Forgive my ignorance

[ReformedCatholic]

Brian Ingram:

Cyprian of Carthage explanation on who is Catholic is as relevant today as it was in his time.
“The Lord says to Peter: ‘I say to you,’ he says, ‘that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church.’ . . . On him [Peter] he builds the Church, and to him he gives the command to feed the sheep [John 21:17], and although he assigns a like power to all the apostles, yet he founded a single chair cathedra], and he established by his own authority a source and an intrinsic reason for that unity. Indeed, the others were that also which Peter was but a primacy is given to Peter, whereby it is made clear that there is but one Church and one chair. So too, all are shepherds, and the flock is shown to be one, fed by all the apostles in single-minded accord. If someone does not hold fast to this unity of Peter, can he imagine that he still holds the faith? If he [should] desert the chair of Peter upon whom the Church was built, can he still be confident that he is in the Church?” (*The Unity of the Catholic Church *4; 1st edition [A.D. 251]).

Pax

Brian

I don’t read it entirely the same way. I think the point was that the Church that ALL of the Apostles would spread and grow was to remain ONE based on CHRIST, rather than become many churches based on various Apostles. Peter was put in charge of making this happen among his equals.

 

[ReformedCatholic]

Celtic Son:

So I guess it is important when I tell someone I am Catholic to say “Roman Catholic” right? Forgive my ignorance as well please.

I’d guess it depends on where you live. In the U.S. if you say “Catholic” it is generally assumed Roman Catholic. So that’d probably be sufficient.

 

[ReformedCatholic]

havemercy:

So what exactly is a Reformed Catholic? Post-Trent?

It’s a small Jurisdiction with Apostolic Succession through the Old Catholic Church of Utrecht, Netherlands, and the Antiochian-Jacobite Orthodox Church.

It is an autocephalous church, not in communion with Rome, which apparently attracts scorn and ridicule from those who are apparently insecure in their own Catholic faith. It tends to follow the Latin Rite Liturgy and calendar and agrees with the Roman Catholic Church on many things and differs in views on some others.

Thanks for the straight question, without insults or other un-Christian behavior that I have been subjected to here.

 

[Eden]

ReformedCatholic:

I have never said that the Latin Rite (and other Rites) Church is not the one founded by Christ. I have just presented the personal theory that the Church has grown not only in size, but structure, as a tree with the various Rites and Jurisdictions as branches of that tree. I believe that over the years, many of the schizms have resulted in new “branches” of the One Church, the whole tree.

Branches growing on the tree without the successor of Peter? If you don’t have the barque of Peter, you’re not Catholic.

 

[ReformedCatholic]

Eden:

Branches growing on the tree without the successor of Peter? If you don’t have the barque of Peter, you’re not Catholic.

Every validly consecrated bishop was/is a successor of Peter.

 

[Semper_Fi_1]

ReformedCatholic:

I’d guess it depends on where you live. In the U.S. if you say “Catholic” it is generally assumed Roman Catholic. So that’d probably be sufficient.

The technical term would be Catholic. “Roman Catholic” was added when the schismatic Anglicans under Henry VIII wished to be “catholic”. Catholics who belong to the Latin Rite (of which there are 4 different Latin rites) would be Latin-Rite Catholics. The definition of Catholic is One Universal Faith. There is only One Faith, not competing branches of the Faith. You are Christian, and separated brethren, and you may or may not have valid (though illicit) sacraments, but you do not belong to the One True Church unless you are in union with the successor of Peter on whom the Church was founded.

 

[Eden]

ReformedCatholic:

Every validly consecrated bishop was/is a successor of Peter.

That is not accurate. The successors to Peter have a specific title “Bishop of Rome”.

 

[ReformedCatholic]

Eden:

That is not accurate. The successors to Peter have a specific title “Bishop of Rome”.

I would agree if you were referring to the successor in terms of administrative duties. I’m not sure with regard to the episcopate in general. I have heard the Pope referred to as “first among equals” which is where I get the impression that bishops are fundamentally equal. Based on this reasoning, I would consider bishops in a valid line of Apostolic Succession a “successor” (general term) of Peter.

