I dont know anything about Eastern Catholicism

[Dempsey1919]

The other reason is that, ideally, the Vatican is a Latin administrative center. Though the universal Pope is there, it has traditionally been the place for Latin business. Eastern Catholics have their own administrative centers and hierarchies (though all are with the Pope) and their business is conducted in those places by those hierarchs.

Are the Eastern Catholic Bisops communicate directly to the Pope?

As you said, the Roman rite is vastly larger than all of the Eastern rites. I think this is one of the reasons why the latin theological positions have been favoured over their eastern counterparts. Would you agree?

Also, were the Eastern rite leaders present at Vatican II and are their official documents written in Greek?

 

[Deacon_Ed]

Are the Eastern Catholic Bisops communicate directly to the Pope?

I’m not sure what you mean here. Eastern Bishops are appointed by the pope if the Church does not have a synodal structure. If you mean are they in communion with Rome, the answer is yes.

As you said, the Roman rite is vastly larger than all of the Eastern rites. I think this is one of the reasons why the latin theological positions have been favoured over their eastern counterparts. Would you agree?

I’m not sure that, in all cases, “Latin theological positions” are favored. Certainly the Catechism of the Catholic Church is written from a Latin perspective, but Eastern understandings are as validly Catholic as Latin understandings.

Also, were the Eastern rite leaders present at Vatican II and are their official documents written in Greek?

YEs, Eastern Catholic Bishops (the term “rite” is not appropriate here as it refers to a way of worshipping and bishops are associated with churches, not rites) were present at the Second Vatican Council. The most prominent was Patriarch Maximos of the Melkite Church. His “interventions” (speeches) were given in French because the Melkites do not use Latin and because Arabic (the language of the Melkites) was not as commonly understood as French. The acta (official records) of the Council are all in Latin, none are in Greek.

Deacon Ed

 

[Dempsey1919]

I’m not sure that, in all cases, “Latin theological positions” are favored. Certainly the Catechism of the Catholic Church is written from a Latin perspective, but Eastern understandings are as validly Catholic as Latin understandings.

I would agree that they are just as valid, but why aren’t they given the same exposure? I see no contradiction between latin and eastern theology; they are just different ways of looking at things. They express the same truths, just in a different way.

It would be nice to see more discussions on eastern theology. The whole Church would benefit from this. It would be great if the Catechism contained more eastern influences. The theology of the east and west are simply two sides of the same coin. At least that’s the way I look at it.

 

[Ghosty]

I would agree that they are just as valid, but why aren’t they given the same exposure? I see no contradiction between latin and eastern theology; they are just different ways of looking at things. They express the same truths, just in a different way.

It would be nice to see more discussions on eastern theology. The whole Church would benefit from this. It would be great if the Catechism contained more eastern influences. The theology of the east and west are simply two sides of the same coin. At least that’s the way I look at it.

Well, the Catholic Church is moving forward by leaps and bounds in this regard. The Patriarch of Constantinople (Eastern Orthodox) is even invited to give the key-note address to the next Catholic Synod of Bishops (he was invited by Pope Benedict personally).

We’ve still a long way to go, but we’re way ahead of where we were a generation ago. WAY ahead.

Peace and God bless!

 

[Aramis]

Are the Eastern Catholic Bisops communicate directly to the Pope?

All catholic diocesan bishops are expected to submit reports to the pope, and if under a patriarch, to the patriarch as well, and if under an Metropolitan-Archbishop, to their Metropolitan-Archbishop as well. In the Roman church, this means about 2 bishops report to Patriarchs other than the Pope, and the rest to the pope directly.

ISTR that those under patriarchs are allowed to send their reports to Rome via their patriarch, but I need to check canon law on that…

The Bishops of the Sui Iuris Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan of Pittsburgh (the Ruthenian Church) do report to rome… and lack a patriarch. Our primatial bishop is our metropolitan-archbishop, Basil. But our bishops report to both the Pope and to Metropolitan Basil.

As you said, the Roman rite is vastly larger than all of the Eastern rites. I think this is one of the reasons why the latin theological positions have been favoured over their eastern counterparts. Would you agree?

I think a good part of it also traces to a Eurocentrism in the 18th and 19th centuries, and to a wave of violence against the Catholics in the East, plus the separation of the rest of the East into Orthodoxy. Islam, Soviet Socialism (misnomer commonly used: Communism), and protestantism have combined to make a far worse fate for many of the Eastern Catholic churches than most can image. Even now, Catholics are attacked every day by radicalized muslims, simply for being law abiding Catholic Christians. Many martyrs.

Blessed Martyr Rev. Father Ragheed, Pray for Us!

Also, were the Eastern rite leaders present at Vatican II and are their official documents written in Greek?

Yes, the Eastern Churches were represented at V II by their bishops and patriarchs. Its said that the Melkite patriach was quite involved in the process at V II.

I don’t thinkg there were greek documents, but I’m not certain.

 

[Christy74]

Hey- I’m a little confused too. I always thought that there was only ONE Catholic church, but now I am reading that there are differant branches of it?

Here is maybe a simply way to understand it. The Church is a Family. Just as there is “One” Clinton Family, there are different members within the Clinton Family - each with their own personalities, looks, etc.: Hillary, Bill & Chelsie (by the way, I do not like the Politics of this family, simply giving an example).

Just the same there is One Christian Church. According to the CCC, one becomes a member of that One Church by Baptism into Christ in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit…this would include all Catholics, all Orthodox and most Protestants. All are members of this One Church Family. Now, they each have different personalities and appearance based on their different Traditions, but they are all members of the One Church (at least according to the CCC).

When they get into disputes about things, don’t get along, then there is division with in the One Church Family, but it never fails to continue to be the One Family aka One Church.

The one thing I always took pride in about being Catholic was that it was the universal church and no matter where you went it would be the same mass…

You can continue to take pride that no matter where you go, if there is a Roman Catholic Church, then you will experience a Roman Catholic Mass although it may be different as there are a few different Roman Catholic Masses which are accepted today: example the Norvus Ordo & the Triditiene (please forgive misspellings).

If you go somewhere that there is not a Roman Catholic Church, then you can experience an Eastern Catholic or Coptic Catholic Church, etc. or an Orthodox Church as these are the only members of the “Family” which still maintain the valid Sacraments sometimes called Mysteries.

Protestants, although still part of the One Family aka One Church, have lost all but Baptism and Matrimony as far as Sacraments go. They also, mostly, don’t recognize the fact that they are a part of our One Family aka One Church. They are rebellious kind of like a teenager who ran away and is trying to take on his or her own identity…yet despite all this, they still are part of the One Family, the One Church according to the CCC.