So as it turns out, my pastor is a Syro-Malabar Catholic

[jwinch2]

Interestingly, after I finished giving a confession today, I was speaking with my pastor and somehow the topic came up that he was brought up and ordained in the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church rather than the Roman Catholic Church. He later attained faculties in the Latin Church as well and was sent to the United States via a request through his order, the Heralds of Good News (HGN).

Anyway, not that this is a big deal either way, but I found it interesting and thought I would share. We are very fortunate at our parish to have a really good pastor so I really could not care less which rite he is originally from. After our conversation, I did a bit of quick reading on the Syro-Malabar Catholics but don’t know too much from the little bit of looking I did.

That’s all. No real news here!

 

[ConstantineTG]

Interestingly, after I finished giving a confession today, I was speaking with my pastor and somehow the topic came up that he was brought up and ordained in the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church rather than the Roman Catholic Church. He later attained faculties in the Latin Church as well and was sent to the United States via a request through his order, the Heralds of Good News (HGN).

Anyway, not that this is a big deal either way, but I found it interesting and thought I would share. We are very fortunate at our parish to have a really good pastor so I really could not care less which rite he is originally from. After our conversation, I did a bit of quick reading on the Syro-Malabar Catholics but don’t know too much from the little bit of looking I did.

That’s all. No real news here!

Does he still celebrate in their Rite?

I had a similar story when in my past RC parish we had a usual substitute priest who I asked to do baptism for my child as our pastor was on leave. He declined saying he didn’t know how to perform the Latin Rite baptism as he is Chaldean. He has a regular Chaldean congregation but because he is under the care of the Latin diocese, he helps out in the Latin Rite parishes during his “free” time whenever a substitute priest is needed.

 

[twf]

My first Catholic pastor (Latin Church) was born (baptized/confirmed) into the Syro-Malabar Church, but I believe he was ordained for the Latin Church as his first priestly ministry was as a Latin mission priest in northern India well outside of the traditional Syro-Malabar canonical territory. He is now pastor of the largest parish in the neighbouring Latin diocese here in Canada. Great priest- but thoroughly Latin to the bone in every way as far as I can tell.

 

[jwinch2]

Does he still celebrate in their Rite?

I had a similar story when in my past RC parish we had a usual substitute priest who I asked to do baptism for my child as our pastor was on leave. He declined saying he didn’t know how to perform the Latin Rite baptism as he is Chaldean. He has a regular Chaldean congregation but because he is under the care of the Latin diocese, he helps out in the Latin Rite parishes during his “free” time whenever a substitute priest is needed.

Not here, although he might when he travels. I know he did serve in a Syro-Malabar parish when he was originally ordained for a few years but the only Catholics where I am at are Latin, though we do have two Orthodox Churches in town.

I did ask him if he gravitates more towards Eastern Spirituality in his own prayer life since that was his upbringing and his training in seminary. His response was that they are really not that different except in how they are expressed and explained. I found that interesting…

 

[thequeen]

That is so neat I know a priest here in our diocese that is biordained into both the latin rite and the Ukranian rite,so he knows how to do the sacraments in both rites.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Not here, although he might when he travels. I know he did serve in a Syro-Malabar parish when he was originally ordained for a few years but the only Catholics where I am at are Latin, though we do have two Orthodox Churches in town.

I did ask him if he gravitates more towards Eastern Spirituality in his own prayer life since that was his upbringing and his training in seminary. His response was that they are really not that different except in how they are expressed and explained. I found that interesting…

I can’t comment on that, I don’t know much about Syro-Malabar spirituality.

 

[ConstantineTG]

That is so neat I know a priest here in our diocese that is biordained into both the latin rite and the Ukranian rite,so he knows how to do the sacraments in both rites.

Bi-ritual faculties is the right term. They are not ordained into each Rite, they are ordained once into the priesthood. They are given faculties, usually with permission from the Vatican to celebrate Liturgy and Sacramental Rites in a different Rite than the one they belong to.

 

[JRRTFAN]

Interestingly, after I finished giving a confession today, I was speaking with my pastor and somehow the topic came up that he was brought up and ordained in the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church rather than the Roman Catholic Church. He later attained faculties in the Latin Church as well and was sent to the United States via a request through his order, the Heralds of Good News (HGN).

Anyway, not that this is a big deal either way, but I found it interesting and thought I would share. We are very fortunate at our parish to have a really good pastor so I really could not care less which rite he is originally from. After our conversation, I did a bit of quick reading on the Syro-Malabar Catholics but don’t know too much from the little bit of looking I did.

That’s all. No real news here!

Our new Parochial Vicar is a Syro-Malabaran Rite Catholic. He actually has a Syro-Malabaran Mass on Sunday afternoon. My suspicion is that there are enough Indians in our area (a huge Hindu temple) that the Catholics needed a priest and he agreed to be our PV in exchange for a place to minister.

I think it’s great and intend to go to one of his Syro-Malabaran masses soon.

He’s written 3 books on how to make a good homily, which is reflected in his, which are very good. The man is struggling with his English so you have to listen, but there is no balogna in them - none of the “When I was a kid and my brother would beat me up I used to …” type homily, just straight Scripture. I am a fan of Indian priests, I have never yet met one who was not outstanding.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I am a fan of Indian priests, I have never yet met one who was not outstanding.

Come visit me…

 

[jwinch2]

I am a fan of Indian priests, I have never yet met one who was not outstanding.

We had one at our old parish as well and both have been wonderful. Ours is very orthodox from what I have seen, and gives a great homily. Oh, and he is very funny.

 

[5Loaves]

We have a combined parish (two churches) pastored by two priests from East India and I’m pretty sure they are both Syro-Malabar. They are both wonderful priests with a great sense of joy.

The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church is the second largest Eastern Catholic Church, after the UGCC.

 

[5Loaves]

Bi-ritual faculties is the right term. They are not ordained into each Rite, they are ordained once into the priesthood. They are given faculties, usually with permission from the Vatican to celebrate Liturgy and Sacramental Rites in a different Rite than the one they belong to.

We had a wonderful UGC ordained to the priesthood a year and a half ago as a Dominican. He has permanent faculties in both the Latin and the UGC Churches. As I understand it when our Latin priests obtain faculties to another rite those are temporary and have to be renewed in some way. Then there are those like our Latin Jesuits who were trained at the Russicum and ordained in our Russian Church and, I believe, then had bi-ritual faculties to the Latin Church granted them. I think it was Diakonia who posted a correction for me about this, I’m not sure where.

 

[Alexander_Roman]

Catholic priests with bi-ritual faculties have it easy, in my view, given the great distinctions between the Latin and Eastern Rites.

The Russian Orthodox Church has two Rites - the Old Rite and the New. They are very similar, of course, and the differences are subtle (one uses two fingers to make the Sign of the Cross while the other uses three).

There have been, and are, Russian Orthodox priests who are “bi-ritual” and serve parishes of both Rites.

Now that is a challenge!

Alex

 

[Vico]

That is so neat I know a priest here in our diocese that is biordained into both the latin rite and the Ukranian rite,so he knows how to do the sacraments in both rites.

There is bi-ritual and also adaptation of rite. A papal indult of adaptation of rite may be obtained from the Congregation for the Eastern Churches to permit a cleric to observe a different rite than of his own Church sui iuris. It is needed because per CCEO Canon 40 we are bound to observe our own rite everywhere and to acquire a greater knowledge of it. (See p. 9, “Inter-Ecclesial Relations Between Eastern and Latin Catholics”, CSLA, by Gallaro).