How does a Roman Rite Catholic switches to the Eastern Rite?

[TheWiseMan]

Hello, I am a seventeen year old Catholic High School student, who recently found CAF as a means of learning about the Catholic faith. As a young Catholic of the Roman Rite, I was wondering as to how does a Roman Rite Catholic switches to the Eastern Rite, and vice versa. So really, how exactly does that work? What must someone of the Roman Rite do, in order to make the switch into the Eastern Rite?

Just pointing this out: I am not saying as to which group of the Eastern Rite, I’m just saying in general, that is.

Any answers would be appreciated.

Thanks,

-TWM

 

[R_C]

You would write to your Ordinary (the bishop of the diocese where you reside) requesting this, and explaining why.

Usually this is not allowed, unless you have reeally good reasons to switch to a different sui iuris Church.

I think that Eastern Catholics are not allowed to switch Rite at all in their Canon Law, but I may be mistaken.

 

[Joe_5859]

You would write to your Ordinary (the bishop of the diocese where you reside) requesting this, and explaining why.

Usually this is not allowed, unless you have reeally good reasons to switch to a different sui iuris Church.

I think that Eastern Catholics are not allowed to switch Rite at all in their Canon Law, but I may be mistaken.

That’s been my general understanding as well. “Rite hopping” is generally discouraged. But, of course, this does not preclude participation in another rite.

 

[Casilda]

You don’t have to switch to be able to attend. You could marry an Eastern Catholic and switch due to marriage.

 

[Seraphim73]

Usually this is not allowed, unless you have reeally good reasons to switch to a different sui iuris Church.

It’s my understanding that’s not true. There are some reasons a transfer would not be allowed such as transferring to avoid the celibacy rule, but outside of that it’s my understanding that securing a transfer is fairly easy. After faithfully attending an Eastern parish and with the advice of the priest you simply write to the local Eastern hierarch and request the transfer. He then writes to the local Latin bishop and if he approves your enrollment will be changed. I would definitely make sure you are serious though because it’s also my understanding you can only transfer once in your life.

 

[phil19034]

with all that said, a Roman Rite Catholic can always attend Mass at an Eastern Catholic Church and an Eastern Catholic can attend a Latin Church.

 

[akemner]

I changed rites (sic). Since I married a ByzCath, all I had to do was write a letter stating i was transferring of my free will, and have two witnesses sign, and the transfer was noted in the parish books. It used to be that only the wife could transfer in that way, but the law was changed. Now, had I been married to a Latin (as I was a Latin), then I would have written both the Eastern bishop, and the Latin bishop, and they both have to approve the transfer. Rome has something to do with the process, or at least the petition had to be sent to Rome, but I am unsure if that is still the case.

In Christ,
Adam

 

[Angel_Gabriel]

My whole family switched this past May. I wrote to the Latin Bishop and to the Ukrainian Bishop and told them our reasons and it was approved within 3 weeks. The Latin bishop wanted our signatures (husband and myself and anyone over the age of 14) and the information about our baptisms so the change could be noted in the registers.

Yes generally you may switch only once…our kids are all under the age of 14 and have the option of transferring back to the Latin church at that age without hindering any future transfers.

 

[Aramis]

You would write to your Ordinary (the bishop of the diocese where you reside) requesting this, and explaining why.

Usually this is not allowed, unless you have reeally good reasons to switch to a different sui iuris Church.

I think that Eastern Catholics are not allowed to switch Rite at all in their Canon Law, but I may be mistaken.

Movement from the Roman to the Eastern is generally allowed. Movement between Eastern Churches requires a really good reason (such as marriage to a member of the other one).

Movement from Eastern to Roman is almost forbidden, except in cases of those translating from Orthodoxy to Union.

To quote bishop Gerald of the Eparchy of the Holy Protection of the Mother of God of Phoenix, “For me, it’s almost a rubber stamp, once I get the paperwork.”

 

[Vico]

Movement from the Roman to the Eastern is generally allowed. Movement between Eastern Churches requires a really good reason (such as marriage to a member of the other one).

Movement from Eastern to Roman is almost forbidden, except in cases of those translating from Orthodoxy to Union.

To quote bishop Gerald of the Eparchy of the Holy Protection of the Mother of God of Phoenix, “For me, it’s almost a rubber stamp, once I get the paperwork.”

In keeping with “almost forbidden”, per the canon law, the eastern Catholic groom is restricted from transfer in an inter-ritual marriage (including the Latin Church) but not the bride or children under 14.

 

[Shuttlepiper]

My history:

Joined Latin Rite as a convert from Scottish Presbyterian, spent 6 relatively happy years in the Latin Rite, was exposed to the Byzantine Ruthenian Rite - I felt ‘gypped’ - like no one ever told me about this side of Catholicism. Promptly switched. Very easy, letter to the Papal Nuncio.

What a disaster the Byzantine Rite was for me!

