Transferring Rites

[Herculees]

Does anyone know how easy it is to transfer rites? I was born and raised a Roman Catholic, and know one can attend any rite of the Catholic Church to fulfill one’s obligation, however, I feel I really identify with the Maronite tradition and already consider myself a Maronite. When people ask what denomination I belong to I find myself having to give long explanations. I’d rather to be able able to say honestly that I am a Maronite Catholic/Eastern Rite Catholic.

 

[Casilda]

You must obtain permission of the local Latin ordinary (the bishop) and I assume you have taken classes on Eastern Catholicism with the Maronite priest who will be accepting you.

I was able to transfer by way of marriage, I married a Maronite.

 

[e_c]

Does anyone know how easy it is to transfer rites? I was born and raised a Roman Catholic, and know one can attend any rite of the Catholic Church to fulfill one’s obligation, however, I feel I really identify with the Maronite tradition and already consider myself a Maronite. When people ask what denomination I belong to I find myself having to give long explanations. I’d rather to be able able to say honestly that I am a Maronite Catholic/Eastern Rite Catholic.

These are not denominations. They are Rites, or Churches. If you didn’t know that, you might want to slow down in trying to change… It should probably not be something you do “just because.” Have you talked with the pastor of your parish about this at all?

As for ease, there are a number of ways, but the only one that is probably available to you is by direct permission from your current ordinary (and I believe the hierarch of whatever eparchy you would enter through). But Canon 112 was just changed, albeit seemingly not that significantly, but you should go talk to the pastor of the Maronite parish you attend to clarify any doubts… and it would just be helpful in general.

 

[SyroMalankara]

Does anyone know how easy it is to transfer rites? I was born and raised a Roman Catholic, and know one can attend any rite of the Catholic Church to fulfill one’s obligation, however, I feel I really identify with the Maronite tradition and already consider myself a Maronite. When people ask what denomination I belong to I find myself having to give long explanations. I’d rather to be able able to say honestly that I am a Maronite Catholic/Eastern Rite Catholic.

It’s fairly easy to transfer East-ward. If you are already regularly attending, and have been for a year or more, tell your priest, he will inform your bishop, who will contact the Latin bishop and inform him. That’s it.

 

[Herculees]

Thank you SyroMalankara! Yes, I have been attending the Maronite Church now for the past five years.

Herculees

 

[benjamindt]

Why do you even need permission? What’s the point of that? If someone really wanted to change why would they need a bishop to okay it? It seems a person could “become protestant” then come back as eastern catholic if some bishop refused to “let you leave the latin rite”. Besides, in America it seems less like a latin rite and more like a separate american rite.

 

[Herculees]

One does not need permission from one’s Bishop in order to attend Mass to fulfill one’s obligation nor does a Roman Catholic who marries someone who belong to any of the Eastern Rite Catholic Church need to request a transfer as they automatically become what ever Eastern Rite church their spouse belongs to IF married in that Eastern Rite Church.

If anyone who is NOT married to someone in any of the Eastern Rite churches then one who desires to switch must get permission from the Latin Rite Bishop. It is much easier to transfer into an Eastern Rite church than it is to transfer into the Latin Rite church. When I spoke to the Latin Rite Pastoral Center I was told that those who transfer into the Latin Rite must complete 6 different applications over a 2 year period. One who belongs to the Latin Rite church who desires to switch into an Eastern Rite church needs only to write a letter requesting a transfer. I believe this is because very few Latin Rite members request a transfer.

Herculees

 

[SyroMalankara]

Why do you even need permission? What’s the point of that? If someone really wanted to change why would they need a bishop to okay it? It seems a person could “become protestant” then come back as eastern catholic if some bishop refused to “let you leave the latin rite”. Besides, in America it seems less like a latin rite and more like a separate american rite.

Wouldnt work. Once a member of a particular church, if you “become protestant” and return, you’ll return as a member of the church you originally joined. You can worship in any Catholic Church, but you are a member of the one to which you belong. Its paralleled in Judaism, your mom makes you Jewish, your dad assigns your tribe. In Catholicism, your baptism in the church makes you Catholic, your father or church of adoption (if a convert) determines which particular sui juris church you belong to. You can’t exist as Catholic outside one of these

 

[Casilda]

I was told that those who transfer into the Latin Rite must complete 6 different applications over a 2 year period. One who belongs to the Latin Rite church who desires to switch into an Eastern Rite church needs only to write a letter requesting a transfer. I believe this is because very few Latin Rite members request a transfer.

Well, that explains a lot (where’s the red tape emoji?) Why do I know so many Latin to EC transferees? I know a lot of Latin to EO, too

 

[Vico]

Does anyone know how easy it is to transfer rites? I was born and raised a Roman Catholic, and know one can attend any rite of the Catholic Church to fulfill one’s obligation, however, I feel I really identify with the Maronite tradition and already consider myself a Maronite. When people ask what denomination I belong to I find myself having to give long explanations. I’d rather to be able able to say honestly that I am a Maronite Catholic/Eastern Rite Catholic.

