Question on Byzantine Catholicism

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Cyrillic

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So I was wondering for the Catholics, and especially the Latins, here. If someone would have an eastern faith and doesn’t like how the latins are doing things (scholasticism, legalism, purgatory etc. etc.) and there is no Byzantine Catholic parish in the entire country, what would you advice them?

When I had to decide between Rome and Orthodoxy many told me to go Byzantine Catholic because then I would have “the best of both worlds” but in my entire country there is no real Eastern Catholic church (there are some Latin LARPers, though). I am happy that my phase of having to make a decision for Rome or Orthodoxy is over now, but I’m still wondering what the Catholics would advice to other people who might end up in a situation like I was in.
 
Depends on how much one wants to live the Byzantine faith. I know a group in the Philippines who are patiently waiting for an Eastern Catholic Church. There is a Greek Orthodox Church there and of course the country is mostly Roman Catholic. From the group of people I know, I haven’t heard of anyone converting to Orthodoxy. A UGCC priest will visit this November, we’ll see where that goes. I’m not even sure the RC hierarchy would want an Eastern Church in their territory.
 
Cyrillic said:
Yes. It’s either Orthodox or Latin here.
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Cyrillic, I am not sure if they have it in the Netherlands but it might be something to look into, see if they have an Ordinariate for Eastern Rites over there. I was looking for you, but I didn’t see if they had anything like that, of course I am here in the US so the search want to look for it in the US. lol I hope that helps! 🙂
 
Ignatius_Maron said:
Cyrillic, I am not sure if they have it in the Netherlands but it might be something to look into, see if they have an Ordinariate for Eastern Rites over there. I was looking for you, but I didn’t see if they had anything like that, of course I am here in the US so the search want to look for it in the US. lol I hope that helps! 🙂
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Wiki says no. So, there is no “via media” (lol) in the Netherlands.
 
Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth. Every present, and filling all things. Treasury of Blessings, and Giver of Life. That’s one piece of advice I’d give. Second is to read the Early Fathers, the go from there. Thirdly, pray about it. Some people check out the complementary rite(s) for their own reasons. Check to see if your reasons are sincere, with respect to staying devoted in one rite, over another. Because, there are no benefits if doing one thing, or another, for simply the wrong reason(s).
 
Oh, yes, the Fathers. I’ve read them a lot. I prefer the works of St. Gregory of Nyssa, but St. Ambrose’s commentary on the Gospel of Luke is brilliant. I’ve made my decision for Orthodoxy already, but I was wondering what you would have adviced people who’re in my position and still have to choose.
 
Cyrillic said:
Wiki says no. So, there is no “via media” (lol) in the Netherlands.
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Man, I was hoping that they had something. I though about something else, check if there is a priest in your area with biritual faculties. There was a priest at my local Latin parish for a few years, he was Syro-Malabar and Latin rite, he would do the Qurbana for the people in my area who where Syro-Malabar. I hope it helps! 🙂 Also are you Catholic or Orthodox?
 
Ignatius_Maron said:
Man, I was hoping that they had something. I though about something else, check if there is a priest in your area with biritual faculties. There was a priest at my local Latin parish for a few years, he was Syro-Malabar and Latin rite, he would do the Qurbana for the people in my area who where Syro-Malabar. I hope it helps! 🙂 Also are you Catholic or Orthodox?
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An inquirer into Orthodoxy.
 
Cyrillic said:
made my decision for Orthodoxy already
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That answered my question. 😛 - a little embarrassed now lol Well if you ever want to come in to communion with the Catholic church, from me personally, you are always welcome!

My prayers are with you while you undergo this Spiritual journey 🙂
 
Cyrillic said:
Oh, yes, the Fathers. I’ve read them a lot. I prefer the works of St. Gregory of Nyssa, but St. Ambrose’s commentary on the Gospel of Luke is brilliant. I’ve made my decision for Orthodoxy already, but I was wondering what you would have adviced people who’re in my position and still have to choose.
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Still the same advice, as the post above yours :). If someone has a family, it’s a little tricky. But I’m reminded of the Bible passage where Christ said he didn’t come to bring peace, but a sword. He came to set a son against his Father, a daughter against her mother. Basically, it came down to who loved who more: Christ, or that family member. Then again, this can be taken out of context.
 
lssanjose said:
Still the same advice, as the post above yours :). If someone has a family, it’s a little tricky. But I’m reminded of the Bible passage where Christ said he didn’t come to bring peace, but a sword. He came to set a son against his Father, a daughter against her mother. Basically, it came down to who loved who more: Christ, or that family member. Then again, this can be taken out of context.
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🙂

Yes, you’re right, I guess.
 
