How long should it take to receive permissions from Byzantine Rite to marry (a non-catholic) in Latin Rite church?

[MaryEllen1951]

I am beyond upset.

I was baptized as an infant 63 years ago in a Greek Catholic church (Byzantine Rite). My entire family switched over to Roman Catholic years later, and both my older sister and brother were married in a Roman Catholic church.

I fell away from the church about 40 years ago and returned just last year. I had married in a Methodist church 24 years ago and was asked by my priest (during confession) if I thought about having my marriage blessed. I knew nothing about it, and he said “there are some forms you have to fill out”.

I immediately started the process and found out there was a little more to it than filling out some forms!! My husband had 2 prior marriages so we had to go through the annulment process. This was extremely long and painful for both of us. It became even more painful when I found out I could not receive communion until after the marriage convalidation. I have sat in the back of the church each and every Sunday and holy day of obligation since September 2013, crying my eyes out.

We finally received both annulments the end of September this year. I was so happy and excited. My priest said that in order for me to be married in a Roman Catholic church, the diocese would have to receive permission from the Byzantine Rite since they have jurisdiction over me. He said they would also need to get permission from the Byzantine rite for me to marry a non-Catholic.

It’s been 2 1/2 months since he started that process and he hasn’t been able to give me any information at all as to how long this will take. He just says he can’t speed up the process. I don’t think my brother and sister had to wait that long to get their permissions to marry in Roman Catholic churches, but they both married Catholics, which may or may not made a difference in their situations.

It’s been almost a year and a half since we first met with my priest to initiate the marriage blessing. Because of the process itself and the length of time it is taking, my husband is completely turned off regarding the Catholic religion. Recently, my faith has been under attack and I have stopped going to church the last 3 weeks. I am feeling angry at my priest. I have poured my heart out on 3 separate occasions to him, but have received no advice or guidance of any sort on how to get through this and no words that comfort me. I no longer am feeling like this will be a joyful occasion, and I really do not want him to be the one to perform the ceremony but I feel like I’m stuck with him.

At least the diocese kept us informed every step of the way during the Tribunal process and I knew it would take at least a year. Now, it’s one big question mark. If I could just know when to expect to get past this final step, it would help.

I decided to attend mass again, but am feeling very lost and alone. If anyone has gone through this or knows something about the process, it would help to hear more about what is required and why it takes so long.

Thank-you.

 

[SyroMalankara]

Do you know which specific Eastern Church and which bishop is being contacted?

This would go a long way for clarity.

 

[Gorgias]

I am beyond upset.

Based on what you’ve written here, I can’t imagine how upsetting this must be for you; it sounds horribly upsetting…

I was baptized as an infant 63 years ago in a Greek Catholic church (Byzantine Rite). My entire family switched over to Roman Catholic years later, and both my older sister and brother were married in a Roman Catholic church.

Although you and your family worshiped in a Latin rite parish, you are still considered Eastern Catholics.

I fell away from the church about 40 years ago and returned just last year. I had married in a Methodist church 24 years ago

Here’s where the story begins to be heartbreaking…

It became even more painful when I found out I could not receive communion until after the marriage convalidation. I have sat in the back of the church each and every Sunday and holy day of obligation since September 2013, crying my eyes out.

Absolutely…!

Your inability to validly receive the sacraments didn’t start in September 2013, though; it started when you married outside of the Church. It sounds harsh – and it clearly is very painful for you! – but our decisions have consequences, and you’re feeling the pain of the consequences of your decisions. Praise be to God that you’re working to return to participation in the sacraments!

I don’t think my brother and sister had to wait that long to get their permissions to marry in Roman Catholic churches, but they both married Catholics, which may or may not made a difference in their situations.

Yes – this is precisely what makes all the difference! A Latin Rite Catholic priest has jurisdiction over Latin Rite Catholics. If a couple comes to him, and neither of them are Latin Rite Catholics, then he has no right to marry them. If one of them is an Eastern Rite Catholic and the other a non-Catholic, then he has the right to marry them – if the bishop of the Eastern Rite Catholic gives him permission to do so. In the case of your brother and sister, the fact that they married (Latin Rite) Catholics is precisely the reason why the priest had jurisdiction to marry them. In your case, that’s not the situation. Perhaps you could ask your priest if there’s someone you could speak with – a canonist in the tribunal who specializes in Eastern Rite Canon law, or an Eastern Rite priest in the area who might counsel you?

