If a Protestant converts to the Catholic Church through an eastern Catholic parish, in what sui iuris church will (s)he be canonically enrolled?

[Fone_Bone_2001]

Is a Protestant who enters the Catholic Church in an eastern Catholic parish, and who becomes a member there, canonically a member of that church or canonically Latin?

I don’t know what the rules are, because I can see it both ways:

On the one hand, if a non-Catholic enters the Church, you’d think they’d be enrolled in the church they join.

On the other hand, Protestants split off from the Latin Church, so I could see how that could be a deciding factor in canon law today.

So which is it? Let’s say a validly baptized Methodist Christian becomes Catholic through a Ruthenian Catholic parish in the United States. Is he then canonically Ruthenian or canonically Latin?

 

[ConstantineTG]

They are canonically Latin. The Latin Church has called “dibs” on all Protestants.

If one is non-Christian, they can enter through any Catholic Church sui juris and become an outright member of that Church.

 

[Peter_J]

So which is it? Let’s say a validly baptized Methodist Christian becomes Catholic through a Ruthenian Catholic parish in the United States. Is he then canonically Ruthenian or canonically Latin?

Assuming he’s a cradle Protestant, he would be enrolled in the Latin Church (by default).

Interestingly enough, there are no policies like that in Orthodoxy. I.e. when non-Orthodox Christians become Orthodox, there’s no “This person used to belong to an Eastern Catholic Church, so we’ll enroll him in X. This other person used to be Latin Catholic, so we’ll enroll her in Y. This other person used to be Protestant, so we’ll enroll him in Z. etc.”

 

[anp1215]

They are canonically Latin. The Latin Church has called “dibs” on all Protestants.

If one is non-Christian, they can enter through any Catholic Church sui juris and become an outright member of that Church.

Really? I’m surprised because I’ve never heard that before.

 

[5Loaves]

Is a Protestant who enters the Catholic Church in an eastern Catholic parish, and who becomes a member there, canonically a member of that church or canonically Latin?

You’ve be given the answer, but just for reference Your Word From The Wise covered this back in December. There are doubtless a number of former Protestants who were Chrismated in an EC parish and therefore believe they are a member of that EC Church sui iuris. We do have priests who don’t like the canon law that covers this and so think they can magically ignore the canon and it’s ok for the faithful to believe they’re ECs. It’s an unfortunate can of worms… :sad_yes:

 

[twf]

I can understand the more “traditional” protestant groups being automatically enrolled in the Latin Church - methodists, presbyterians, lutherans, anglicans etc - arguably their is a certain degree of affinity between their liturgical/theological traditions and those of the Latin Church. In the case of Pentecostals and Evangelicals, however, who have noooo liturgical tradition whatsoever and whose theologies are so foreign to apostolic tradition that we tend to talk past each other, I don’t see the logic at all.