If your current Bishop and the receiving Bishop agree, it is possible, per canon law. It is only official once a public declaration is made before witnesses. There have been many in my parish, and there is an affidavit signed by the person and the witnesses.

The canon law has:

CCEO Canon 29

1. By virtue of baptism, a child who has not yet completed his fourteenth year of age is enrolled in the Church sui iuris of the Catholic father; or the Church sui iuris of the mother if only the mother is Catholic or if both parents by agreement freely request it, with due regard for particular law established by the Apostolic See.
2. If the child who has not yet completed his fourteenth year is:
   (1) born of an unwed mother, he is enrolled in the Church sui iuris to which the mother belongs;
   (2) born of unknown parents, he is to be enrolled in the Church sui iuris of those in whose care he has been legitimately committed are enrolled; if it is a case of an adoptive father and mother, 1 should be applied;
   (3) born of non-baptized parents, the child is to be a member of the Church sui iuris of the one who is responsible for his education in the Catholic faith.

CCEO Canon 32

1. No one can validly transfer to another Church sui iuris without the consent of the Apostolic See.
2. In the case of Christian faithful of an eparchy of a certain Church sui iuris who petition to transfer to another Church sui iuris which has its own eparchy in the same territory, this consent of the Apostolic See is presumed, provided that the eparchial bishops of both eparchies consent to the transfer in writing.

CCEO Canon 33
A wife is at liberty to transfer to the Church of the husband at the celebration of or during the marriage; when the marriage has ended, she can freely return to the original Church sui iuris.

CIC Can. 111 (includes De concordia inter Codices of 2016)
§ 1. Through the reception of baptism, the child of parents who belong to the Latin Church is enrolled in it, or, if one or the other does not belong to it, both parents have chosen by mutual agreement to have the offspring baptized in the Latin Church. If there is no mutual agreement, however, the child is enrolled in the Church sui iuris to which the father belongs.
§ 2. If only one of the parents be catholic, the baptized is ascribed to the Church to which the catholic parent pertains.
§ 3. Anyone to be baptized who has completed the fourteenth year of age can freely choose to be baptized in the Latin Church or in another Church sui iuris; in that case, the person belongs to the Church which he or she has chosen.

CIC Can. 112 (includes De concordia inter Codices of 2016)
§1. After the reception of baptism, the following are enrolled in another Church sui iuris:
1° a person who has obtained permission from the Apostolic See;
2° a spouse who, at the time of or during marriage, has declared that he or she is transferring to the Church sui iuris of the other spouse; when the marriage has ended, however, the person can freely return to the Latin Church;
3° before the completion of the fourteenth year of age, the children of those mentioned in nn. 1 and 2 as well as, in a mixed marriage, the children of the Catholic party who has legitimately transferred to another Church sui iuris; on completion of their fourteenth year, however, they can return to the Latin Church.
§2. The practice, however prolonged, of receiving the sacraments according to the rite of another Church sui iuris does not entail enrollment in that Church
§3. All those transfers to another Church sui iuris have force from the moment of the declaration of the fact before the local Ordinary of the Church or the proper pastor or priest by delegation and two witnesses, unless a rescript of the Apostolic See provides otherwise; and [this is to be] noted in the baptismal register.

Canon 112 (NCCCL, Beal, Coriden, Green)
“… because ascription to a ritual church is definitive, it belongs to the status of persons.”
“In effect, the canon distinguishes membership from liturgical practice. This means that change of ritual church membership occurs in one of the three ways provided for in paragraph one.”

Breakout:
3° the children of those mentioned in nn. 1 [those who have obtained permission from the Apostolic See] and 2 [a spouse transferred during marriage] who have not completed their fourteenth year, and likewise in a mixed marriage the children of a catholic party who has lawfully transferred to another ritual Church; on completion of their fourteenth year, however, they may return to the latin Church.

 

[jeannetherese]

One does not need permission from one’s Bishop in order to attend Mass to fulfill one’s obligation nor does a Roman Catholic who marries someone who belong to any of the Eastern Rite Catholic Church need to request a transfer as they automatically become what ever Eastern Rite church their spouse belongs to IF married in that Eastern Rite Church.

If anyone who is NOT married to someone in any of the Eastern Rite churches then one who desires to switch must get permission from the Latin Rite Bishop. It is much easier to transfer into an Eastern Rite church than it is to transfer into the Latin Rite church. I believe this is because very few Latin Rite members request a transfer.

Herculees

Please see Vico’s post #10 to clear up a few misunderstandings. (engaging in sacraments is not the same as transferring rites, etc.)
I also recall reading that one of the reasons it is much easier to transfer towards an eastern rite church is the concern for supporting the eastern churches.
The eastern rite church in my area is quite small. In east/latin marriages, children have traditionally followed the father-as per post 10. A sacrament performed in one church does not equal rite/church transfer, and the word rite is a bit tricky itself-it used to be used more frequently, but church is more frequently used now.
May God bless us all.
Amen.
Amen.