Because of the process itself and the length of time it is taking, my husband is completely turned off regarding the Catholic religion.

You’ve made amazing, significant progress in this amount of time! You asked the Church to determine whether there were any valid prior marriages – and they’ve done the research and answered ‘no’!

Now, there’s a different situation: you’re asking the Latin Rite diocese to make a request of an Eastern Rite eparchy. You’re dealing with two distinct bureaucracies. It takes time. (In the meantime, you are personally feeling the effects of having to wait. Your anguish is completely understandable!)

Recently, my faith has been under attack and I have stopped going to church the last 3 weeks.

Your faith in Christ is under attack because bureaucracies are slow and inefficient?

I am feeling angry at my priest. I have poured my heart out on 3 separate occasions to him, but have received no advice or guidance of any sort on how to get through this and no words that comfort me.

Does your priest have any prior experience dealing with the complexities of navigating Eastern and Latin canon law? Did your priest know that your husband had two prior marriages when he said “you have to fill out some forms”? Did he know that you were, in fact, not a Latin Rite Catholic but an Eastern Rite Catholic?

Perhaps he caused you to have a false set of expectations… but he didn’t tell you any untruths. At the point you entered into the confessional, you were unable to receive the Eucharist… at least, until you resolved the issues that you’re currently working through. Is it his fault that there are so many issues to resolve?

I no longer am feeling like this will be a joyful occasion, and I really do not want him to be the one to perform the ceremony but I feel like I’m stuck with him.

So, find another priest to perform the convalidation. But, don’t blame him for the situation in which you find yourself.

At least the diocese kept us informed every step of the way during the Tribunal process and I knew it would take at least a year. Now, it’s one big question mark. If I could just know when to expect to get past this final step, it would help.

Right; this makes sense. Perhaps you might contact the tribunal to ask for their best estimates and their guidance…?

 

[MaryEllen1951]

Do you know which specific Eastern Church and which bishop is being contacted?

This would go a long way for clarity.

I’m not exactly sure who is being contacted. My priest is working with the Chancellor at our diocese and hasn’t shared with me any of the details. I’m arranging a meeting with my priest to try to get more information and clarity from him.

 

[MaryEllen1951]

I’m new at this forum and not sure how to do quotes, but this is to respond to Gorgias’ comments:

“Your inability to validly receive the sacraments didn’t start in September 2013, though; it started when you married outside of the Church. It sounds harsh – and it clearly is very painful for you! – but our decisions have consequences, and you’re feeling the pain of the consequences of your decisions”

Yes, I understand that now. Having left the church in my 20’s, I realize now how I have brought pain upon myself through my bad decisions in many areas. At the time I got married, I was not interested in returning to my Catholic faith. It was a time in my life when I was immature and wasn’t thinking about consequences. I am happy to find myself returning now, and it most certainly has not been easy, but it is worth it. I know God has forgiven me, and I am still working on forgiving myself for poor choices.

“Your faith in Christ is under attack because bureaucracies are slow and inefficient?”

Ouch! I have been brutally honest with my feelings in my post and know that this sets me up to be judged. I love the Lord with all my heart and soul, which is why I cry every week at church, realizing I cannot receive the Eucharist and knowing full well that I did this to myself. When I said my faith is under attack, I meant that Satan seems to be working me over. I’m not as strong as I would like to be to fight back. I pray every day for strength and guidance.

“So, find another priest to perform the convalidation. But, don’t blame him for the situation in which you find yourself.”

I don’t blame him for the situation I’m in. Maybe angry is the wrong word. I am disappointed in how he has handled certain things, such as not following up/getting back to me and a deficit in providing spiritual guidance during this difficult time.

Without having walked in my shoes, I understand it may be hard to realize how much pain I have been in. I’m sure there are those who do understand and have nothing but compassion for me, which I am grateful for.

 

[babochka]

We finally received both annulments the end of September this year. I was so happy and excited. My priest said that in order for me to be married in a Roman Catholic church, the diocese would have to receive permission from the Byzantine Rite since they have jurisdiction over me. He said they would also need to get permission from the Byzantine rite for me to marry a non-Catholic.

It’s been 2 1/2 months since he started that process and he hasn’t been able to give me any information at all as to how long this will take. He just says he can’t speed up the process. I don’t think my brother and sister had to wait that long to get their permissions to marry in Roman Catholic churches, but they both married Catholics, which may or may not made a difference in their situations.

