Has there been any information released regarding the promulgation of the new particular law for the Ruthenian Metropolia due to take effect October 1st?

Will it include the "married priest's statute"? ("marriage is not an impediment to holy orders")

I know some feel this should not be discussed publically. However, whenever this is promulgated officially this is not confidential information. To make this clear: I am not asking for a "leak" on information. I am asking if anything official has been stated so far?

IMHO, the fiasco last year was not the fault of Eastern Christians discussing these things. It was overreaction from Western Christians.

Dave Ignatius DTBrown@aol.com

It is my understanding that His Eminence, Metropolitan Archbishop Judson of Pittsburgh, will promulgate Particular Law for the Byzantine Catholic Church in America on October 1st. There has been no official notice that he is going to do this. No one knows for sure what it contains except those who were involved in preparing it. Last year the news had been leaked to the press and, after severe attacks upon us by certain Roman Catholic groups (such as CWNews and EWTNews), Rome asked for a postponement of the promulgation. Understandably, the Council of Hierarchs is being very careful on how the promulgation will be made and how the media will react to it. It is sad that many within the Roman Catholic Church are so ignorant about the wealth and variety of customs within the each of the Catholic Churches and would attack us simply because they do not know us. It is also sad that they have so much influence in Rome.

Will married clergy be restored in the Byzantine Catholic Church? I pray that it will. But we won't know for sure until October 1st (or whenever Particular Law is promulgated).

BTW, EWTN did issue an on-air correction and apology for their error last summer in reporting on the Particular Law.

"...EWTN did issue an on-air correction and apology for their error last summer in reporting on the Particular Law."

Can I find this apology on their website?

Elias

Here is what they first reported over a year ago.
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17-Aug-98 -- EWTN News Brief

EASTERN-RITE CHURCH SET TO ORDAIN MARRIED MEN

PITTSBURGH (CWNews.com) -- The American leaders of the Byzantine-rite Ruthenian Catholic Church have announced their plans to resume ordaining married men to the priesthood. That decision, based on the traditions of the Byzantine Church, may cause a showdown between Eastern-rite Catholics and the Vatican.

The decision to allow ordination of married men is the most noteworthy element in a new set of laws for the Ruthenian Catholic Archdiocese of Pittsburgh, which stretches across the United States. The new laws were promulgated by Metropolitan Judson Procyk, in his capacity as leader of the Byzantine-rite body.

The new laws for the Ruthenian Church were promulgated in response to the new Code of Canon Law for the Eastern Catholic churches, which call upon the "sui juris" churches-- those which enact their own laws-- to set up particular statutes clarifying the matters which are not covered in the Code. The Ruthenian Church in the United States is a "sui juris" body.

The Council of Hierarchs of the Ruthenian Church explained the decision to ordain married men by quoting the encyclical of Pope John Paul II, Orientale Lumen, in which the Pontiff encouraged "a return to the original patrimony of the Eastern Catholic churches." They also noted that there are currently 100 married men acting as priests in the United States-- most of them converts from the Episcopalian Church-- and that their admission to the Catholic clergy "has been implemented without scandal to the faithful of the Latin Church."

However, the Vatican has shown no enthusiasm for a return to married priests among the Eastern-rite churches-- at least in countries where the Roman rite, with its celibate clergy, predominates. In May, the Holy See asked Ukrainian Catholic bishops to stop ordaining married men for service in Poland.

The new Ruthenian laws are to become effective on September 1.
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Here is the only correction they made.
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18-Aug-98 -- EWTN News Brief

CORRECTION: RUTHENIAN RITE DIOCESES IN US

In yesterday's News Briefs, the Archdiocese of Pittsburgh, of the Ruthenian Catholic Church, was described as extending across the United States. That is incorrect. In fact there are three other Ruthenian Catholic dioceses: in Passaic, New Jersey; Parma, Ohio; and Van Nuys, California. These dioceses, together with the Pittsburgh archdiocese, make up one metropolitan region, which does cover the United States.
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Notice they failed to correct the mistake in their original news report when referring to Orientale Lumen as a papal encyclical. It is actually an Apostolic Letter. Then again you would have to read it to know that. EWTN and their stepchild CWNews are not known for their accuracy.

Joe Prokopchak
the archsinner

Good points, Joe. I would add only that the on-air EWTN apology by Raymond Arroyo was different than the CWNews "correction". Arroyo's correction and apology were on-air and didn't appear anywhere on their website. CWNews offered corrections to their story, but maintained that they were correct in all other aspects of their report. Clearly they were not and cannot be trusted as an accurate source of Catholic News.

Joe P.

Still waiting for the showdown. So far no one showed up. Do you think the term "showdown" is a qualitative / interpretive word describing what will clash with their conservative Roman Catholic pre-Vatican Tridentine ideology?

Elias

Dear Servant of God, Elias

Glory to Jesus Christ !

There won't be any showdown. Oct 1, 1999 is a go. The Vatican has been informed. The U.S. Bishops Conference has been informed. This will come as no surprise to Latin Church heirarchy.

I'm sure there will be some reaction from mis-informed Catholics not familiar with Catholic teaching. I'm not too concerned about that though, because I have a lot of ammo in my arsenal on my hard drive. I love my church very much and will defend it vehemently. That's one of my hot buttons. When it gets pushed, look out.

Joe Prokopchak
the archsinner

Will they introduce that Western innovation of extraordinary eucharistic ministers? There will be trouble on their hands. I can see it now in the newspapers: "Liberal Nun Fights for Chalice to Distribute Her Communion - Deacon Steps Aside with Black Eye."

Elias

Dear Servant of God, Elias

Glory to Jesus Christ !

I know what you mean. That's one of the two items I got my eye on. The other is moving Ascension Thursday to Sunday. If they are both in there, I'm gonna be asking a lot of questions.

Joe Prokopchak
the archsinner

Joe,

Moving Ascension Thursday to Sunday? Is this another bout of liturgical minimalism? I would like to see the Typicon of the new Church Order when this happens. So much for fifty days till the Ascension! Good grief!!

Hey! Since the Jews celebrated Passover once a year... then why don't we celebrate Liturgy once a year? That way we get to go fishing, baseball, and golfing more on the weekend.

Maybe they will move Presanctified to Sunday... then come to think of it we already have a liturgy on Sunday (once a week still) so therefore we can eliminate Presanctified.

Here I thought we were almost at the end of the race eliminating Latinizations... Now, we have to fight bare-minimalism.

The Archbishop stated at Uniontown that all the priests will be getting instructions on the new particular law changes. Has this happened? Or will our priests be surprised and wondering like the rest of us ninnies?

Elias


[This message has been edited by Elias (edited 09-27-1999).]