www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Apostolic Visitator for Syriac Catholic Patriarchate

Good afternoon to all.

I was just informed that Catholic News Service has a story on the appointment of the visitator and that Bishop Ephrem Joseph Younan of the Newark eparchy is quoted as saying that there are differences of opinion between the patriarchate and the synod and that the synod has requested the appointment of the visitator. The story goes on to quote unnamed sources as saying that there are no grave problems or scandal.

I really wish that the term "patriarchate" had been defined in this story. Does it refer to the patriarch or the patriarch and the patriarchal curia? When I think of "patriarchate", I envisage the totality of the sui iuris Church - patriarch, bishops, priests, deacons, religious women and men, and laity - a complete package.

If the term as used refers to the patriarch and his curia, then it refers to a group which includes several members of the synod, i.e., those bishops who make up the patriarchal curia, along with the patriarch.

At some time in the future, we will find out the details and hopefully the problems will be resolved in a spirit of charity and humility.

Have a blessed rest of the day!

Peace,

Charles

Dear Charles,

But just what is the activity of "visitating?"

Is this a temporary referee role? Does it set a good precedent for an Eastern Church to want to call on the Roman dogs (sorry) to deal with an internal matter? Do Eastern Catholics need to encourage Rome in this respect?

Sounds like an ecclesial gastric function imposed whenever something leaves a bad taste in people's mouths - or stomachs!

Alex

Dear Alex,

Visitating is visiting � la Sherlock Holmes. When an AV is appointed, he is given a specific, usually narrow mandate e.g., in Sankt P�lten, to investigate the atrocious behavior in the seminary and, more generally, to see if all is right with the diocese. I note in passing that a friend in Vienna telephoned me today, advising that there is a sort of "Krenn and seminary rector" defense group which is campaigning for the - please don`t faint - reinstatement of the rector and vice-rector (no pun intended). The rector and the v-r are supposedly stating that someone "fooled with" some photos and that things are not what they seem. But I digress.

Getting back to the AV appointment, the appointment of the AV is temporary and I believe he is to be a kind of sounding board/referee in this disagreement. Bishop Younan stated that the synod requested the appointment and that it is a necessary action. Since no one is coming forth with the specifics of this case, I suppose we must defer to the synod which made the request and hope that it is not a church-splitting event. We should keep the Syriac Church in our prayers. At least the visitator/visitor is a Maronite and not a Latin.

Take care.

Peace,

Charles

Dear Charles,

I just love these cloak-and-dagger church thingies, don't you?

Whenever I hear of something untoward in my Eparchy, I move mountains to find out all about it!

And sometimes people right on this forum, living far away, give me the straight goods on events that happen right under our noses on the sly . . .

Keep us posted!

(This is better than all that talk about a single Byzantine jurisdiction . . . yawwwn! ).

Alex

The question of what an Apostolic Visitor is (and, therefore, what his authority is) exposes a lacuna in canon law, which does not provide for such a position.
There are several sub-species of Apostolic Vistors. There is the Apostolic Visitor who is sent to investigate a particular matter, or perhaps to resolve a particular coflict. Such an Apostolic Visitor came to L'viv in the nineteen-thirties because of the liturgical quarrels; the result was the "Ruthenian Recension" series of books.
But then there is the Apostolic Visitor - usually but not always a bishop - who functions as the highly-provisional head of an ecclesiastical circumscription which is itself not all that clearly defined. An example is Bishop Michael Rusnak, who was Apostolic Visitor for Greek-Catholic Slovaks in Canada until he finally succeeded in convincing Rome to create an Eparchy for the same constituency. The Syro-Malabar Catholic Bishop in the United States (who heads an eparchy) is simultaneously Apostolic Visitor for Syro-Malabar Catholics in Canada, which must make for some complicated chancery procedures.
The hierarchal structure of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church in Western Europe began with an Apostolic Visitor, in the person of Archbishop Ivan Buchko, who held that post until his death in the mid-nineteen-seventies. Besides looking after the immediate pastoral needs of the clergy and the flock in Western Europe, he was also charged with investigating the possibility of developing more specific ecclesiastical circumscriptions in different parts of his territory, so to speak. As a result, there are now Exarchates in London [serving England, Scotland and Wales, Paris (serving France, Benelux and Scandinavia), and Munich [serving Germany] (have I forgotten anyone?). History is repeating itself; Bishop Hlib (Lonchyna) of Bareta has four different positions: he is Patriarchal Apocrisiarius to the Holy See, Apostolic Visitor for Ukrainian Greek-Catholics in Italy, the same for Spain and the same for Ireland. Since this is really a question of new beginnings in all three countries (the Ukrainians in Italy have little connection with the Italo-Greeks, because the areas of settlement are different), and present pastoral arrangements are contingent, it is the Bishop's task to encourage firm foundations for each parish or quasi-parish, provide for the pastoral needs, and see how things can be developed in each place.
In the opening years of the 20th century, there was an Apostolic Visitor for Ruthenian Greek-Catholics in the USA: Msgr Andrew Hodobay. The eventual result was the appointment of Bishop Soter Ortynsky - who at first had very little authority of his own - and then the creation of the Exarchate, later divided both personally and territorially.
So the whole hypothetical position of an Apostolic Visitor is not in the least clear. As a practical matter, I suspect that much depends upon the person of the Apostolic Visitor, and on the extent to which everyone else involved is willing to receive him.
Incognitus

