What do you have to do when converting from the Byzantine rite to the Roman rite of Catholicism?

[CatholicZ09]

Okay, so when my mom married my dad, they were Byzantine Catholic. After my sister was born they decided they wanted to find a new church and go where my other family members go - to a Roman Catholic Church. So, my mom couldn’t really remember in detail what they had to do, but what happens and what do you do when you convert from the Byzantine rite to the Roman rite? Is it a difficult process?

 

[Aramis]

To formally transfer: Send a letter to both their Byzantine bishop and their Roman Bishop requesting transfer of canonical enrollment to the Roman Church, and stating briefly why, and for how long they have been practicing in the Roman Church.

 

[puzzleannie]

Okay, so when my mom married my dad, they were Byzantine Catholic. After my sister was born they decided they wanted to find a new church and go where my other family members go - to a Roman Catholic Church. So, my mom couldn’t really remember in detail what they had to do, but what happens and what do you do when you convert from the Byzantine rite to the Roman rite? Is it a difficult process?

this is not a process of conversion, that implies a turning away from sin, or from disaffection with the universal Church, which is not the case here. One simply changes rite, and applies through a formal process to the appropriate bishop. Family records should be kept, and the baptismal record amended to show the change in rite, because it becomes important when baptising children and when marrying.

 

[GIR]

I actually have a similar situation, but in reverse. I plan on attending a Maronite church, although my understanding is that it wasn’t neccisary to do any paperwork, although I wouldn’t be “maronite” any catholic can attend any catholic church of whatever rite. Ideally, this does not entail any change of belief, because all catholic churches share the same faith and sacraments, although discipline and spirituality differ (sometimes widely). I can still pray the rosary and go to adoration (maronites do both anyway), but if you switched to a church that does not, you still could.

I’m frankly surprised that you’d want to change over. Most Latin parishes aren’t top of the line when it comes to authentic Western spirituality and practice, but if a Latin catholic can become enamored of Eastern trappings like liturgy and icons, then I suppose the reverse can be true as well, but good luck finding a reverent parish.

 

[McPhelan]

Glory to Jesus Christ!
Glory to Him forever!
If your parents were Byzantine Catholic and they decided to start going to a Roman Catholic parish it is likely that they did not go through the process of Canonical Transfer. Most people simply start attending and register at the new parish. Some Roman churches do not ask which sui iuris Church the family belongs to, only if the family is Catholic.If this is the case, you are already a Byzantine Catholic. Canon 32 par1, “No one can validly transfer to another Church sui iuris without the consent of the Holy See”. Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. This is the process that has been mentioned before where the the Eparchial and Diocesan Bishops are petioned to allow the transfer from one sui iuris Church to another. The Code of Canon Law (Roman Catholic) states: “The custom, however prolonged, of receiving the sacraments according to the rite of another Ritual Church sui iuris, does not carry with it enrollment in that Church”.Can 112 par 2.

My family and I had to go through the process of Canonical Transfer to the Byzantine Church because my Grandparents had Canonically Transfered to the Roman Church back in the 1920’s. I know a priest who had been ordained in the Roman Catholic Church when it was discovered that he was a Byzantine Catholic. (His family had never Canonically Transfered.) This caused some problems. He is currently a Byzantine Catholic priest serving at a Roman Parish and studying the theology and practice of the Byzantine Church.
I hope this is of some help.
God grant you many years!
McPhelan

 

[McPhelan]

I must apolgize. I did not read the first post closely enough and did not notice that the transfer was from Byzantine to Roman. I must be careful what I read before my first cup of tea.
McPhelan

 

[Aramis]

McPhean: the issues are the same in either direction, except for the “Stop-loss” mentality towards EC transfers to the Roman church.

 

[dans0622]

Hello interested readers,

This is a difficult situation to explain but I will give it a try. The CCEO c. 32.2 mentions a transfer from one Church sui iuris to another where the eparchial bishops concerned agree to the transfer. In this case, no recourse to the Holy See is necessary since the required consent is presumed.

The problem is that this presumption concerns only Eastern Churches, not the Latin Church. The Eastern Code is for the Eastern Churches and does not include the Latin Church unless the contrary is expressly stated (c. 1). In c. 32.1, all sui iuris Churches, inlcuding the Latin Church, are included. This norm corresponds to c. 112.1.1 of the Latin Code, too.

However, c. 32.2 speaks of eparchies and eparchial bishops. The Latin Church does not have eparchies. Therefore, when looking only at the two Codes, the consent of the Holy See is required when there is a process of transferring from an Eastern Church to the Latin Church, and vice versa. The consent is **not **presumed.

BUT, in 1993, a rescript of the Holy Father expanded this presumption to include members of the Latin Church who wish to transfer to an Eastern Church. A transfer in the other direction, though, is not covered by this rescript. (Don’t have an easy link to this but it is in the AAS, vol. 85, p. 81.)

The bottom line is that, according to what I’ve been taught and the reasoning I’ve given, the scenario presented in the original post requires the consent of the Holy See (Cong. for Eastern Churches) in order for the transfer to be valid.

If this isn’t clear, I don’t know if I can be of any help…I’ve done the best I can here!

Dan

 

[oregonbagpiper]

I did this a few years ago.

I was Ruthenian Rite, and had been attending a Latin Rite parish for many years.

