False. Christ chose Saint Peter as the Prince of the Apostles, His Vicar on Earth, and highest visible authority on earth, before the establishment of a Christian East. And it was God that directed Saint Peter to Rome. Rome would exist with or without the Christian East.
In fact the Christian East could literally disappear tomorrow and the Church would still exist. The same goes for every single Church in the world… except for the Church of Rome. The Diocese of Rome is the unique and premier diocese in the Church. All others, in the end, are nothing compared to Rome. Rome is eternal. She can never, ever fall. Every Church throughout the world owes it to Rome for the Church to even exist.
By all means return to the traditions of the East if that is what you and your fellow parishoners wish. Personally I wouldn’t want to turn around and tell Mary that you dumped her rosary because your great-great-great-grandfather in the old country didn’t say it and that it’s Latin so it doesn’t really belong there… then again, I don’t really recall Our Lady ever saying that the rosary was only intended for the Latin West.
I think this delatinisation stuff is somewhat nonsensical. Where does it end? Should I turn my back on French devotions because I’m an Irishman? Should Greek Catholics shun anything that even smells of Russia?
Bishop is all that matters. Because as bishop, he is the Successor of Saint Peter. No other title under heaven can be as glorious as that, no other title under heaven carries as much authority as that. Bishops and emperors bow to Peter. Whether he is addressed as Pope, Bishop of Jimbob.
Orientalium Dignitas. Pope Leo XIII:
The Churches of the East are worthy of the glory and reverence that they hold throughout the whole of Christendom in virtue of those extremely ancient, singular memorials that they have bequeathed to us. For it was in that part of the world that the first actions for the redemption of the human race began, in accord with the all-kind plan of God. They swiftly gave forth their yield: there flowered in first blush the glories of preaching the True Faith to the nations, of martyrdom, and of holiness. They gave us the first joys of the fruits of salvation. From them has come a wondrously grand and powerful flood of benefits upon the other peoples of the world, no matter how far-flung. When blessed Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, intended to cast down the manifold wickedness of error and vice, in accord with the will of Heaven, he brought the light of divine Truth, the Gospel of peace, freedom in Christ to the metropolis of the Gentiles.
Eastern Catholics have a tradition which is every bit as august and important as we in the Latin Church do. Yes, the Bishop of Rome has the place of honor and authority for the universal Church. To that end, Eastern Catholics are following the call of the Holy Father in returning to the traditions which are germane to them. Are they supposed to be disobedient to the Pope and ignore his directives?
Furthermore, accusing them of somehow offending Our Lady because they do not say the Rosary is inappropriate, and flat out wrong. First of all, no Catholic is required to accept private revelation. Secondly, the Church does not in anyway regulate or mandate a particular private devotion, including the Rosary. I have never met an Eastern Catholic who does not have a strong devotion to the Mother of our Blessed Lord, they simply express it differently. The fact that they do so is not wrong or somehow offensive to Our Lady. Devotion to Mary does
not equal recitation of the Rosary for any Catholic, Eastern or otherwise.
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=220424
Our Eastern Catholic brothers and sisters have, in far too many cases, had their patrimony stolen right out from under them. We in the Latin Church, who have all too often experienced the same thing, should be celebrating their return to tradition and supportive of their efforts.
papalencyclicals.net/Leo13/l13orient.htm
vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19641121_orientalium-ecclesiarum_en.html
vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html
vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/orientchurch/Istruzione/pdf/istruzione_inglese.pdf