 

[Eden]

ReformedCatholic:

I would agree if you were referring to the successor in terms of administrative duties. I’m not sure with regard to the episcopate in general. I have heard the Pope referred to as “first among equals” which is where I get the impression that bishops are fundamentally equal. Based on this reasoning, I would consider bishops in a valid line of Apostolic Succession a “successor” (general term) of Peter.

“First among equals” is representative of the very Christian virtue of humility.

“The title pope, once used with far greater latitude, is at present employed solely to denote the Bishop of Rome, who, in virtue of his position as successor of Peter, is the chief pastor of the whole Church, the Vicar of Christ upon earth.”

New Advent: newadvent.org/cathen/12260a.htm

There is only one Bishop of Rome, one Vicar of Christ, one successor to Peter alive today and that is Pope Benedict XVI.

 

[beckyann2597]

Hey Dimmers!!!
I am sorry to say that I think your thread has been officially hijacked. Please continue to ask lots of questions. I can understand how you did a search and didn’t find what you were looking for. I actually just realized that there were more than just Roman Catholics. I met some Assyrian Catholics and found out that they were indeed in union with Rome! I found out from them that they were apart of a different rite (thats when I found out about different rites) so I was armed with that knowledge when I did my search “how many rites in catholic church” on google. So please don’t be discouraged from asking questions. I will always answer them as well as possible. I have to tell you that some people get onto the forums and start into conversations just to start fights that have nothing to do with the thread topic (not naming any names ). It is because of people like this that i think some of the other posters get a bit defensive in their answers. Don’t take it personal and just ignore them. --Rebecca

 

[ReformedCatholic]

“First among equals” is representative of the very Christian virtue of humility.

“The title pope, once used with far greater latitude, is at present employed solely to denote the Bishop of Rome, who, in virtue of his position as successor of Peter, is the chief pastor of the whole Church, the Vicar of Christ upon earth.”

New Advent: newadvent.org/cathen/12260a.htm

There is only one Bishop of Rome, one Vicar of Christ, one successor to Peter alive today and that is Pope Benedict XVI.

Well, it’s something I’m taking more literally for a change. Although I disagree with you, I respect your opinion.

Incidentally, I received a response from Pope Benedict to a letter I wrote him last year. It was very nice.

 

[havemercy]

ReformedCatholic:

It’s a small Jurisdiction with Apostolic Succession through the Old Catholic Church of Utrecht, Netherlands, and the Antiochian-Jacobite Orthodox Church.

It is an autocephalous church, not in communion with Rome, which apparently attracts scorn and ridicule from those who are apparently insecure in their own Catholic faith. It tends to follow the Latin Rite Liturgy and calendar and agrees with the Roman Catholic Church on many things and differs in views on some others.

Thanks for the straight question, without insults or other un-Christian behavior that I have been subjected to here.

Ah, thanks for clarifying…HERETIC!

Jokes, jokes. I’m Catholic (its been a few months), and I’ve got a LOAD to learn. Things are still a little muddy though. Is there a thread somewhere else that talks about the church you belong to?

And perhaps this colossal tangent can carry itself over to a new thread. Hmm…?
lovetony

 

[Semper_Fi_1]

ReformedCatholic:

I would agree if you were referring to the successor in terms of administrative duties. I’m not sure with regard to the episcopate in general. I have heard the Pope referred to as “first among equals” which is where I get the impression that bishops are fundamentally equal. Based on this reasoning, I would consider bishops in a valid line of Apostolic Succession a “successor” (general term) of Peter.