It’s been almost a year and a half since we first met with my priest to initiate the marriage blessing. Because of the process itself and the length of time it is taking, my husband is completely turned off regarding the Catholic religion. Recently, my faith has been under attack and I have stopped going to church the last 3 weeks. I am feeling angry at my priest. I have poured my heart out on 3 separate occasions to him, but have received no advice or guidance of any sort on how to get through this and no words that comfort me. I no longer am feeling like this will be a joyful occasion, and I really do not want him to be the one to perform the ceremony but I feel like I’m stuck with him.

I decided to attend mass again, but am feeling very lost and alone. If anyone has gone through this or knows something about the process, it would help to hear more about what is required and why it takes so long.

.

I don’t have any particular experience with this, but have you considered contacting a local Byzantine priest to perform the marriage? I know that it would not be your preference, as you have chosen to worship in the Latin Rite, but it might be a way around the red tap. In the meantime, have the two of you competed any pre-marriage preparation required by the diocese? You’d hate to finally receive the permission that you’ve been waiting for, just to find out that there is another hurdle you have to jump that nobody thought to mention.

 

[Jimdandy]

If you and your husband refrain from intimacy you may receive the Eucharist-just an option to consider. Praying for your family.

 

[YADA]

…Ouch! I have been brutally honest with my feelings in my post and know that this sets me up to be judged. I love the Lord with all my heart and soul, which is why I cry every week at church, realizing I cannot receive the Eucharist and knowing full well that I did this to myself. When I said my faith is under attack, I meant that Satan seems to be working me over. I’m not as strong as I would like to be to fight back. I pray every day for strength and guidance. …

Hang in there MaryEllen … as one who went from 1995 until 1997 attending Mass every Sunday and Holy Day as my spouse and I worked each waited on annulment decisions [and the fear that neither would be granted - or one would be granted and not the other] I can understand your longing … I can also attest that our Lord is worth the wait, the desire …

In many respects your journey seems short [based upon my experience] and I hope your permissions and Marriage Blessing comes sooner then ours did … I will pray for you and yours …

My counsel to you is to keep attending Mass - ask your husband to attend with you - make a spiritual communion with Christ - go to the church and spend time before the Tabernacle - Jesus is there waiting for you to visit … read the Scriptures and learn about the faith through adult formation - even RCIA if that is your only option - As this is so important to you - in order to keep Satan at bay - so as much of this with your husband as possible … his angst at this process is merely Satan at work … you must both fight him back. Remember - Satan ant to keep you away from being reconciled to Christ and His Church …

you are strong, you have courage and patience is a virtue … 20 years of exile cannot be hurried … and your priest prays for you each day … but if he is like my parish priest - he has lots of people and problems to address …

Welcome Home … All of Heaven is rejoicing

 

[twf]

If you feel comfortable letting us know which specific Greek Catholic Church you were baptized into and where you live, we can tell you who the Byzantine bishop in question is and provide contact info for his office… maybe it would help for you to talk to your Byzantine bishop’s office directly.

 

[5Loaves]

I am beyond upset.

I was baptized as an infant 63 years ago in a Greek Catholic church (Byzantine Rite). My entire family switched over to Roman Catholic years later, and both my older sister and brother were married in a Roman Catholic church.

I fell away from the church about 40 years ago and returned just last year.

…We finally received both annulments the end of September this year. I was so happy and excited. My priest said that in order for me to be married in a Roman Catholic church, the diocese would have to receive permission from the Byzantine Rite since they have jurisdiction over me. He said they would also need to get permission from the Byzantine rite for me to marry a non-Catholic.

It’s been 2 1/2 months since he started that process and he hasn’t been able to give me any information at all as to how long this will take. He just says he can’t speed up the process. I don’t think my brother and sister had to wait that long to get their permissions to marry in Roman Catholic churches, but they both married Catholics, which may or may not made a difference in their situations.
.

Congratulations on your faith and patience.

I’m not sure what you mean by “My entire family switched over to Roman Catholic years later”. Where you not part of the switch, or did they just begin going to a Latin Church but never formally/canonically change Church?

I would strongly encourage you to contact directly the Eparchy of the EC you were Baptized into. Eastern Catholic bishops, at least the three I have had some time with, have a much more intimate relationship with their parishes than do most Latin bishops. In any case if they are insisting you are under his jurisdiction then you certainly first and foremost have the right to direct pastoral care from that Eparchy, maybe not the bishop himself, although he might speak with you himself, but someone in that chancery office.

