Melkite Greek Catholics

[Diak]

The Code of Canon Law for Eastern Churches was promulgated by the authority of Pope John Paul II. If the Pope didn’t approve it, it would not be effective.

The Pope had very little to do with the Constantinopolitan or other Eastern Catholic liturgical and spiritual traditions. But he certainly is a fan of them (c.f. Orientale Lumen).

 

[diggerdomer]

The Pope had very little to do with the Constantinopolitan or other Eastern Catholic liturgical and spiritual traditions. But he certainly is a fan of them (c.f. Orientale Lumen).

He’s not only a fan of them, but with respect to Eastern Catholic liturgical traditions he is the supreme legislator and authority for them.

 

[ciero]

He’s not only a fan of them, but with respect to Eastern Catholic liturgical traditions he is the supreme legislator and authority for them.

The Pope is NOT the supreme legislator and authority for ANY Eastern Catholic, thank you very much. We as Eastern Catholic Churches have our own Patriarchs, Major Archbishops or Metropolitans who are our legislators & Authority. These heads of Churches choose to be in communion with the pope of Rome.

 

[diggerdomer]

The Pope is NOT the supreme legislator and authority for ANY Eastern Catholic, thank you very much. We as Eastern Catholic Churches have our own Patriarchs, Major Archbishops or Metropolitans who are our legislators & Authority. These heads of Churches choose to be in communion with the pope of Rome.

Sorry, didn’t mean to offend. I may not have correctly expressed what I was thinking.

My point was that all Catholics are under the governance of the Pope. While the way that governance is exercised may vary in some ways among the different Catholic Rites, in the end all Catholics acknowledge the jurisdiction of the Pope. This is a different view than the Orthodox or other Christian communities consider the role of the Pope.

Is that a better way of saying it?

 

[ciero]

Sorry, didn’t mean to offend. I may not have correctly expressed what I was thinking.

My point was that all Catholics are under the governance of the Pope. While the way that governance is exercised may vary in some ways among the different Catholic Rites, in the end all Catholics acknowledge the jurisdiction of the Pope. This is a different view than the Orthodox or other Christian communities consider the role of the Pope.

Is that a better way of saying it?

Actually no. We Eastern Catholics are in communion with the pope. Our own synods, council of hierarchs or whatever form of government each particular church has is our jurisdiction. We CHOOSE to be in communion with the pope…

 

[Melkite_Sword]

Sorry, didn’t mean to offend. I may not have correctly expressed what I was thinking.

My point was that all Catholics are under the governance of the Pope. While the way that governance is exercised may vary in some ways among the different Catholic Rites, in the end all Catholics acknowledge the jurisdiction of the Pope. This is a different view than the Orthodox or other Christian communities consider the role of the Pope.

Is that a better way of saying it?

You are correct… i don’t know what other people on this forum are raving about. If this wasn’t true we couldn’t be Catholic.

Peace

 

[Hesychios]

… in the end all Catholics acknowledge the jurisdiction of the Pope. This is a different view than the Orthodox or other Christian communities consider the role of the Pope.

I am assuming here that you are a Melkite in North America.

If you are perhaps Ruthenian, Syro-Malabar, Maronite I would say my comments even more certain.

The Pope arguably has the right to suppress your synod if he finds it appropriate (would that be a stupid thing to do? Yes! The bishops might quit the church). He claims complete control whether he chooses to exercise it or not.

It was true that your predecessors chose to be in communion with Rome, but that was a long time ago and now your church is under Rome and there is no getting away from that.

The bishop of Rome not only has the keys of Peter, he has the keys to your temple and a lien on the title. If you all walked out he could sell the building.

If he is smart he won’t do anything to rock the boat and cause people like you to quit and organize another church, but to me it really looks as though it is not possible to assert that one is ‘in communion’ but not ‘under’ the Pope with any credibility.

Sorry to say that’s just how it is.

 

[malphono]

I am assuming here that you are a Melkite in North America.

If you are perhaps Ruthenian, Syro-Malabar, Maronite I would say my comments even more certain.

The Pope arguably has the right to suppress your synod if he finds it appropriate (would that be a stupid thing to do? Yes! The bishops might quit the church). He claims complete control whether he chooses to exercise it or not.

It was true that your predecessors chose to be in communion with Rome, but that was a long time ago and now your church is under Rome and there is no getting away from that.

The bishop of Rome not only has the keys of Peter, he has the keys to your temple and a lien on the title. If you all walked out he could sell the building.

If he is smart he won’t do anything to rock the boat and cause people like you to quit and organize another church, but to me it really looks as though it is not possible to assert that one is ‘in communion’ but not ‘under’ the Pope with any credibility.

Sorry to say that’s just how it is.

Well, as all our “regulars” well know, I am certainly not a Melkite, yet I have to agree in principle with [post=6441466]ciero[/post]. All of this was part of a [thread=349702]thread[/thread] here a while back, so there’s no need to repeat now what I said then.

 

[ciero]

Well, as all our “regulars” well know, I am certainly not a Melkite, yet I have to agree in principle with [post=6441466]ciero[/post]. All of this was part of a [thread=349702]thread[/thread] here a while back, so there’s no need to repeat now what I said then.

There is a great booklet put out by the Eastern Catholic Pastoral Association outlining all of this. The One Church and the Communion of Churches. I highly recommend it.

 

[malphono]

There is a great booklet put out by the Eastern Catholic Pastoral Association outlining all of this. The One Church and the Communion of Churches. I highly recommend it.

Interesting … and the author is a Maronite. Anyway, I found it on Amazon but since I don’t shop online, I’ll keep my eye out for it in a used bookstore.

 

[jimmy]

Interesting … and the author is a Maronite. Anyway, I found it on Amazon but since I don’t shop online, I’ll keep my eye out for it in a used bookstore.

What is this booklet called?

 

[malphono]

What is this booklet called?

Just as ciero said, it’s The One Church and the Communion of Churches. It’s by Fr Antoine Bakh. Copy and paste the title in Google and it’ll take you to Amazon (if you’re into “on-line shopping”) .

 

[ciero]

Just as ciero said, it’s The One Church and the Communion of Churches. It’s by Fr Antoine Bakh. Copy and paste the title in Google and it’ll take you to Amazon (if you’re into “on-line shopping”) .

I spoke to Fr. Antoine today and he told me the booklet is out of print, it is being updated and will be published later this year.

 

[malphono]

I spoke to Fr. Antoine today and he told me the booklet is out of print, it is being updated and will be published later this year.

Thanks. I know who he is but have never met him (at least not that I recall.) BTW, did he say what was being “updated” in the new edition? The word “updated” in connection with anything Maronite always sends a chill up my spine.

 

[diggerdomer]

Actually no. We Eastern Catholics are in communion with the pope. Our own synods, council of hierarchs or whatever form of government each particular church has is our jurisdiction. We CHOOSE to be in communion with the pope…

Thank you. I guess my point was to note that all Catholics acknowledge the role of the Bishop of Rome (the Pope) as distinct from non-Catholics (Orthodox, Protestant, etc.) who do not agree similarly. Thanks again.