What do Roman Catholics think about Eastern Catholics?

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SeekerOfIron said:
Are there Oriental Catholics just as there are Eastern Catholics and Western Orthodox? I’ve never thought about it.
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Yes. In fact, except for the 14 Greek Catholic Churches, the other 8 (Maronites etc) are all (usually) termed Oriental Catholic Churches.
 
Peter_J said:
Yes. In fact, except for the 14 Greek Catholic Churches, the other 8 (Maronites etc) are all (usually) termed Oriental Catholic Churches.
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Maronites, Chaldeans, Syrians, Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara are all Syriac churches. Not all of their orthodox sister churches are part of the Oriental Orthodox Communion. The Chaldeans’ sister Church, the Assyrian Church of the East is not in formal communion with anyone but the Chaldeans… and that’s limited to the faithful on paper. (The other Chaldean sister church, the Ancient Church of the East, isn’t in communion with anyone…) And the Maronites don’t have an Orthodox sister church.

The Copts, Ethiopians and Eritreans are Alexandrian Rite. The Eritrean Catholics are a semi-autonomous portion of the Ethiopian Catholic Church Sui Iuris, and a separate Tradition within the Rite from the Copts; the Eritrean Orthodox are fully Autonomous within the Oriental Orthodox Communion, by proclimation of the Patriarch of Alexandria…

The Armenians are Armenians - A Rite unto themselves, but the same rite whether Catholic or Armenian Apostolic Orthodox.
 
Hi Aramis. Something else that I was thinking about saying to SeekerOfIron’s question, and which goes along nicely with your post, is that the term “Oriental Catholics” is sometimes used to mean exclusively those that have a counterpart among the Oriental Orthodox – thus excluding the Maronites, Chaldeans, and Syro-Malabar. (Just as the term “Eastern Catholic” is sometimes used to mean exclusively the Greek Catholics.)
 
MorEphrem said:
Back on topic with the thread, in theory there is no difference in belief between an Eastern Catholic and a Roman Catholic. Some people get hung up on formulaic expression. Now what do Roman Catholics think about Eastern Catholics [those who know them that is]? My experience has been that we have some kind of entertaining “alternative” to mass - which in itself is extremely problematic because it ignores the dignity of the Church itself, her hierarchs and the fact that the Divine Liturgy or Qurbono Qadisho are not some kind of exotic “form” of the Latin mass that one can attend to “mix things up” but that they are all the fullness of truth in themselves.

I’m sure most Latins, if properly catechized, would not take a superiority mentality towards the Eastern Churches - however, from my experience of 14 years of Catholic school, the Catholic Center at my university and dealing with Latin seminarians/priests we’re generally perceived as inferior, liturgically, theologically, “pastorally” or a combination of the three. It honestly amazes me how some Latins can be so staunchly “Catholic” yet completely ignore their own Popes [See *Orientalium Dignitas
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].

The director of liturgy and music at my Latin Rite parish once said, “I know you’re Orthodox now, but I wish you were still Catholic.”

This, after providing the “org charts” of the sui juris Churches and a copy of “Light of the East.” 🤷

One Sunday, the Monsegnior asked where I was. A friend said, “She’s not Catholic anymore. She’s attending By Byzantine Mission.” He corrected them,.of course, but they had to call and tell me that I am still Catholic, as if I didn’t know. :rollseyes:

I gave up. Some folks aren’t going to “get” it.
 
Miserissima said:
The director of liturgy and music at my Latin Rite parish once said, “I know you’re Orthodox now, but I wish you were still Catholic.”

This, after providing the “org charts” of the sui juris Churches and a copy of “Light of the East.” 🤷

One Sunday, the Monsegnior asked where I was. A friend said, “She’s not Catholic anymore. She’s attending By Byzantine Mission.” He corrected them,.of course, but they had to call and tell me that I am still Catholic, as if I didn’t know. :rollseyes:

I gave up. Some folks aren’t going to “get” it.
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sounds like my experience as well…😦
 
Miserissima said:
The director of liturgy and music at my Latin Rite parish once said, “I know you’re Orthodox now, but I wish you were still Catholic.”

This, after providing the “org charts” of the sui juris Churches and a copy of “Light of the East.” 🤷

One Sunday, the Monsegnior asked where I was. A friend said, “She’s not Catholic anymore. She’s attending By Byzantine Mission.” He corrected them,.of course, but they had to call and tell me that I am still Catholic, as if I didn’t know. :rollseyes:

I gave up. Some folks aren’t going to “get” it.
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There is an ongoing need for catechesis. Please do not give up. Many people may benefit from your assistance.
May God bless us all.
Amen.
 
OUR FAITH
A BYZANTINE CATECHISM
FOR ADULTS

“Byzantine Christians, Catholic and Orthodox, are the most numerous of all Eastern Christian groups both world-wide and in North America. Whatever can be said about Byzantine “spirit” and usages generally applies to the other Eastern Christians: they are non-Western, non-Latin. The East received the ,faith, not as a daughter-church of Rome, but directly from the apostles.”

Thanks be to God.

Together we form one body and we cannot be separated.