The deeper I dug into the Rite and the Spirituality, the more I felt that if you wanted to REALLY be ‘vostochny’ you needed to be Orthodox. I left the Byzantine Rite (it had been about 5 years or so) and accepted Orthodoxy in the ROCOR. My heavens, that a mixed up bag of marbles that was!

The ROCOR at that time wasn’t in union with anybody but itself and a couple of Serbian jurisdictions. Finally, after the fall of the Soviet empire, union was re-established with the Moscow Patriarchate and the rest of the Orthodox world. But for me, all the etho-centricism had dealt a fatal blow. I couldn’t, as an erstwhile Scot with deep Presbyterian roots, accept all the (to repeat myself) ethnno-centricism. I went home to Rome, and petitioned for yet another change of Rite to go back to the Latin Rite.

Went back, went home.

Today, my personal spiritual practice includes elements of nearly everything:

1. I have an Icon corner including an icon of the Tsar-Martyr Nicholas and Equal to the Apostles St. Olga (and other typical ones)
2. My icon corner includes a Pictish Cross and a Triskelion, which I use to represent the Holy Trinity (bowing to my ancestry)
3. My prayer ritual consists of Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours, and Vespers from the Greek Orthodox Prayer Book from Holy Transfiguration Monastery and a Chotki used for praying the Jesus Prayer according to the Russian Orthodox Church.

I think everybody’s got their toe-hold in me.

At least I can call myself truly ‘catholic’

Oh yeah - I go to a Latin Rite parish where, while I don’t love the liturgy, has orthodox (small ‘o’) preaching.

And my dear friend here is an Orthodox Christian.

Oh, life’s a fun game, isn’t it?

 

[Peter_J]

My history:

Joined Latin Rite as a convert from Scottish Presbyterian, spent 6 relatively happy years in the Latin Rite, was exposed to the Byzantine Ruthenian Rite - I felt ‘gypped’ - like no one ever told me about this side of Catholicism. Promptly switched. Very easy, letter to the Papal Nuncio.

What a disaster the Byzantine Rite was for me!

The deeper I dug into the Rite and the Spirituality, the more I felt that if you wanted to REALLY be ‘vostochny’ you needed to be Orthodox. I left the Byzantine Rite (it had been about 5 years or so) and accepted Orthodoxy in the ROCOR. My heavens, that a mixed up bag of marbles that was!

The ROCOR at that time wasn’t in union with anybody but itself and a couple of Serbian jurisdictions. Finally, after the fall of the Soviet empire, union was re-established with the Moscow Patriarchate and the rest of the Orthodox world. But for me, all the etho-centricism had dealt a fatal blow. I couldn’t, as an erstwhile Scot with deep Presbyterian roots, accept all the (to repeat myself) ethnno-centricism. I went home to Rome, and petitioned for yet another change of Rite to go back to the Latin Rite.

Went back, went home.

Today, my personal spiritual practice includes elements of nearly everything:

1. I have an Icon corner including an icon of the Tsar-Martyr Nicholas and Equal to the Apostles St. Olga (and other typical ones)
2. My icon corner includes a Pictish Cross and a Triskelion, which I use to represent the Holy Trinity (bowing to my ancestry)
3. My prayer ritual consists of Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours, and Vespers from the Greek Orthodox Prayer Book from Holy Transfiguration Monastery and a Chotki used for praying the Jesus Prayer according to the Russian Orthodox Church.

I think everybody’s got their toe-hold in me.

At least I can call myself truly ‘catholic’

Oh yeah - I go to a Latin Rite parish where, while I don’t love the liturgy, has orthodox (small ‘o’) preaching.

And my dear friend here is an Orthodox Christian.

Oh, life’s a fun game, isn’t it?

Hi Shuttlepiper. Not being Orthodox, I’m probably not the best person to comment on your joining/leaving Orthodoxy. But just in terms of your time in Catholicism, I get the impression that you place quite a lot of importance on canonical ascription. More than is warranted, perhaps – after all, a Latin Catholic can be a regular at a GC/OC parish, and vice versa.

 

[5Loaves]

Hello, I am a seventeen year old Catholic High School student, who recently found CAF as a means of learning about the Catholic faith. As a young Catholic of the Roman Rite, I was wondering as to how does a Roman Rite Catholic switches to the Eastern Rite, and vice versa. So really, how exactly does that work? What must someone of the Roman Rite do, in order to make the switch into the Eastern Rite?

Just pointing this out: I am not saying as to which group of the Eastern Rite, I’m just saying in general, that is.

Any answers would be appreciated.

Thanks,

-TWM

Welcome to CAF and the EC section.

As Seraphim73 indicated, if after some time, a year or two, of being a faithful parishioner in an EC parish one wants to make the canonical change then that EC parish priest can guide one in the process of making the request. His recommendation for the transfer is needed.

Just to clarify, the transfer is from one Catholic Church, the Latin Church, to another Catholic Church sui uris.

