www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Number of Bi-Ritual Priests in the Byzantine Catholic Church?

Does anyone know how many Bi-Ritual Roman Catholic priests currently serve in the Sui Juris Metropolitan Byzantine Church of America?

Ungcsertezs

Is the percentage over 50%?

U-C

I bet it is in the eparchy of Van Nuys.

U-C,

You will have to define your terms better. Presently, in the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh 24 Latin diocesan and religious priests have bi-ritual faculties. 6 religious and 4 diocesan and serve as pastors or adminstrators. So that leaves 14 that can fill in during illness or vacation, but that does not indicate availability.

In the Eparchy of Parma lists 19 Latin priests, 12 religious, 7 diocesan, with bi-ritual faculties. It does not appear any serve as pastors.

Fr. Deacon Lance

Actually, Jim, your "bet" is wrong. The majority of our parsihes are served by incardinated priests. Although a few of these were at one time Latin priests, they are now subjects of the Eparch of Van Nuys, and no longer "on loan" from a Latin Bishop.

They number 24 out how many total active priests in the Archeparchy?

Ungcsertezs

Aren't both Bishop Skura of Van Nuys and Bishop Kurdick or Parma bi-ritual or having originally been Roman Rite priests before becoming Byzantine?

Of course, they may be incardinated, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they went to the Byzantine seminary, so they more than likely have gotten on-the-job training if they came over from the Latin church. There are at least 4 out of 14 parishes I can think of whose priests did not receive their formal education in the Byzantine seminary.

"Aren't both Bishop Skura of Van Nuys and Bishop Kurdick or Parma bi-ritual or having originally been Roman Rite priests before becoming Byzantine?"


Bishop John was originally Byzantine then became Latin in order to enter the TOR. He subsequently left the TOR and reincardinated in the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh. Bishop William was always Byzantine. You may be thinking of the fact that he was a Byzantine Franciscan but left the OFM and incardinated in the Eparchy of Van Nuys.

Bishop Skura of Van Nuys was ordained as a member of an institute of consecrated life (I am not sure which).

Bishop Kurdick or Parma was ordained a priest with Third Order Regular of St. Francis of Penance.

I do not know which ritual church they were raised in or what their canonical background was.

Just curious, where is this thread going?

(And Father Deacon posted his above response 3 minutes before I was done looking up mine. LOL.)

I know there are many Bi-Ritual priests that serve the Archeparchy and Metropolia. I'm trying to get a ballpark figure.

Ungcsertezs

U-C,

Again 24 have the faculties, only 10 serve the Archeparchy. The Archeparchy has 44 active priets + 6 priests of other Eparchies serving.

Having faculties and serving are two different things. Most Latin bishops, since they have their own shortages, are unwilling to let their priests get bi-ritual faculties or let those who have them use them. For instance, the greater Pittsburgh area has the greatest concentration of Byzantine Catholics, yet the Latin Diocese of Pittsburgh has only 1 bi-ritual priest and I don't know if he ever gets a chance to serve in a Byzantine parish. Most coverage for illnesses and vacations come from the Seminary staff and a couple religious with bi-ritual faculties.

Fr. Deacon Lance

Of the number of active priests serving the entire Metropolia, how many are now incardinated Roman Catholic priests?

Ungcsertezs

U-C,

I only know the number for the Archeparchy, which has 60 active priests serving. 44 of the Archeparchy, 6 of other Eparchies, 10 of Latin Dioceses and Religious Orders.

Fr. Deacon Lance

Corrections: (From my old proof reading days)
It's Bishop John Kudrick, and Bishop William Skurla

I also wonder where this thread is heading -- We had a bi-ritual priest here in Ft. Myers (Fr. Joe ) until his bishop moved him to another parish, too far away for a Sunday commute. I think you will find that most bi-ritual priests really have a deep love for our Byzantine Rite.

While you are searching -- how about asking how many priests from Russia or the Ukraine serve in our parishes. A few years ago at Otpust, I met a young priest from Parma Eparchy who came over to the U.S. to help.