Peace
 
Miserissima said:
This, after providing the “org charts” of the sui juris Churches and a copy of “Light of the East.” 🤷

One Sunday, the Monsegnior asked where I was. A friend said, “She’s not Catholic anymore. She’s attending By Byzantine Mission.” He corrected them,.of course, but they had to call and tell me that I am still Catholic, as if I didn’t know. :rollseyes:

I gave up. Some folks aren’t going to “get” it.
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Orientale Lumen (Light of the East), an Apostolic Letter inspired by the Holy Spirit and written in 1995 at the hand of a Pontiff who defined our generation globally and has now been declared a Saint by Rome, yet still …
 
My sister didn’t consider me as a Confirmation sponsor for my nephew because at the time I was regularly attending a Byzantine Catholic parish. She thought I was Eastern Orthodox. I also have to continually remind the rest of my family that the Byzantine Catholic Church is just as Catholic as the RCC. I once told an associate pastor at the Roman Catholic parish which is in the same town as the Byzantine Catholic parish (probably a 2-3 minute drive between them) that I was going to the BC parish. He said I can’t go there because it isn’t Catholic. I tried correcting him but it ended with him saying something like “well you can do what you want, since I can’t stop you.” Unfortunately, there is still a lot of ignorance on the part of Roman Catholics that they aren’t the only Catholics.
Miserissima said:
The director of liturgy and music at my Latin Rite parish once said, “I know you’re Orthodox now, but I wish you were still Catholic.”

This, after providing the “org charts” of the sui juris Churches and a copy of “Light of the East.” 🤷

One Sunday, the Monsegnior asked where I was. A friend said, “She’s not Catholic anymore. She’s attending By Byzantine Mission.” He corrected them,.of course, but they had to call and tell me that I am still Catholic, as if I didn’t know. :rollseyes:

I gave up. Some folks aren’t going to “get” it.
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AnthonyJ said:
My sister didn’t consider me as a Confirmation sponsor for my nephew because at the time I was regularly attending a Byzantine Catholic parish. She thought I was Eastern Orthodox. I also have to continually remind the rest of my family that the Byzantine Catholic Church is just as Catholic as the RCC. I once told an associate pastor at the Roman Catholic parish which is in the same town as the Byzantine Catholic parish (probably a 2-3 minute drive between them) that I was going to the BC parish. He said I can’t go there because it isn’t Catholic. I tried correcting him but it ended with him saying something like “well you can do what you want, since I can’t stop you.” Unfortunately, there is still a lot of ignorance on the part of Roman Catholics that they aren’t the only Catholics.
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It is amazing how little canon law that some priests know. It leads to invalid marriages sometimes for Catholics of different sui iuris churches.
 
AnthonyJ said:
My sister didn’t consider me as a Confirmation sponsor for my nephew because at the time I was regularly attending a Byzantine Catholic parish. She thought I was Eastern Orthodox. I also have to continually remind the rest of my family that the Byzantine Catholic Church is just as Catholic as the RCC. I once told an associate pastor at the Roman Catholic parish which is in the same town as the Byzantine Catholic parish (probably a 2-3 minute drive between them) that I was going to the BC parish. He said I can’t go there because it isn’t Catholic. I tried correcting him but it ended with him saying something like “well you can do what you want, since I can’t stop you.” Unfortunately, there is still a lot of ignorance on the part of Roman Catholics that they aren’t the only Catholics.
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Indeed. (I’ve already commented on the “Eastern Catholic spirituality: more Orthodox or Catholic?” thread that its title doesn’t make sense, since ECs are Catholic, but I hope no one will mind my repeating it here. :))
 
I believe a lot of Latin Catholics (in particular, ones in a town with a GC/OC parish) think “It would be nice if Latin Catholics paid more attention to / had more contact with them” … but don’t take it a step further and say “We in our parish ought to make contact with them.”
 
One example of a much larger phenomenon, namely people inserting a little too much self/ego into religion. (Sorry if I’m being a bit cliche.)
 
I have never understood why the Catholic Church changes the order of the Sacraments of Christian Initiation. Baptism, Confirmation, Communion - in that order. Why not?
 
Somehow in my pre Vatican II Catholic education I got the idea that all the Catholic churches and rites were equally ‘right’ and that a Catholic is at home in any Catholic church anywhere. For more than a year I’ve been attending a Byzantine DL a couple times a month not for novelty but I’m caring for a relative and it’s the ‘last chance Mass’ on Sunday afternoons. The first time I was pretty much lost but gradually learned the liturgy. Now I like it very much even though I go to Mass when I can because I like to keep up with my own rite’s liturgical calendar. A few things from the DL (I hope it’s ok to abbreviate) stick with me, like when the priest says that God is good and loves us all. I like to be reminded that He loves me and it makes me feel close to everyone there. And I like the prayers we say before Communion and that we sing most of the prayers. And I enjoy the people I meet there who are as friendly as the people in my own parish. I think it would be good if Latin Catholics were more aware of the other Catholic rites and churches. As an RCIA team member I point out that our rite isn’t the only one. This forum has taught me a lot.
 
eamonnroma said:
I have never understood why the Catholic Church changes the order of the Sacraments of Christian Initiation. Baptism, Confirmation, Communion - in that order. Why not?
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The emphasis in the east has been the nurturing of the Holy Spirit whereas in the west it has been the connection with the bishop. Therefore the east has tended to preserve the Holy Mystery of Chrismation given to infants along with Holy Mystery of Communion. In that way the infants are fully initiated and receive early assistance to overcome sin. Now even with restored order (Confirmation before Communion) in the Latin Church, it will still not include infant Confirmation and Confirmation because the norm is to give those at the age of reason. It is a different discipline.
 
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