Incognitus:

I other words, the Apostolic Visitator is "In persona Pontifex Maximus, . . . er Petrus?"

Amado

Although not mentioned as such in canon law, (incognitus is correct), most canonists would see the "apostolic visitor/visitator" as a "papal legate" which is provided for in the law. As defined in the code, the legate's authority and scope of mission are determined by the Roman Pontiff. His term as apostolic visitor/visitator usually ends when his report is submitted to the Pope.

As Charles noted, the Synod requested the intervention of the Rome. The Pope did not act unilaterally. Is this not how the petrine primacy was exercised in the first millenium and how we Easterners have stated it should be exercised today?

Dear Incognitus,

You gave a succinct overview of the various types of apostolic visitors which have been appointed in the past century plus.

Speaking of Bishop Hlib Lonchyna, if you are in contact with him - or if, perhaps, he visits this Forum and sees this post - could you ask him the date of his appointment as procurator to the Holy See? I wrote to him at the e-mail address printed in the Annuario Pontificio, but the address must be misspelled, since my e-mail was returned by that pesky mailerdaemon. I am preparing another book on the bishops of and from the U.S.A. and I would really like to be able to get in contact with him, at least for now in a non-snail mail mode. Any help will be appreciated. Molte grazie!

Peace,

Charles

Although I would agree with Fr. Deacon John's assessment that Apostolic Visitors fall under the realm of Papal Legates in the Latin Code, The Eastern Code does provide for patriarchal visitors:

Canon 148

1. It is the right and the obligation of the patriarch to seek appropriate information concerning the Christian faithful who reside outside the territorial boundaries of the Church over which he presides even through a visitor sent by himself with the consent of the Apostolic See.

2. The visitor, before he beginshis function, is to go to the eparchial bishop of those faithfuland present his letter of appointment.

3. After the visitationis completed, the visitor is to send his report to the patriarch,
who, after discussing the matter in the synod of bishops of the patriarchal Church, can propose opportune means to the Apostolic See, in order that everywhere in the world he might provide protection and an increase of the spiritual good of the Christianfaithful of the Church over which he presides, even through the erection of their own parishes and exarchies or eparchies.

Also, if I am not mistaken, the Pope has appointed permannet Apostolic Visitors for both Lithuanian and Hungarian Latin Catholics in the US and Canada.

Fr. Deacon Lance

Here's what thee CCEO say about papal legates:

Canon 46

1. In exercising his office (munus) the Roman Pontiff is assisted by the bishops who aid him in various ways and among these is the synod of bishops; moreover the cardinals, the Roman curia,
pontifical legates and other persons and various institutes assist him according to the needs of the times; all these persons and institutes carry out the task committed to them in his name
and by his authority for the good of all the Churches, according to the norm of law established by the Roman Pontiff himself.

2.The participation of patriarchs and other hierarchs who preside over Churches sui iuris in the synod of bishops is regulated by special norms established by the Roman Pontiff.

Certainly the CIC has more to say about papal legates than does the CCEO.

The CWN story:
http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=30986

CWN reports: "Informed sources at the Vatican said that the apostolic visitation of the Syrian Catholic Church was prompted by severe tensions within the Syrian synod of bishops."

Anyone have any idea of what these "severe tensions" are?