I came to the website looking for information on this, so I'm sorry if I've missed a conversation already taking place:

From what I understand, Sunday, February 12, 2005, at 4 pm, Deacon Joseph Marquis became the first US-ordained, married Byzantine priest. This took place in Parma, and Father Marquis will take over as pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Livonia, Michigan.

Please add information to this thread as you learn of it, as well as praise to God for this groundbreaking development. Father Nicholas Ivan, the former pastor there, also needs our prayers as he recovers from a stroke suffered in November, 05; he is in his 50th year of ministry.

I am a close personal friend of Fr. Ivan, and we discussed this topic many times. The hierarchy could not have chosen a better man as the prototype. Formerly a bi-ritual deacon, Father Marquis has an encyclopedic knowledge of church history and doctrine, a booming bass voice, and a shepherd's heart, formed through years of hospital chaplaincy, seminary instructorship, and service to God's flock.

It has finally happened!!!

This is wonderful news. I just heard about it this past week and am also a friend of Father Ivan's. Let us pray that ordaining married men in part based upon past experience will set a trend.

CDL

Axios!

How wonderful.

God bless Bishop John

Warm congratulations to Bishop John and Father Joseph. However, a correction: Father Joseph is most definitely NOT the first married Byzantine Catholic priest ordained in the USA. Bishop Soter ordained some, Bishop Basil (Takach) ordained some, and others have been ordained recently.

(Hint: the expression "Byzantine Catholic" is not the exclusive property of any one jurisdiction!)

Incognitus

When Fr. Nick told me about it on the phone this afternoon, I thought he might be hallucinating from the strong stroke-related medications. "No," said one of the nurse-parishioners, "he is in complete control of his faculties on this one!"

Incognitus, as I am not familiar with the jurisdictions of the hierarchs you mentioned, please clarify where else this is being done. Thanks!

And it has begun.....

Yes there are Ukrainian and Melkite deacons who were ordained to the priesthood in recent years I believe. However, what rite is the above mentioned priest in?

Byzantine Rite, Eparchy of Parma

That that would be the first Ruthenian Deacon ordained for sure! Glory to God!!!!!

I know we have had lots of discussions on this, but not certain where they are. Here are a few old links, I didn't really read them, but I think they might add some thought...
http://www.byzcath.org/cgibin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=001363;p=1
http://www.byzcath.org/cgibin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=4;t=001425#000006

Many years to our courageous Bishop John, the new priest Reverend Father Joseph and his Pani!

So, it seems that this is the first ordination of a married man for us Ruthenian Catholics in the U.S.A. since 1929. 77 years is a long time!

And the restoration of our rich Eastern Spirituality continues!

Axios!

finally...

I think our dearly beloved Father Icognitus is saying that there are many sui juris churches that celebrate the Byzantine Rite. In Canada they ordained a married man to the Slovak Diocese not too long ago (Canadian equiv. to Ruthenian).
There are the Romanians, Melkites, Ruthenians, Ukrainians,Slovaks (Canada) and Russians. Did I miss anyone? help me out.. something like 14 sui juris churches that use the Byzantine Rite.
How many are in the states, and yes a quick look at the main page will tell me.

Axios! Prayerful congratulations to Fr. Joseph!

and to Bishop John, Eis polla eti Despota!

His first Divine Liturgy is next weekend if anyone is up near Michigan. Many years to the newly ordained Priest Joseph and his family.
FDD

Many years for newly ordained, Fr. Joseph.

Wow, this is exciting! God is glorified and we rejoice.

Axios!

Porter..

May God grant to Fr. Joseph and Pani many years of peace, health, and happiness in service to the Altar of Christ.

Deacon Stan and Pani Rose

"Hospodi Pomiluj" batman!

"You can dismiss thy servant O Lord..."

Within one month I learn of two truly amazing events. First, I witness with my own eyes the Johnstown parish installing authentic iconography and now the news from the Parma "Ruthenian" Eparchy ordaining a married deacon, is the world coming to an end? :p

Axios! Axios! Axios!

Ungcsertezs

The Steelers win a superbowl, Johnstown gets proper ikony, Rusnacks ordain a married man...
hmm, the world might be coming to an end, but on which calender can we pick a date

A word to the wise . . . a big ballyhoo over this ordination might be counter-productive. We must and may rejoice, but with discretion so as not to cause problems for future candidates.