Also, you mentioned that the Latin Church chancery kept in good contact with you about the progress of the annulment process. Our tribunal here is also excellent in terms of being available to answer questions. If you had a particular canonist you were in touch with for that process then he or she also may be able to help sort out what is going on at this point in the process of seeking convalidation.

I’ve not been in any way exposed to an Eastern Catholic marrying someone who went through an annulment. It could be the Eparchy has to review your situation because of the annulment component. Or not. We here can’t know any of that.

It sounds like you have a good relationship with your priest in the Latin Church you are involved with. He is hopefully doing his best. Actually, as hard as it is for you both, 2 1/2 months isn’t that long post granting of the decree of nullity. Has your priest asked you to do any sort of pre-marital counseling? That is not unusal when someone is asking for the sacrament of marriage in the Church, even though in your eyes you are already long married. Didn’t your siblings have to go through pre Cana before they married in the Church? Normally it’s at least 6 months from the time of a request for the Sacrament of Marriage until the wedding.

May all this in the end enrich your marriage and draw you deeper into your relationship with the Holy Trinity.

Off topic, but has any of this made you think about exploring more of your EC heritage?

 

[Gorgias]

“Your faith in Christ is under attack because bureaucracies are slow and inefficient?”

Ouch! I have been brutally honest with my feelings in my post and know that this sets me up to be judged.

Nope, no judgment here; just asking whether you really meant what you wrote. It sounded like you were saying that your faith was in jeopardy over, well, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and so, I was asking whether you really meant what you wrote…

When I said my faith is under attack, I meant that Satan seems to be working me over. I’m not as strong as I would like to be to fight back. I pray every day for strength and guidance.

Makes sense. I’ll be praying for you, as well…!

I don’t blame him for the situation I’m in. Maybe angry is the wrong word. I am disappointed in how he has handled certain things, such as not following up/getting back to me and a deficit in providing spiritual guidance during this difficult time.

I’m not going to make excuses for him, but if there were no update to give you, are you asking him to contact you periodically to say, “sorry… no news”? What did he tell you he’d do – that he’d get back to you when he heard anything?

And yes, perhaps he’s not very good at spiritual direction; but not all priests are. Each has his own gifts from God, and maybe counseling is not one of his. That doesn’t make any of this any easier for you – I get that – but it doesn’t mean that he’s a bad priest. Again: to your knowledge, has he ever worked through this type of east-west situation before, or is this his first time navigating this kind of tangle, too?

Without having walked in my shoes, I understand it may be hard to realize how much pain I have been in. I’m sure there are those who do understand and have nothing but compassion for me, which I am grateful for.

Oh, please don’t mistake my honesty for a lack of compassion! I certainly feel for you, having been on your side of long waiting processes wrt Church procedures, too!

 

[MaryEllen1951]

I don’t have any particular experience with this, but have you considered contacting a local Byzantine priest to perform the marriage? I know that it would not be your preference, as you have chosen to worship in the Latin Rite, but it might be a way around the red tap. In the meantime, have the two of you competed any pre-marriage preparation required by the diocese? You’d hate to finally receive the permission that you’ve been waiting for, just to find out that there is another hurdle you have to jump that nobody thought to mention.

Thank-you for your response. I had thought about contacting the local Byzantine priest to ask about performing the marriage, but I am not sure if it is appropriate since I would have no intention of attending church there anytime. I also wonder if they have different Canon laws regarding annulments, or would they honor the decrees given by the Latin rite’s Tribunal. This is something I will ask my priest about.

My husband and I completed a required questionnaire on-line (called "Fully Engaged’), and at our next meeting our priest will go over the results. He gave me a booklet to use in planning the ceremony and choosing scripture readings. I had asked him if there was anything else required and he had said no. I truly hope there aren’t any more hurdles that even he hadn’t considered!! He seems very inexperienced with all of this, which does add to my frustration.

 

[MaryEllen1951]

If you feel comfortable letting us know which specific Greek Catholic Church you were baptized into and where you live, we can tell you who the Byzantine bishop in question is and provide contact info for his office… maybe it would help for you to talk to your Byzantine bishop’s office directly.

I was baptized at SS. Peter and Paul Church in 1951. The church is located at 106 Rogers Avenue, Endicott, NY 13760. Thank-you for any assistance you can give.

 

[MaryEllen1951]

If you and your husband refrain from intimacy you may receive the Eucharist-just an option to consider. Praying for your family.

