Vocation Questions in relation to the Eastern Catholic Churches

[John_of_Patmos]

Yeah, I kind of like the idea of being a Hieromonk more…alot more. The monk thing is soething I have liked alot in the past. I have thought about Benedictines, but since I plan on becoming eastern right… I really like eastern monasticism. I really like the Jesus prayer, the whole idea of prayer ropes, etc. Lectio Divina is cool too.

 

[Aramis]

Yeah, I kind of like the idea of being a Hieromonk more…alot more. The monk thing is soething I have liked alot in the past. I have thought about Benedictines, but since I plan on becoming eastern right… I really like eastern monasticism. I really like the Jesus prayer, the whole idea of prayer ropes, etc. Lectio Divina is cool too.

If you are called to be a priest, don’t become a monastic.

If you are called to the Monastic life, the brothers will decide if you are called to be a hieromonk or hierodeacon, and probably not for many years. The clerical state (priesthood and diaconate) are not a monastic charism, per se. (Nor is the clerical state opposed to their charism. They just don’t NEED many. So the seldom have many.)

If you join one of the byzantine communities of religious (EG: Byzantine Franciscans), it’s much more likely than in traditional monasticism that one might be made a hieromonk or hierodeacon, but its still not up to the individual, but to the community they join.

There is actually some really good info on the Ruthenian Metropolia’s site:
archeparchy.org/page/archeparchial-offices/vocations.htm

the Byzantines within the Salesians of Don Bosco in the US are serving the Ruthenian Church and UGCC; the Byantine Franciscans, serve those two, as well.

But in any case, if you feel called to the priesthood, to become one, you need to be sent to seminary by a bishop. And before you can really know if you’ll fit the lie, you need to live the Rite… as a layman, for several years. And to get sent, you need to convince the bishop you are both called to the presbyterate and to the church sui iuris you will serve in.

Convincng the bishop usually means also convincing the pastor…

 

[John_of_Patmos]

So in the eastern rights, any priest of an order is considered a hieromonk?

A series of questions:

1. Could, theoretically, a monk of the eastern right leave his monastery to start a new one?
2. What about Abazzia Greca di San Nilo? I know a hieromonk there and he seemed open to the idea of me eventually being a hieromonk. He himself grew up in the roman rite (He made the Process sound very easy: (not ver batum) “You just switch rites with the Vatican…”). I’ll take it, but I am partial to the Slavic rites.
3. The Byzantine Franciscans: what rite?
4. If I decided to just be a generic priest, could I attend a local Roman Rite Seminary for pre theology and go to a byzantine one for theology and ordination?
5. Why do I keep hearing that the melkites are the catholic equivalent of the Greek Orthodox? Wouldn’t it be the Greek Byzantine?
6. If a group in the OCA decided to be Catholic, would they become Ruthenian, or Russian, or there own church?
7. Does the ROCOR have legitimate sacraments?

 

[Aramis]

So in the eastern rights, any priest of an order is considered a hieromonk?

A series of questions:

1. Could, theoretically, a monk of the eastern right leave his monastery to start a new one?

In theory. In practice, the monastery selects a hieromonk of the schema to do so when the bishop asks for one, or when the extant one is overly full.

1. What about Abazzia Greca di San Nilo? I know a hieromonk there and he seemed open to the idea of me eventually being a hieromonk. He himself grew up in the roman rite (He made the Process sound very easy: (not ver batum) “You just switch rites with the Vatican…”). I’ll take it, but I am partial to the Slavic rites.

Ruthenian and Ukrainian are both slavic Tradition (sub-rite) there is no slavic rite. Both are further of the Ruthenian Recension, while the Russians are Nikonian Recension.

1. The Byzantine Franciscans: what rite?

Byzantine Rite, and either Ruthenian or Ukrainian Church, depending upon which house.

1. If I decided to just be a generic priest, could I attend a local Roman Rite Seminary for pre theology and go to a byzantine one for theology and ordination?

It’s vaguely possible, but not advisable. You must be formed in the rite of the church to which you will incardinate. Preferably in their own seminary, when possible. The requirements for the Byzantine ones are a bachelor’s degree… in just about anything… and the bishop’s permission.

