Help with changing rites

[brownsrule]

Any help I can receive would be greatly appreciated…

I was raised Roman Catholic, and my wife was raised Ukrainian Catholic (Byzantine), and we were married in a Byzantine Catholic Church. Because my mother-in-law was the choir director at a Orthodox Church, my children (6 and 8) were baptized there.

From my understanding, my wife was able to decide to switch to the the Roman Catholic rite when we were married ( or me vice-versa). We have been raising the kids exclusively in our roman-catholic church, and First Communion is approaching for our oldest. Do we now simply have to have the kids profess their desire to be Roman Catholic to our parish priest? I’m speaking mostly from a record keeping standpoint- so our church can keep a record of them as Roman Catholics?

Thanks again

 

[LightBound]

Any help I can receive would be greatly appreciated…

I was raised Roman Catholic, and my wife was raised Ukrainian Catholic (Byzantine), and we were married in a Byzantine Catholic Church. Because my mother-in-law was the choir director at a Orthodox Church, my children (6 and 8) were baptized there.

From my understanding, my wife was able to decide to switch to the the Roman Catholic rite when we were married ( or me vice-versa). We have been raising the kids exclusively in our roman-catholic church, and First Communion is approaching for our oldest. Do we now simply have to have the kids profess their desire to be Roman Catholic to our parish priest? I’m speaking mostly from a record keeping standpoint- so our church can keep a record of them as Roman Catholics?

Thanks again

I would contact your parish priest about this. If he is unsure, he can contact your Bishop on how this is handled.

 

[ExGratia]

I have no helpful advice, but my question may help someone else answer you: Don’t Eastern Catholics and Eastern Orthodox receive First Communion (and Chrismation aka Confirmation) at their Baptism? In which case your kids have already received those Sacraments. Your oldest therefore wouldn’t be receiving First Communion, and saying that s/he is wouldn’t be honest and perhaps confuse your child.

 

[Zekariya]

Any help I can receive would be greatly appreciated…

I was raised Roman Catholic, and my wife was raised Ukrainian Catholic (Byzantine), and we were married in a Byzantine Catholic Church. Because my mother-in-law was the choir director at a Orthodox Church, my children (6 and 8) were baptized there.

From my understanding, my wife was able to decide to switch to the the Roman Catholic rite when we were married ( or me vice-versa). We have been raising the kids exclusively in our roman-catholic church, and First Communion is approaching for our oldest. Do we now simply have to have the kids profess their desire to be Roman Catholic to our parish priest? I’m speaking mostly from a record keeping standpoint- so our church can keep a record of them as Roman Catholics?

Thanks again

Children belong to the Rite of their father.

 

[malphono]

I was raised Roman Catholic, and my wife was raised Ukrainian Catholic (Byzantine), and we were married in a Byzantine Catholic Church. Because my mother-in-law was the choir director at a Orthodox Church, my children (6 and 8) were baptized there.

From my understanding, my wife was able to decide to switch to the the Roman Catholic rite when we were married ( or me vice-versa). We have been raising the kids exclusively in our roman-catholic church, and First Communion is approaching for our oldest. Do we now simply have to have the kids profess their desire to be Roman Catholic to our parish priest? I’m speaking mostly from a record keeping standpoint- so our church can keep a record of them as Roman Catholics?

This seems to be rather complicated. A Latin Catholic man marries a UGCC woman and the children are baptized in an Orthodox (presumably Ukrainian) church? Do I have that right?

In any case, under the norms of law (both the CIC and the CCEO), the current ascription of the children in a Church sui juris depends on whether either the man or the woman voluntarily transferred Churches at the time of marriage. If so, the children belong to that Church. If not, the children belong to the Church of the father.