You seem to place a great deal of authority in having bishops which have been validly ordained (though illicitly). However, you still appeal to the Pope to prove your case… you say stuff such as “even the Pope recognizes our bishops as valid” (paraphrase). I am wondering why you, as a Christian not in Communion with Rome would put such stock into what the Catholic Church says about your jurisdiction? It would seem to be an antithesis to appeal to the Pope to prove that your bishops are validly ordained…

 

[DeFide]

ReformedCatholic:

One does not need to be in communion with Rome to be considered Catholic, rather that would be the requirement for one to be “Roman” Catholic. Schisms do not invalidate these jurisdictions that remain a part of Christ’s One, Holy and Apostolic Church, they just don’t necessarily answer to the Pope.

This is false. It is an infallibly-defined article of faith that the Church is unique and one. The faith is one. If you are schismatic, then by definition, you do not share the one faith of the Catholic Church. Christ did not establish multiple competing systems of truth.

It is particularly unsavory that a non-Catholic is posting such information under the label of being some sort of Catholic.

 

[Irish_Melkite]

To return to the issue of the original poster’s question:

Dimmers:

Exactly how many Catholic Churches are there?

There are a variety of answers - how correct any one answer is depends on the definition one uses. I’ll try to get to the issues that a few other folks have tried to make the raison d’etre for this thread but, first, let me answer the question that I think you were actually asking - which was “how many Catholic Churches are there that are in communion with Rome?”

Some of the answers afforded to you focused on Rites, rather than Churches - a common misconception - and the links provided don’t contain a fully accurate list. So, let’s try again.

There are 23 Churches sui iuris that, together, constitute the Catholic Church - 1 Western and 22 Eastern and Oriental Churches. (The term sui iuris means, literally, “of their own law”, or self-governing.) Of these, the Latin Church is the most populous and well-known. In fact, many Catholics and non-Catholics alike are unaware of the Catholic Church in any manifestation other than that of its Latin or Western constituent.

The 23 Churches, despite significant diversity in their liturgical praxis, spirituality, and other respects, as explained below, are in communion with one another and with the Pope. Although the manner in which their beliefs are expressed and understood differ in some instances, they also have a shared adherence to the teachings enunciated by the Magesterium.

Eastern & Oriental Catholic Rites & Churches

Eastern & Oriental Catholic Churches sui iuris

The Eastern and Oriental Catholic Churches generally represent bodies of persons whose ancestors entered into communion with Rome from the Eastern or Oriental Orthodox Churches. As a consequence, there is a counterpart Eastern or Oriental Orthodox Church to every Eastern or Oriental Catholic Church except two - the Maronite Catholic Church and the Italo-Grieco-Albanian Byzantine Catholic Church. The usual reason advanced as to why these two Churches have no counterpart among the Orthodox Churches is that neither was ever separated from Rome.

Churches that utilize the Byzantine Rite, technically, are properly styled ‘Eastern Catholic Churches’, with most of the remainder appropriately termed ‘Oriental Catholic’; the Maronite and Chaldean Catholic Churches properly fall into neither classification but, for convenience, are usually discussed in common with the Oriental Catholic Churches.

These distinctions mirror those made among the counterpart Orthodox Churches (i.e., the Churches known as Eastern Orthodox also serve their Divine Liturgy according to the Byzantine Rite; the Oriental Orthodox do not). In point of fact, however, both ‘Eastern Catholic’ and ‘Oriental Catholic’ are often employed as umbrella terms to encompass all Catholic Churches sui iuris other than the Latin or Western Church.

[Oriental Catholic is popularly used as an umbrella term by the Vatican; to confuse the issue, many others are inclined to use Eastern Catholic in that same context]

Rite versus Church
For a long time, each body of Eastern and Oriental Catholics was referred to by a name reflective of its historical national identity or ethnic origin, followed by the word ‘Rite’. Thus, you would hear references to someone being of the ‘Ukrainian Rite’ or to ‘Melkite Rite Catholics’.

At the urging of the Eastern and Oriental Catholic hierarchs participating at the Second Vatican Council, particularly His Beatitude Maximos IV Saigh, Patriarch of Antioch & All the East, of Alexandria and of Jerusalem of the Greek-Melkites, of blessed memory, the Church recognized the status of the Eastern Catholic Churches as sui iuris ecclesial entities, each of which uses a particular Rite. Thus, it is a disparagement (as well as inaccurate) to substitute ‘Rite’ for ‘Church’.