ConstantineTG said:
I’m not even sure the RC hierarchy would want an Eastern Church in their territory.
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Are the RC bishops allowed to “veto” an EC Church in their territory? If there is a ready congregation and a willing EC or bi-ritual priest, is the RC Bishop legally allowed to prohibit the priest celebrating the DL? (Assuming the priest is otherwise able to celebrate Mass/DL.)
 
Cyrillic said:
Well, Constantine, suppose then that you were in that situation 🙂
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I was curious about Orthodoxy for a long time and knew about Orthodoxy before I knew about Eastern Catholic Churches. Had I known about the Orthodox Church in Manila before I lert the country, I could have been Orthodox then.

Perhaps it is God’s will that I am in the Ukrainian Catholic Church, and continue to do so.
 
sasg said:
Are the RC bishops allowed to “veto” an EC Church in their territory? If there is a ready congregation and a willing EC or bi-ritual priest, is the RC Bishop legally allowed to prohibit the priest celebrating the DL? (Assuming the priest is otherwise able to celebrate Mass/DL.)
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This was the issue in previous decades here in North America. The RC views North America to be their territory so there was a lot of bitter battles between RC and EC bishops that resulted in some defections and some bad blood between East and West bishops. That is slowly being undone today here in places where the ECs have been around for a long time. I don’t know what will be the case in places where there is no current EC parish. I mean, there is a Syro-Malankara priest in the Philippines but he is biritual and only allowed to publicly celebrate a Holy Qurbana once or twice a year by the Latin bishop he is under.
 
lssanjose said:
Still the same advice, as the post above yours :). If someone has a family, it’s a little tricky. But I’m reminded of the Bible passage where Christ said he didn’t come to bring peace, but a sword. He came to set a son against his Father, a daughter against her mother. Basically, it came down to who loved who more: Christ, or that family member. Then again, this can be taken out of context.
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That is a hard passage to exegete. Does God really want us to abandon our families? What about our own commitment to building up their spirituality?
 
ConstantineTG said:
sasg;9830219:
Are the RC bishops allowed to “veto” an EC Church in their territory? If there is a ready congregation and a willing EC or bi-ritual priest, is the RC Bishop legally allowed to prohibit the priest celebrating the DL? (Assuming the priest is otherwise able to celebrate Mass/DL.)
Click to expand...
This was the issue in previous decades here in North America. The RC views North America to be their territory so there was a lot of bitter battles between RC and EC bishops that resulted in some defections and some bad blood between East and West bishops. That is slowly being undone today here in places where the ECs have been around for a long time. I don’t know what will be the case in places where there is no current EC parish. I mean, there is a Syro-Malankara priest in the Philippines but he is biritual and only allowed to publicly celebrate a Holy Qurbana once or twice a year by the Latin bishop he is under.
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Yes, North America is generally considered to be part of the canonical West, but what you are speaking of seems to revolve around the infamous Bishop Ireland affair. One must keep in mind, though, that that was prior to the establishment of any Eastern jurisdiction in North America, so one cannot say that there was “bad blood” between Latin and Eastern bishops simply because there were no Eastern bishops. (It’s most unfortunate that the upshot of the Bishop Ireland affair is still with us, but that’s another matter for another thread.)

I believe, however, that a bi-ritual priest may celebrate in whichever rite he chooses, provided he has appropriate faculties to celebrate at all in a particular diocese. If a bi-ritual Syro-Malankara priest (and that’s somewhat unusual – the vast majority of bi-ritual Malayali clergy are Syro-Malabar, but never mind that) is serving in a Latin diocese, he does not in any way abandon his own Church, ergo he does not forfeit the right to offer the Holy Oblation according to its books. The same is true of bi-ritual Latin priests serving in a parish of Eastern/Oriental jurisdiction. Yes, their primary responsibility is to serve the needs of the diocese but they most certainly may celebrate according to the rites of their own Church as they are able.
 
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