The other question that arises, as already noted by another poster, is regarding the children’s baptism. Under normal circumstances, in he Byzantine Churches, Chrismation (Confirmation) and Communion are given along with Baptism. If the children were indeed baptized in an Orthodox church, they most likely have received both of the other Sacraments already. That means they have already made their “First Communion” and cannot do so again. Nor, of course, can they be Confirmed again. You’ll have to obtain a certified copy of the baptismal records and go from there.

 

[brownsrule]

Thanks for the answers so far…

As for the actual baptism, you are correct in that it was a baptism and confirmation, but they did not receive first communion, and this is also stated on the baptismal form. So, yes, both my sons will not make the Holy Confirmation with their classmates in 10th grade.

The parish PSR coordinator is thinking that the kids have to state to the parish priest that they want to be Roman Catholic, but I thought it was automatic because I’m (their father) is Roman Catholic and my wife became Roman Catholic at our wedding. Maybe it’s just semantics and only necessary so the kids can get official paperwork stating that they are Roman Catholic…

 

[malphono]

Ah, OK, so if I have it correct now, even though the wedding was in the UGCC, your wife stated her wish to trasnfer to the Latin Church. If that’s it, then you’re correct: it’s “automatic” so-to-speak, and the children are 100% Latin Rite, despite where they were baptized. From the CIC (emphasis added)

Can. 111 §1. Through the reception of baptism, the child of parents who belong to the Latin Church is enrolled in it, or, if one or the other does not belong to it, both parents have chosen by mutual agreement to have the offspring baptized in the Latin Church. If there is no mutual agreement, however, the child is enrolled in the ritual Church to which the father belongs.

It still seems a little unusual to me that, if the children were baptized in an Orthodox church, they did not receive Communion, (perhaps the priest, knowing that the children were to be raised in the RCC, did it that way as an accommodation in the unusual circumstances) , but since that’s the case, it seems that you’re good to go. With the proviso, of course, that since the children were Chrismated, they cannot be Confirmed again. Keep those baptismal records handy just in case.

 

[Elizium23]

I am not so sure that Canon 111 applies to children baptized in a non-Catholic Church or ecclesial community. Would a child baptized Methodist become a member of the Latin Church simply because his parents are? I believe that since the children were not baptized Catholic, they will have to formally enter the Church by making a profession of faith. In fact it may be even more complicated: baptized in an Orthodox Church, they would canonically be received into the corresponding Eastern Church and would need to thereafter make a canonical transfer to the Latin Church. But correct me if I am wrong.

 

[malphono]

An person baptized into the Orthodox Church who wishes to join the Catholic Church need only do a Profession of Faith. There is no “conversion” involved. The Latin Church accepts the validity of all Sacraments administered by the Orthodox, so there is no question in this case. A person baptized by an Orthodox priest is truly baptized. A person Chrismated by an Orthodox priest is truly Confirmed.

That said, in the case at hand, the children are the offspring of Catholic parents and they (the children) did not choose to be baptized by an Orthodox priest, nor did the parents join the Orthodox Church. Hence where the children were baptized is immaterial. They follow the norms of law, and in this case, are ascribed to the Latin Church by virtue of their parents.

 

[PJM]

=brownsrule;10265574]Any help I can receive would be greatly appreciated…

I was raised Roman Catholic, and my wife was raised Ukrainian Catholic (Byzantine), and we were married in a Byzantine Catholic Church. Because my mother-in-law was the choir director at a Orthodox Church, my children (6 and 8) were baptized there.

From my understanding, my wife was able to decide to switch to the the Roman Catholic rite when we were married ( or me vice-versa). We have been raising the kids exclusively in our roman-catholic church, and First Communion is approaching for our oldest. Do we now simply have to have the kids profess their desire to be Roman Catholic to our parish priest? I’m speaking mostly from a record keeping standpoint- so our church can keep a record of them as Roman Catholics?

Thanks again

Are they in a RCC parish CCD program?

If so it should b an easy task.

Either way, by all means speak with your pastor ASAP.

God Bless all of you,
pat/PJM