(continued)

 

[Irish_Melkite]

Eastern & Oriental Catholic Rites

The 22 Eastern and Oriental Catholic Churches use six different Rites among them. The largest number of Churches (14) use the Byzantine Rite.

Originally, there were three Rites - Latin, Alexandrean, and Antiochene; the Byzantine (or Constantinoplian) Rite was added thereafter. Rites arose from the customs and style of worship in what were then the four most important Christian centers, other than Jerusalem.

Differences among the Rites in liturgical language, rubrics, ritual, devotionals, prayers, liturgical and clerical vesture, etc., sprang initially from the fact that uniformity of praxis was difficult to maintain over time, as the number of clergy increased, local cultures and customs began to be woven into the rituals used, and both travel and communication were hampered by geography and the limited means available to make and maintain contact between churches and clerics.

Over time, the four original Rites were modified or further developed as they were introduced into new regions. Some of these variations were so distinctive that they themselves came to be deemed as separate Rites. The Maronite and Armenian Rites, both developed in relative isolation because of geography. The result is that most authorities term the Maronite as a Rite unto itself; while a minority place it within the West Syrian Tradition of the Antiochene Rite, where it originated. As to the Armenian, it is always deemed a separate Rite, although it originated within the Byzantine Rite.

Of late, Chaldean has been added to the list of Rites, being formally cited as such in the CCEO or Eastern Code of Canon Law. Historically, Chaldean praxis had, until recently, always been classed as being of the East Syrian Tradition within the Antiochene Rite. There are two possible reasons to account for the recent recognition accorded to it as a Rite unto itself:

• the change may relate to a unique aspect observed in the Liturgy of its counterpart Church, the Assyrian Church of the East, i.e., that there are no explicit Words of Institution in the Anaphora which the Assyrians most commonly use (as was also true of the Anaphora used by the Chaldeans, prior to their reception into communion with Rome); or,
• it may reflect a desire on Rome’s part to have a distinct Rite associated with each of the Eastern and Oriental Patriarchates.

The Latin, Armenian, Chaldean, and Maronite Rites are each used by only a single Church sui iuris and, in each of these instances, the Church’s name and that of the Rite are identical.

The Eastern and Oriental Rites are:

• Alexandrian
• Antiochian
• Armenian
• Byzantine
• Chaldean
• Maronite

Traditions, Rescensions, Usages

Traditions are breakdowns within a Rite that principally reflect variations of culture or ecclesial language. Within some Traditions, there are also what are styled Rescensions.

Rescensions occur where there has been further defining of the form of worship by characteristics unique to one or more of the Churches in a Tradition.

Usage is a term of relatively recent origin that ordinarily denotes limited, localized differences within a Church itself (as opposed to Rescensions, which occur within a Rite or Tradition).

The breakout then is:

• Rite
• Tradition
• Rescension
• Church
• Usage
• Jurisdiction
• Dependent Jurisdiction

Note that Jurisdictions and Dependent Jurisdictions have only been included where there is some meaningful distinction that made it important to do so.

Within the Italo-Grieco-Albanian, Russian, and Ruthenian Catholic Churches, there separate canonical jurisdictions that, technically, each constitute a separate Church sui iuris since there is no formal canonical relationship between or among the jurisdictions and none of the hierarchs are singularly designated as the Church’s principal hierarch.

(continued)

 

[Brian_Ingram]

ReformedCatholic:

I don’t read it entirely the same way. I think the point was that the Church that ALL of the Apostles would spread and grow was to remain ONE based on CHRIST, rather than become many churches based on various Apostles.

I do not think you can really read it any other way than what Cyprian plainly says. Break union with the Bishop of Rome and you break unity with the Church.

ReformedCatholic:

Peter was put in charge of making this happen among his equals.