It was more or less a matter of writing to the Archbishop (Latin) and Eparchal (Ruthenian) Bishop and requesting permission. I did state in my letter my reasons for desiring the transfer, and in a month or so got a letter from the Chancellor of the Latin Rite Archdiocese stating that as soon as I signed the consent form that was included the change of Rite would be complete. To be sure it was all official, I dropped a copy of the letter at my Latin rite parish for my official file.

My overall impression is that the hierarchy wants to do what is best for you, and if you honestly feel that God wants you in one Rite or another, they will make it happen.

Happily Latin Rite,

Oregonbagpiper

 

[Hesychios]

I did this a few years ago.

I was Ruthenian Rite, and had been attending a Latin Rite parish for many years.

It was more or less a matter of writing to the Archbishop (Latin) and Eparchal (Ruthenian) Bishop and requesting permission. I did state in my letter my reasons for desiring the transfer, and in a month or so got a letter from the Chancellor of the Latin Rite Archdiocese stating that as soon as I signed the consent form that was included the change of Rite would be complete. To be sure it was all official, I dropped a copy of the letter at my Latin rite parish for my official file.

I am intrigued by this.

I understand that in the USA most canonical Ruthenians are probably already worshipping in the Latin church. But few realize that they are Ruthenians even when they are aware that Grandpa was one. Fewer still will bother to do the canonical transfer “paperwork”.

Would you care to elaborate on the thought process you went through as you discerned this move?

Thanks

 

[oregonbagpiper]

I am intrigued by this.

I understand that in the USA most canonical Ruthenians are probably already worshipping in the Latin church. But few realize that they are Ruthenians even when they are aware that Grandpa was one. Fewer still will bother to do the canonical transfer “paperwork”.

Would you care to elaborate on the thought process you went through as you discerned this move?

Thanks

My thought process was pretty simple. I like the simplicity of the Roman liturgy, and the spirituality of the Latin fathers and doctors of the Church. I became enamored with Thomism and with the spirituality of the Benedictines. I’m a novice Oblate of St. Benedict, and find that coming to the Latin Rite was a breath of fresh air. Not to dis the Ruthenian Rite, but I found that it just wasn’t for me any more. I felt that a canonical transfer of Rite was my way of coming home, so to speak, to something I felt comfortable with in my soul. I a happily Latin Rite now, and I believe that the transfer was a good, healthy, fruitful thing for me.

Cheers

 

[wjp984]

Just one bit of advice: before you go transferring rites, why not stay Byzantine a while and just attend the Roman Rite mass. Then when you have a chance, why not attend a Ruthenian Rite once and a while just for a change or to just keep some sort of a the Byzantine Tradition your parent have.

There are only minimal differences for your obligations in this country if you maintain your Byzantine Rite. It would mean, for example, that you don’t have to go to church on All Saints Day but you would on the Theophany/Epiphany. And during Lent, it just adds the additional day of Wednesdays for abstaining from meat. Nothing too unreasonable to manage.

The reason I say this is because I’m a young (25) Ruthenian Catholic and for a while considered doing exactly what you considered. In undergrad I never attended the Byzantine Liturgy and basicaly was almost completely assimilated into the Latin Rite as all my friends were Latin Rite. I didn’t really want to give the Ruthenian Church any chance since to me, it seemed like a church for old people and that no one stays Byzantine anymore. I also thought similary in regards to agreeing with Latin Rite theology more or just thinking their modern masses were better etc.

However, once I started graduate school I was in an area where there was access to a Ruthenian Parish and didn’t feel obligated to go to a Newman Center Mass anymore. Although it is mostly an older crowd, they were very friendly and made efforts to get me to appreciate the Ruthenian Rite more. Also, I heard how John Paul II encouraged Eastern Catholics to get more involved with their rite rather than assimilate. Anyways, I now apprecaite my rite more and amd glad I never made a switch. I still go to a Latin Rite parish a lot of the time for convenience or to go with people my age, but once in a while, I can convince someone to go with me to the Ruthenian Divine Liturgy as well. I don’t know the future of the rite as I don’t see many young people but I can hope for the best.

The point is, you can still participate in the Latin Rite without changing rites so I would recommend holding off on switching. You might regret it later.

 

[Hesychios]

I find the situation for the Byzantine Ruthenian church in the USA particularly disturbing. The statistical decline in membership is dramatic. One wonders if it will eventually collapse, twenty years may be all that is left!

Yet, it seems to be the case that most young people raised in the tradition do not share this concern. Since I would assume they know it better about it than the rest of us, I assume they are best fit to make the decisions which seal it’s fate.

People move away, and parishes close. The young people go elsewhere, they have new inspirations. The older people was their cars on Sunday afternoon, they are not about to ring doorbells or talk about Christ at the block party.

If the neighborhood has changed and the old congregation has moved, the pews should be filled with new faces! There should be two parishes where once there was one.

I have always maintained that if a church is unwelcoming to newcomers and does not reach out with a message of Christ, it deserves to die. If a church has lost it’s sense of the Great Commission, it deserves to die. It is not right to keep it open only to serve lovely funeral services for sentimental old people.

Yet, the Byzantine tradition is a great gift to modern society. The spirituality resonates with us, the liturgy is both dignified and exciting, properly done it is nothing if not glorious! The Byzantine churh has the capacity to inspire, it can be instrumental in bringing people back to Christ, it can turn this culture around.

It deserves a chance to do this.