the status of ancient eastern catholic church of the east by patriarch Mar Addai II if the said church is a canonical one with valid priesthood and apostolic line and if the said church a part of the eastern churches in communion with rome:)
 
delon said:
please give a brief particular answer not the general one qouted from earlier post becouse it make things complicated the only thing i wanted to know is the status of ancient eastern catholic church of the east by patriarch Mar Addai II if the said church is a canonical one with valid priesthood and apostolic line and if the said church a part of the eastern churches in communion with rome:)
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The “Ancient Church of the East” is a valid Church, in the Apostolic line that can out of a split within the “Assyrian Church of the East” in the 1950s due to a disagreement on the Church Calendar. The Catholic counterpart in Communion with Rome to both the Ancient and Assyrian Churches of the East is the CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH; in India the counterpart is the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church.
 
delon said:
please give a brief particular answer not the general one qouted from earlier post becouse it make things complicated the only thing i wanted to know is the status of ancient eastern catholic church of the east by patriarch Mar Addai II if the said church is a canonical one with valid priesthood and apostolic line and if the said church a part of the eastern churches in communion with rome:)
Click to expand...
Read this for history and current full communion:
cnewa.org/default.aspx?ID=123&pagetypeID=9&sitecode=HQ&pageno=1
 
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