Contarini:
with the exception of the Maronites the other churches are fragments of their mother churches which have broken off and sought communion with Rome.
Edwin,
Actually, the Byzantine Italo-Greico-Albanian Catholic Church
sui iuris has no Orthodox counterpart, as it has never been separated from Rome.
Contarini:
These churches do not enjoy full autonomy (for instance, a Latin Rite bishop has to be present at all Byzantine Rite consecrations, if I’m not mistaken). They are not treated as full equals. Ask one of them! The fact is, whether you like it or not, that the Roman Rite does have a dominant and normative status in the Catholic Church, and any claim otherwise is sheer propaganda.
The degree of autonomy exercised by Eastern and Oriental Catholic Churches
sui iuris indeed varies from one “type” of Church to another, with Patriarchal Churches
sui iuris enjoying essentially full autonomy within the historical territories of the patriarchate - somewhat less in the diaspora. However, you are absolutely mistaken in your assertion that a Latin Rite bishop has to be present at all Byzantine Rite consecrations. As a practical matter, in the diaspora, one or more Latin Rite bishops are frequently present,
as guests, at episcopal ordinations of Byzantine (and other Eastern/Oriental) hierarchs (as are our bishops at Latin Rite consecrations). Notably, Orthodox bishops are frequently present and sometimes hierarchs of other Churches (Anglican, Lutheran, etc), as well. In the historic territories of the patriarchates, in particular, the presence of a Latin Rite hierarch is rare, as there are few, if any, available to be invited as guests.
Are the Eastern Churches
sui iuris full equals? We are. A week ago, I functioned as the unofficial master of protocol for the enthronement of a Melkite Eparch. The procession of hierarchs included approximately 10 Eastern/Oriental hierarchs from across the US, Canada, and South America, and roughly the same number of Latin hierarchs, all of whom were from the dioceses in the neighboring 6 state area. The order of precedence for the hierarchs in procession was established using the same criterion for each, regardless of
sui iuris Church, - the bishop’s date of episcopal ordination. After them, was to have processed a Metropolitan of the Greek Orthodox Church (he had to cancel at the last minute and sent a prelate to represent him), followed by a Latin Metropolitan Archbishop and a Ukrainian Metropolitan Archeparch. After them, the Latin Metropolitan Archbishop of the locale in which the enthronement took place (accorded a precedence
ad honorem because he is the successor in office to someone who was particularly instrumental in the erection of our first canonical jurisdiction in the US) and then, the Metropolitan Archeparch of the Byzantine Ruthenians, accorded precedence by virtue of being the presiding hierarch of a
sui iuris Church. The Apostolic Nuncio to the US was next, followed by the Patriarch of Antioch & All the East, of Alexandria & Jerusalem of the Melkite Greek-Catholics, the presiding hierarch of our Church and the “ranking” hierarch in attendance.
Admittedly, there are some limitations on the autonomy of our Churches in the diaspora; we look forward to the day, hopefully soon, that such will disappear. But, to label our
sui iuris status as propaganda is incorrect.
Many years,
Neil