Well if he was put in charge then he is set above the other apostles and as such they are not his equal in authority. The Eastern Fathers taught that Peter was set over the other Apostles.
St. John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople (c. 387):

Peter, that Leader of the choir, that Mouth of the rest of the Apostles, that Head of the brotherhood, that one set over the entire universe, that Foundation of the Church. (Chrys. In illud hoc Scitote)

John VI, Patriarch of Constantinople (715): The Pope of Rome, the head of the Christian priesthood, whom in Peter, the Lord commanded to confirm his brethren. (John VI, Epist. ad Constantin. Pap. ad. Combefis, Auctuar. Bibl. P.P. Graec.tom. ii. p. 211, seq.)

St. Nicephorus, Patriarch of Constantinople (758-828): Without whom (the Romans presiding in the seventh Council) a doctrine brought forward in the Church could not, even though confirmed by canonical decrees and by ecclesiastical usuage, ever obtain full approval or currency. For it is they (the Popes of Rome) who have had assigned to them the rule in sacred things, and who have received into their hands the dignity of headship among the Apostles. (Nicephorus, Niceph. Cpl. pro. s. imag. c 25 [Mai N. Bibl. pp. ii. 30]).

St. Theodore the Studite of Constantinople (759-826):

Writing to Pope Leo III … Since to great Peter Christ our Lord gave the office of Chief Shepherd after entrusting him with the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, to Peter or his successor must of necessity every novelty in the Catholic Church be referred. [Therefore], save us, oh most divine Head of Heads, Chief Shepherd of the Church of Heaven. (Theodore, Bk. I. Ep. 23)

Pax

Brian

 

[Irish_Melkite]

This tree illustrates the structural relationships among the Churches:

• Alexandrean Rite
• Coptic Tradition
• Coptic Catholic Church
• Ge’ez Tradition
• Ethiopian (& Eritrean) Catholic Church
• Antiochene Rite
• West Syrian Tradition
• Syriac Catholic Church
• Syro-Malankarese Catholic Church
• Knanya Usage
• Armenian Rite
• Armenian Catholic Church
• Byzantine Rite
• Byzantine-Greek Tradition
• Greek Rescension
• Albanian Greek-Catholic Church
• Byzantine Greek Catholic Church
• Grieco-Arabic Rescension
• Melkite Greek-Catholic Church
• Grieco-Georgian Rescension
• Georgian Greek-Catholic Church
• Grieco-Italian Rescension
• Byzantine Italo-Grieco-Albanian Catholic Church
• Italo-Albanian Catholic Church - Eparchy of Lungro degli Italo-Albanesi in Calabria
• Italo-Albanian Catholic Church - Eparchy of Piana in Sicily degli Albenisi
• Italo-Greek Catholic Church - Exarchic Abbey & Territorial Monastery of Santa Maria di Grottaferrata degli Italo-Grieco
• Byzantine-Slav Tradition
• Great Russian Rescension
• Belarusan Greek-Catholic Church
• Bulgarian Greek-Catholic Church
• Russian Greek-Catholic Church
• Apostolic Exarchate of Harbin
• Apostolic Exarchate of Moscow
• Old Ritualist Usage
• Ruthenian (Little Russian) Rescension
• Croatian Greek-Catholic Church
• Eparchy of Krizveci of the Croat Greek-Catholics
• Apostolic Exarchate of the Macedonian Greek-Catholics
• Apostolic Exarchate of the Serbian & Montenegron Greek-Catholics
• Hungarian Greek-Catholic Church
• Romanian Greek-Catholic Church* only Eparchy of Maramoras of the Romanians
• Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Church
• Ruthenian Metropolitan Catholic Church - Metropolitinate of Pittsburgh
• Ruthenian Eparchial Catholic Church - Eparchy of Mukachevo
• Apostolic Exarchate of the Czech Greek-Catholics
• Slovakian Greek-Catholic Church
• Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church
• Chaldean Rite
• East Syrian Tradition
• Assyrian Rescension
• Chaldean Catholic Church
• Arabic Usage
• Malabarese Rescension
• Syro-Malabarese Catholic Church
• Kananya Usage
• Syriac Usage
• Maronite Rite
• Maronite Catholic Church

note: The inclusion of ‘Byzantine’ in styling the Greek and Italo-Grieco-Albanian Catholic Churches reflects the fact that ‘Greek’ is already an integral part of the cultural and ethnic heritage reflected in their names. The US Metropolitinate of the Ruthenian Catholic Church has adopted the term ‘Byzantine’ as an integral aspect of its name, not without some negative reaction from those of other Churches which are also Byzantine in their origins.