My Russian Church parish is in the unusual position where, being under the Latin Ordinary if the person making the request actually resides within the Archdiocese of our Ordinary then they would make the request for transfer to the Latin Ordinary who would at the same time be the Ordinary both releasing them and receiving them. A transfer we had of that nature was reasonably sent to Rome. So, that process took a couple of months. Others in my parish who have made the transfer were residing in cities in another Diocese so didn’t have this issue and the transfers were easily and quickly accomplished.

 

[Seraphim73]

Just to clarify, the transfer is from one Catholic Church, the Latin Church, to another Catholic Church sui uris.

Yeah the title of this irks me every time I see it and I’m not even Catholic! I know it’s a honest mistake but it still irritates me.

 

[Peter_J]

Yeah the title of this irks me every time I see it and I’m not even Catholic! I know it’s a honest mistake but it still irritates me.

Thank you, Seraphim. Yes, we are a communion of 23 churches, but sadly many are still confused into saying “23 rites”.

 

[Vico]

Yeah the title of this irks me every time I see it and I’m not even Catholic! I know it’s a honest mistake but it still irritates me.

Apparently rite and rites is used in various meanings. Pope St. John Paul II speaks of “Latin-rite Dioceses” and “faithful of the Eastern rites”:Indeed, the Pastors of the Latin Church are first of all invited to deepen their own knowledge of the existence and heritage of the Eastern Catholic Churches and to encourage the faithful entrusted to their care to do the same. Secondly, they are called to promote and defend the right of the Eastern faithful to live and pray according to the tradition received from the Fathers of their own Church. “Regarding the pastoral care of the faithful of the Eastern rites who are living in Latin-rite Dioceses, in accordance with the spirit and letter of the Conciliar Decrees * Christus Dominus, n. 23, 3 and * Orientalium Ecclesiarum, n. 4, the Latin Ordinaries of such Dioceses are to provide as soon as possible for an adequate pastoral care of the faithful of these Eastern rites, through the ministry of priests, or through parishes of the rite, where this would be indicated, or through an Episcopal Vicar endowed with the necessary faculties, where circumstances would so indicate” (Letter to the Bishops of India, 28 May 1987, n. 5c).
vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/speeches/1998/october/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_19981001_chiese-orientali_en.html

 

[Seraphim73]

Apparently rite and rites is used in various meanings.

But they really shouldn’t be. A rite is a liturgical use. I mean there really is no such thing as a “Latin rite.” There is the Roman rite and Ambrosian rite and the Mozarabic rite etc which are all used by the Latin Church. I know you know this but I think the use of the term rite to refer to a Church is a throw back to an era when the Eastern Catholic Churches were not seen as sister Churches to the Latin Church but rather as subservient to it. Of course I think many people still feel that way. But that’s for another thread.

(Wow look at this, a Catholic hating Orthodox standing up for Eastern Catholics. Whoda thunk it?)

 

[Vico]

But they really shouldn’t be. A rite is a liturgical use. I mean there really is no such thing as a “Latin rite.” There is the Roman rite and Ambrosian rite and the Mozarabic rite etc which are all used by the Latin Church. I know you know this but I think the use of the term rite to refer to a Church is a throw back to an era when the Eastern Catholic Churches were not seen as sister Churches to the Latin Church but rather as subservient to it. Of course I think many people still feel that way. But that’s for another thread.

(Wow look at this, a Catholic hating Orthodox standing up for Eastern Catholics. Whoda thunk it?)

Although the “ceremonies, prayers, and functions” of each Catholic sui iuris church are distinct, they may also be grouped so terms like Roman Rite and Byzantine Rite have been used.

The Catholic Encyclopedia has this under the article Rites, but makes the point that is it not a church that is referred to:
In English the word “rite” ordinarily means, the ceremonies, prayers, and functions of any religious body, whether pagan, Jewish, Moslem, or Christian. But here we must distinguish two uses of the word. We speak of any one such religious function as a rite — the rite of the blessing of palms, the coronation rite, etc. In a slightly different sense we call the whole complex of the services of any Church or group of Churches a rite-thus we speak of the Roman Rite, Byzantine Rite, and various Eastern rites. In the latter sense the word is often considered equivalent to liturgy, …

newadvent.org/cathen/01707c.htm

 

[Peter_J]

Pope St. John Paul II speaks of “Latin-rite Dioceses”

But they really shouldn’t be. A rite is a liturgical use. I mean there really is no such thing as a “Latin rite.” There is the Roman rite and Ambrosian rite and the Mozarabic rite etc which are all used by the Latin Church.

Well, putting the best interpretation on it, I’d say he didn’t mean that there is only one rite in the Latin Church … I.e. “Latin-rite Dioceses” = “Western-rite Dioceses” = dioceses that use one or another of the Western rites.

(Wow look at this, a Catholic hating Orthodox standing up for Eastern Catholics. Whoda thunk it?)

Whoa, you’re Orthodox?

Everyone run for your lives!

 

[Peter_J]

Godzilla-style sound effects