I have heard about this option and would gladly consider it, but my husband was not thrilled about it when I brought it up. He’s a wonderful man and I feel blessed that he was able to go through a rather invasive process for the annulments. He’s extremely supportive because he loves me and sees how important it is to me. That’s why I wanted to have some idea as to how long it would take for these permissions so that we could at least set a wedding date. I know he would be willing to “live as friends” without intimacy for a specified amount of time. But, right now, it’s hard to determine that.

 

[MaryEllen1951]

Hang in there MaryEllen … as one who went from 1995 until 1997 attending Mass every Sunday and Holy Day as my spouse and I worked each waited on annulment decisions [and the fear that neither would be granted - or one would be granted and not the other] I can understand your longing … I can also attest that our Lord is worth the wait, the desire …

In many respects your journey seems short [based upon my experience] and I hope your permissions and Marriage Blessing comes sooner then ours did … I will pray for you and yours …

My counsel to you is to keep attending Mass - ask your husband to attend with you - make a spiritual communion with Christ - go to the church and spend time before the Tabernacle - Jesus is there waiting for you to visit … read the Scriptures and learn about the faith through adult formation - even RCIA if that is your only option - As this is so important to you - in order to keep Satan at bay - so as much of this with your husband as possible … his angst at this process is merely Satan at work … you must both fight him back. Remember - Satan ant to keep you away from being reconciled to Christ and His Church …

you are strong, you have courage and patience is a virtue … 20 years of exile cannot be hurried … and your priest prays for you each day … but if he is like my parish priest - he has lots of people and problems to address …

Welcome Home … All of Heaven is rejoicing

Thank you so much!! I appreciate your advice and support and it has touched me greatly. I know that there are things I could have/should have done to strengthen my acceptance and ability to be patient. I have some sort of resistance, an internal battle if you will, that I am trying so hard to overcome. I don’t seem to be able to do those exact things that will bring me closer to Christ and His Church. I feel like I have been weakened more and more as the time goes on. And yet, to your point, I turned away for 40 years when God never turned away from me. Now I’m feeling ashamed that I have not been able to endure a year and a half of being denied the Holy Eucharist, especially when there are other ways I can experience our Lord and strengthen my relationship with Him.

Another challenge is that my husband is a non-practicing Methodist with no interest in even attending mass with me. Because I live in a small town and there have been several church closings in the area, I’m half an hour away from any of the local Catholic churches. I chose one and just jumped in, not knowing a single person. I am not a very outgoing person, so I have still not gotten to know anyone since it’s too difficult for me to attend functions all alone. None of my friends are Catholic either and all of my family members have re-located down south.

I have very little support and feel very much alone in this, which is why I was looking to my priest for that support. Your are right to say he has lots of people and problems to deal with. Because of closings, he and another priest rotate amongst 4 churches in our parish. He also teaches classes at the Catholic school. I prayed very hard last night to be blessed with understanding and compassion for him. I have had a change of heart since my first post.

Thanks so much for your wise and comforting words!

 

[MaryEllen1951]

Congratulations on your faith and patience.

I’m not sure what you mean by “My entire family switched over to Roman Catholic years later”. Where you not part of the switch, or did they just begin going to a Latin Church but never formally/canonically change Church?

I meant to say they began attending a Latin Church. None of them made a formal change.

I would strongly encourage you to contact directly the Eparchy of the EC you were Baptized into. Eastern Catholic bishops, at least the three I have had some time with, have a much more intimate relationship with their parishes than do most Latin bishops. In any case if they are insisting you are under his jurisdiction then you certainly first and foremost have the right to direct pastoral care from that Eparchy, maybe not the bishop himself, although he might speak with you himself, but someone in that chancery office.

Also, you mentioned that the Latin Church chancery kept in good contact with you about the progress of the annulment process. Our tribunal here is also excellent in terms of being available to answer questions. If you had a particular canonist you were in touch with for that process then he or she also may be able to help sort out what is going on at this point in the process of seeking convalidation.

I’ve not been in any way exposed to an Eastern Catholic marrying someone who went through an annulment. It could be the Eparchy has to review your situation because of the annulment component. Or not. We here can’t know any of that.