(continued)

 

[Irish_Melkite]

Other Classifications of Eastern and Oriental Catholic Churches and Jurisdictions

Eastern and Oriental Catholic Churches are also categorized by the type of canonical jurisdiction or rank of a Church’s primatial hierarch. Thus, there are:

• Patriarchal Churches sui iuris
• Major Arch-Episcopal Churches sui iuris
• Metropolitan Churches sui iuris
• Episcopal (or Eparchial) Churches sui iuris

There are three additional classifications applicable to bodies of Eastern and Oriental Catholic faithful, two of which are not sui iuris entities:

• Churches sui iuris which are presently deprived of hierarchy
• Communities with Jurisdictions but without sui iuris status
• Ordinariates for Faithful of the Oriental and Eastern Rites

Patriarchal Churches sui iuris

There are 6 Eastern & Oriental Catholic Patriarchal Churches. The incumbents of the patriarchal offices are:

Armenian Catholic Church
His Beatitude Nerses Bedros XIX Tarmouni, Catholicos & Patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenias for All the Catholic Armenians & Arch-Eparch of Cilicia of the Armenians

(Byzantine) Melkite Greek-Catholic Church
His Beatitude Gregory III (Loutfi) Laham, BSO, Patriarch of Antioch and All The East, of Alexandria, and of Jerusalem, of the Greek-Melkites & Arch-Eparch of Antioch of the Melkites

Chaldean Catholic Church
His Holiness Mar Emmanuel III Delli, Catholicos and Patriarch of Babylon and Ur of the Chaldees for the Catholic Chaldeans & Arch-Eparch of Baghdad of the Chaldeans

Coptic Catholic Church
His Holiness Stephanos II (Andraos) Cardinal Ghattas, CM, Patriarch of Alexandria of the Catholic Copts & Arch-Eparch of Alexandria of the Copts

Maronite Catholic Church
His Beatitude Mar Nasrallah Boutros Cardinal Sfeir, Patriarch of Antioch and All The East of the Maronites & Arch-Eparch of Antioch of the Maronites

Syriac Catholic Church
His Beatitude Mar Ignace Pierre VIII (Gregoire) Abdel-Ahad, Patriarch of Antioch and All The East of the Syrian Catholics & Arch-Eparch of Antioch of the Syrians

Major Arch-Episcopal Churches sui iuris

There are 4 Eastern & Oriental Catholic Major Arch-Episcopal Churches. These and the incumbents of the Major Arch-Episcopal offices are:

Romanian Greek-Catholic Church
His Eminence Lucian Muresan, Archepiscopus Majore of the Romanian Greek-Catholics United With Rome and Metropolitan Arch-Eparch of Alba Iulia and Fagares of the Byzantine Romanians

Syro-Malabarese Catholic Church
His Eminence Mar Varkey Cardinal Vithayathil, CSsR, Archepiscopus Majore of the Syro-Malabarese Catholics & Metropolitan Arch-Eparch of Ernakulam-Angamali of the Syro-Malabarese

Syro-Malankarese Catholic Church
His Eminence The Most Reverend Cyril Mar Baselios Malancharuvil, OIC, MADD, JCL, Archepiscopus Majore and Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholics and Metropolitan Arch-Eparch of Trivandrum of the Syro-Malankara

Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church
His Eminence Lubomyr Cardinal Husar, Archepiscopus Majore of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholics & Metropolitan Arch-Eparch of Lviv of the Byzantine Ukrainians