1. Why do I keep hearing that the melkites are the catholic equivalent of the Greek Orthodox? Wouldn’t it be the Greek Byzantine?

They aren’t. Their remnant/dissent portion of the synod when they came into union is now known as the Antiochian Orthodox.

1. If a group in the OCA decided to be Catholic, would they become Ruthenian, or Russian, or there own church?

The ones up here (Alaska) generally are ascribed to the Russian Church Sui Iuris, and promptly request change of enrollment to the Roman.

1. Does the ROCOR have legitimate sacraments?

Yes. It’s part of the Muscovite Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox, and functions in a manner similar to a Sui Iuris church - autonomous under their own hierarchs, but answerable to the patriarchate. Therefore, as part of a canonical body, there is no question that they have valid sacraments.

 

[John_of_Patmos]

In theory. In practice, the monastery selects a hieromonk of the schema to do so when the bishop asks for one, or when the extant one is overly full.

Ruthenian and Ukrainian are both slavic Tradition (sub-rite) there is no slavic rite. Both are further of the Ruthenian Recension, while the Russians are Nikonian Recension.

Byzantine Rite, and either Ruthenian or Ukrainian Church, depending upon which house.

It’s vaguely possible, but not advisable. You must be formed in the rite of the church to which you will incardinate. Preferably in their own seminary, when possible. The requirements for the Byzantine ones are a bachelor’s degree… in just about anything… and the bishop’s permission.

They aren’t. Their remnant/dissent portion of the synod when they came into union is now known as the Antiochian Orthodox.

The ones up here (Alaska) generally are ascribed to the Russian Church Sui Iuris, and promptly request change of enrollment to the Roman.

Yes. It’s part of the Muscovite Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox, and functions in a manner similar to a Sui Iuris church - autonomous under their own hierarchs, but answerable to the patriarchate. Therefore, as part of a canonical body, there is no question that they have valid sacraments.

SO, could I get degrees in Eastern theology,history, and the Russian Language, and then go to the Byzantine Seminary (Ruthenian), and still be a Russian Catholic Priest? Are there any Russian Catholic Seminaries?

 

[Formosus]

The only way I could imagine anyone becoming a Russian Catholic priest (who was not selected to do so for their particular Russian Catholic parish) would be to attempt to enter the Jesuits. There are some Jesuits who are just Russian Catholics and not bi-ritual Romans…

Now my question is, why would you want to serve as a priest for a community you are not part of? I don’t wish to stifle your zeal, but this is a serious question that needs to be considered.

edit- The only Russian Catholic seminary is the Russicum in Rome, which is ran by the Jesuits.

 

[Aramis]

SO, could I get degrees in Eastern theology,history, and the Russian Language, and then go to the Byzantine Seminary (Ruthenian), and still be a Russian Catholic Priest?

You’d need to already be a Russian Catholic and sent there by a Roman Bishop who intends you to serve an extant Russian Catholic population. But they could just as easily send you to the Melkite one or the UGCC one.

It is more likely you’d be sent to the Russicum.

Are there any Russian Catholic Seminaries?

As noted by others, the Russicum in Rome.

 

[John_of_Patmos]

So complicated! I just want to work with the Russian Orthodox… There are no Russian Catholic Churches near me, at ALL. So does that make this impossible?
If I could become Ruthenian Catholic, could a Roman bishop send me to any eastern rite seminary?
If the UGCC is more viable, I guess i would take that… but at that point, I would just go to HR Monastery.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

So complicated! I just want to work with the Russian Orthodox… There are no Russian Catholic Churches near me, at ALL. So does that make this impossible?
If I could become Ruthenian Catholic, could a Roman bishop send me to any eastern rite seminary?
If the UGCC is more viable, I guess i would take that… but at that point, I would just go to HR Monastery.

If you became a Ruthenian Catholic then it would be a Ruthenian bishop who would send you to the seminary. Most likely it would be to the Ruthenian seminary.

The UGCC has their seminary here in Washington, DC, and the seminarians attend classes at Catholic University.

No Catholic priest of any Church really “work with the Russian Orthodox”. They have their own priests and as they are not in communion with the Catholic Church they would not accept a Catholic priest to work with them.