It sounds like you have a good relationship with your priest in the Latin Church you are involved with. He is hopefully doing his best. Actually, as hard as it is for you both, 2 1/2 months isn’t that long post granting of the decree of nullity. Has your priest asked you to do any sort of pre-marital counseling? That is not unusal when someone is asking for the sacrament of marriage in the Church, even though in your eyes you are already long married. Didn’t your siblings have to go through pre Cana before they married in the Church? Normally it’s at least 6 months from the time of a request for the Sacrament of Marriage until the wedding.

The annulment took one year. The 2 1/2 months has been the time since the annulment with which I have been waiting for the Chancellor to receive the permissions from the Byzantine Rite.

I asked about pre-marital counseling, and he said it was different since this was a convalidation. He sent us a link to a required questionnaire that we both had to complete. He will go over the results with us, but has not indicated any further steps required for marital preparation.

]May all this in the end enrich your marriage and draw you deeper into your relationship with the Holy Trinity.

Off topic, but has any of this made you think about exploring more of your EC heritage?

No, I have not had any thoughts of this. Also off topic, but as a child, I only remember the services being in Russian so I never understood what was said. What also stands out is all the incense and the older ladies dressed in black wearing babushkas in the back of the church reciting something in Russian (which was most likely the Rosary). It was all very scary to me as a young child and I still remember the fear I felt at about 5 years old when I attended the funeral services for my grandmother. For some reason, all the children sat together up front. The casket was in the center isle as we all filed out to receive oil on our foreheads. I didn’t understand what was happening and I ran to my mother in tears. That was my first experience of death and made me extremely fearful of it.

 

[babochka]

Thank-you for your response. I had thought about contacting the local Byzantine priest to ask about performing the marriage, but I am not sure if it is appropriate since I would have no intention of attending church there anytime. I also wonder if they have different Canon laws regarding annulments, or would they honor the decrees given by the Latin rite’s Tribunal. This is something I will ask my priest about.

My husband and I completed a required questionnaire on-line (called "Fully Engaged’), and at our next meeting our priest will go over the results. He gave me a booklet to use in planning the ceremony and choosing scripture readings. I had asked him if there was anything else required and he had said no. I truly hope there aren’t any more hurdles that even he hadn’t considered!! He seems very inexperienced with all of this, which does add to my frustration.

Even if you don’t want to be married in the Byzantine Church, you might consider contacting a Byzantine priest anyway. Canonically, he is your pastor and has an obligation to you. You might find him to be quite accommodating; at the very least, he is likely to have more experience with this sort of thing than your Latin Rite pastor. Out here in the west, where our parishes and eparchy are microscopic, there tends to be considerably less bureaucracy. I’ve seen situations like yours (in the reverse) handled with a couple of phone calls.

On a bright note, I had the wonderful honor to witness the marriage of two people who have been through a similar journey last Saturday. The process has taken them years. The husband and wife had three previous marriages between them. Their patience and perseverance to make their situation right was an inspiration to our entire parish. The long and sometimes painful experience ultimately strengthened their relationship to the Church and with each other. I will pray for you and your husband, that you have a quick resolution to this situation.

 

[MaryEllen1951]

Even if you don’t want to be married in the Byzantine Church, you might consider contacting a Byzantine priest anyway. Canonically, he is your pastor and has an obligation to you. You might find him to be quite accommodating; at the very least, he is likely to have more experience with this sort of thing than your Latin Rite pastor. Out here in the west, where our parishes and eparchy are microscopic, there tends to be considerably less bureaucracy. I’ve seen situations like yours (in the reverse) handled with a couple of phone calls.

That is good advice, and I will look into it. Thank-you.

On a bright note, I had the wonderful honor to witness the marriage of two people who have been through a similar journey last Saturday. The process has taken them years. The husband and wife had three previous marriages between them. Their patience and perseverance to make their situation right was an inspiration to our entire parish. The long and sometimes painful experience ultimately strengthened their relationship to the Church and with each other. I will pray for you and your husband, that you have a quick resolution to this situation.

Thank-you for your prayers. I do believe that I will look back on this someday and have more clarity on the blessings received through endurance. I’m sad that I haven’t been as strong as I would have liked to be regarding the waiting, and I continue to pray and seek God’s Word to help me.

 

[twf]

I was baptized at SS. Peter and Paul Church in 1951. The church is located at 106 Rogers Avenue, Endicott, NY 13760. Thank-you for any assistance you can give.

Does anyone know which Eparchy this would be?

 

[babochka]

Does anyone know which Eparchy this would be?

It is the Eparchy of Passaic, but that is only relevant if she is still in that area. If she lives elsewhere, her Eparchy and territorial parish would be different.