Metropolitan Churches sui iuris

There are 2 Eastern and Oriental Catholic Metropolitan Churches sui iuris. They and the incumbents of their primatial offices are:

Ethiopian (& Eritrean) Catholic Church
His Excellency Metropolitan Berhane-Yesus Demerew Souraphiel, CM, Arch-Eparch of Addis Ababa of the Ethiopian Catholics

Byzantine Ruthenian Catholic Church
His Eminence Metropolitan Basil Myron Schott, O.F.M., Arch-Eparch of Pittsburgh for the Byzantine Ruthenian Catholics in the United States

(continued)

 

[Irish_Melkite]

Episcopal (or Eparchial) Churches sui iuris

These are those Eastern Churches "entrusted to hierarchs who preside over [the Church] as per the norms of common and particular laws”.

All such Churches are of the Byzantine-Greek or Byzantine-Slav Traditions. Their presiding hierarchs are all of the Order of Bishop, but are variously styled: Abbott vere nullius dioecesis; Apostolic Administrator; Apostolic Exarch; Apostolic Visitator ad nutum Sanctae Sedis; Bishop; Eparch; or Vicar Apostolic.

Each derives precedence from his office i.e., having canonical jurisdiction over a Church sui iuris] not from the rank or title that he holds

These Churches and presiding hierarchs are:

Albanian Greek-Catholic Church
His Excellency, Bishop Hil Kabashi, OFM, Apostolic Administrator of Albania Meridionale [Southern Albania] for the Albanian Byzantine Catholics

Bulgarian Greek-Catholic Church
His Excellency, Bishop Christo Proykov, Byzantine-Slav Apostolic Exarch of Sophia for the Byzantine Bulgarian Catholics & Titular Bishop of Briula

Croatian Greek-Catholic Church
His Excellency, Monsignor Slavomir Miklovs, Vladyka [Bishop] of the Eparchy of Krizevci for the Byzantine Croatian Catholics and for All Byzantine Catholics [in the former Republics of Yugoslavia]

(Byzantine) Greek Catholic Church
His Excellency, Bishop Anárghyros Printesis, Apostolic Exarch of Athens for the Faithful of the Eastern Rites & the Byzantine Greek Catholics

Hungarian Greek-Catholic Church
His Excellency Szilárd Keresztes, Bishop of the Eparchy of Hajdúdorog of the Byzantine Hungarian Catholics

Slovak Greek-Catholic Church
His Excellency Ján Babjak, SJ, Bishop of the Eparchy of Presov of the Byzantine Slovakian Catholics

Two Episcopal Churches sui iuris require explanation as to certain factors unique to them.

Byzantine Italo-Grieco-Albanian Catholic Church

This Church has 3 separate and independent jurisdictions, which have no formal canonical relationship between or among them. None of the three presiding hierarchs is singularly designated as the presiding hierarch of the Church. Thus, although they are counted as a single Church sui iuris, they are, technically, three distinct Churches.

The hierarchs and jurisdictions are:

His Excellency Ercole Lupinacci, Bishop of the Eparchy of Lungro degli Italo-Albanesi [for the Italo-Albanians] in Calabria

His Excellency Sotìr Ferrara, Bishop of the Eparchy of Piana degli Albenisi [for the Albanians] in Sicily

Right Reverend Archimandrite Emiliano Fabbricatore, OSBI, Abbott vere nullius dioecesis of the Exarchic Abbey and Territorial Monastery sui iuris of Santa Maria di Grottaferrata for the Byzantine Italo-Greek Catholics

Ruthenian Greek-Catholic Church

This Church, and its suffragn jurisdiction, situated in the East Europe homeland of its faithful, has no formal canonical relationship with the Byzantine Ruthenian Catholic Metropolitan Church sui iuris in the United States. As a result, it is technically a Church sui iuris unto itself, although the two are considered a single entity in counting Churches sui iuris.

It is presided by His Excellency Milan Sasek, CM, Apostolic Administrator of the Eparchy of Mukaèevo of the Byzantine Ruthenian Catholics.

(continued)