As to the end of the world, I have a purely private theory which is available to anyone who likes it. It comes in two parts:

a) the Second Coming will occur in the night of Holy Pascha, during the midnight service;

b) this will occur in one of those years when Pascha and Easter (!) coincide - so that the calendar question may continue through all eternity. Won't that be fun?

Incognitus

That would be the best time to come!

I have to agree with my brother Incognitus' assessment. We should rejoice in this milestone event, but our rejoicing should be tempered. This is a small step, and with the Grace of God many more shall follow. With a lot of publicity though, some backlash from certain elements may occur.

My advice, rejoice quietly, pray that the hierarchs may continue this bold move in the restoration of the tradition of a married priesthood, and give all the faithful and clergy alike to time to adjust to this move. Remember there are others in the wings, and an uproar may ruin their chances to serve in the calling of the Lord.

Just a few thoughts.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

The words "Wisdom! Be attentive!" came straight to mind after reading the last 2 postings. I could not agree more with the advice above.

ICXC
NIKA

I fully agree.

CDL

I am here reminded of the caution displayed by German Social Democrats regarding the "possibility" of national reunification AFTER the Berlin Wall had already fallen. "Such talk might offend the Kremlin..."

C'mon, guys, allow yourself some celebration! This was not done in defiance of Rome: the authorization simply awaited an executor!

If the feared backlash is to come from the scandal-plagued American RC hierarchy, upon what shall they base their objections this time? Certainly not the moral authority once believed to accompany mandatory celibacy.

We aren't afraid of the scandal plagued RC hierarchy. There are other, more internal, forms of opposition that may derail this. We hope its a movement. We will see.

CDL

I perused the links that were posted earlier in this thread to discover who/what might present the most potent opposition to this new development, but came up empty handed.

The cautionary notes allude to something seeming to border on the sinister. In plain talk but without malice, can someone educate me as to who might object to this, and upon what grounds?

Probably no one. There can be no opposition, to the Byzantine Church being fully "Byzantine". That is what the Pope expects of us!

But even when you're doing what is right, you will sometimes get criticism. After being told for decades and decades that we've no right to exist, that we're frauds and phoneys, I guess we're just used to expecting the worst, in the way of criticism....

Nick

Time for me to poke with a stick.

Check this link out.

http://www.parma.org/

Its to the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma.

It appears that our Church has decided to drop the "Ruthenian" label from it's name. I believe this is due to the fact that we are a more diverse Church today than we were in the early 20th century.

Prayerful congratulations to God's servant, the newly ordained priest Fr. Joseph. May he serve as a strong example to young men throughout the nation who have a calling to the priesthood and to family life.

Just curious... Marquis is not usually an Eastern European surname. Is he a cradle born Byzantine or did he come from another religious/ethnic background.

A journey of a 1,000 miles starts with one small step.

CIX!

Fully understand about the gloating thing.
The average person probably doesn't know what a Ruthenian is anyway... it is a misnomer in reality. A lot has been accomplished in the past number of years by eastern parishes teaching Tradition rather then ethnicity. Ethnicity has its place but the deposit of Faith is what we should teach. Welcoming converts by making your church look more like a place of worship and less of a place for pyrohy and pysanky has done marvelous things for attracting newcomers to the Faith. I love Church Slavonic and pysanky as much as anyone. But I love a vibrant, dynamic and growing community that is on fire for the Faith more.
Perhaps the drop of the word Ruthenian reflects what I write above. I even know Orthodox parishes that belong to certain hierarchies but don't put the national name on the church sign.
Rather, just putting St.____ Orthodox Church.

Still learning, it is like crossing the road. Stop and look etc. You fellows are the new boys on the block as regard ordaining married men. Everyone else does it. However, only one ordination so far. So caution is advised in your country's case and rash comments could spoil things for others. So when crossing this road the advice is stop and look both ways and proceed with care. No one is saying dont be pleased that the norm is the norm again. Just irresponsible comments may adversely affect others.

ICXC
NIKA

The Parma website has never used the term "Ruthenian" in its logo. Nothing has changed. Actually, none of the 4 official websites for the Byzantine-Ruthenian Church in America have ever used the term "Ruthenian" as a major self identifier. Generally speaking, one only finds the term "Ruthenian" on certain types of official documentation.

Congrats to Father Joseph. May the Lord God grant him many years! Axios!

With apologies to the Administrator, the Eparchy of Newton, the Eparchy of Canton, and several others I could easily mention are equally "Byzantine Catholic".

Incognitus