Small Question

[shlomo3amrooh]

It depends. One point of interest would be when and where were you baptized? Did you receive the Anointing with Holy Myroun at the same time?

Properly speaking, the the 3 Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Anointing with Holy Myroun, and Eucharist) should be given at the same service, and this is how it is done in the SOC. While I’m not 100% certain of how it is handled by the SCC, I am 100% certain that the Syriac Churches in communion with Rome (both the Maronites and the SCC, and for that matter the Chaldean, Syro-Malankara, and Syro-Malabar Churches, too) all suffer from latinizations to a far greater degree than do the Byzantine Churches.

For example, in 1942, the Maronites were planning (and were prepared) to restore the practice of conferring the 3 Sacraments together, but Rome categorically refused to allow it. Eventually, (in the 1960s), the Anointing with Holy Myroun was allowed but, except in cases of adult baptism, still not the Eucharist, which was and is administered according the Latin fashion, at around 7 or 8 years of age. That’s how it stands today. I’d not be surprised if same rule applies to the SCC.

Hi,
I was baptised in the early 90s in the middle east. I came here (a country in the Anglo-sphere) a couple of months later. I’m not sure if I was anointed or confirmed, but i am sure i didn’t receive Eucharist.

There aren’t any Syriac Schools in my new home so I attended a Maronite Catholic school that was run by the Lebanese Maronite Order and was confirmed in second grade and received Eucharist in Third. I had always thought that the school I attended was 'Syro-Maronite (“old style”) ', but I may be mistaken.

 

[Diakonia]

I didn’t mention it because I thought that the praxis might be on its way out, but Syriac Catholics have not uncommonly served the Mystery of the Eucharist according to the Latin timing (one can easily find video and photos on the web to support this). It is my impression, but I’m open to correction if wrong, that these are not instances of ‘First Solemn Communion’ but ‘First Communion’ as Latins would know it.

It was my hope that this was a praxis learned in the diaspora. Most - if not all - Byzantines in the diaspora did it until the 50s but finally got away from it with the post-Vatican II return to our own liturgical and spiritual traditions encouraged by Rome and heartily endorsed by our hierarchs. The Oriental Churches were generally slower to do so - the dismay is in hearing that they were doing it back in the Old Country, which means it was a more ingrained latinization than I realized. Thus, it is going to be harder to leave behind.

 

[Vico]

Hi,

I’m a Syriac Catholic male.

If I marry a Roman Catholic girl will our kids be Syriac Catholic or Roman catholic?

I was speaking to a priest the other day however he was unsure. He said that all our boys would be Syriac Catholic and all our girls would be Roman Catholic even if they were baptised by different rite priests. For eg boys by Roman Catholic priest and girls by Syriac Catholic priest.

Can someone kindly clarify this for me?

No doubt you have read the canons posted here. They mean that, with agreement your children can be enrolled in either or both Church sui iuris. Not mentioned is that you are free to follow the penitential and holy day obligations of either Church sui iuris, in an inter-ecclesial Catholic marriage. There could even be more than two Churches sui iuris represented if there was an adopted child older than 14.

 

[malphono]

I was baptised in the early 90s in the middle east. I came here (a country in the Anglo-sphere) a couple of months later. I’m not sure if I was anointed or confirmed, but i am sure i didn’t receive Eucharist.

OK, from that I would say that it is more than likely that you were “confirmed” at baptism. The OLM would probably be familiar with the SCC practice inside the Patriarchal Territories, but if the baptismal records were unclear, incomplete, or unavailable, it is also likely that you would have received “conditional confirmation” while in school just to be sure.

There aren’t any Syriac Schools in my new home so I attended a Maronite Catholic school that was run by the Lebanese Maronite Order and was confirmed in second grade and received Eucharist in Third. I had always thought that the school I attended was 'Syro-Maronite (“old style”) ', but I may be mistaken.

FYI, there aren’t many Maronite schools in the diaspora either, so you’re probably either in Australia or San Diego. From the time frame, I’d guess it to be most likely the former.

 

[shlomo3amrooh]

FYI, there aren’t many Maronite schools in the diaspora either, so you’re probably either in Australia or San Diego. From the time frame, I’d guess it to be most likely the former.

That was amazing, you really know your community. Very impressive

I have a deep connection with the Maronites and a great amount of respect. I have always admired the ability of Maronites to maintain social cohesion inter-borders as you just demonstrated.

EDIT: There is nothing like attending the Maronite mass and listening to the priests chant “Qadishat Alohoo” in Syriac, it is just amazing.

I pray the Lord will bless you and all the Maronites especially in the levant where they are now experiencing persecution because of their faith. Through the intercession of Mar Charbel, Mar Maroun, Mar Rafqa and Mar Nimitallah.
Amen.