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A recent posting hypothesizes an organization or structure to support missionary work (presumably in the USA), particularly to reach unchurched Byzantine Catholics - not a bad idea at all, and one which should be explored further.
But a terminological problem rears its head: Suppose that in Jackson, Mississippi "we do a study and find out that there are twenty families within 45 miles of the airport that can legitimately claim to be Eastern Catholic". OK, suppose that. Eastern Catholic is a broad set - 10 of those families could be Maronites, 2 or 3 could be Chaldeans, 2 or 3 Malabarese . . . none of whom would be apt to find the Byzantine Liturgy immediately attractive.
So, if we are referring to "Byzantine Catholics", "Greek Catholics", "Greco-Catholics", "Constantinopolitan Catholics" (a term that I think nobody has yet suggested, and that I do not recommend!) or whatever other expression one cares to use for Catholics of various ethnic origins who derive from various Churches sui iuris of the Byzantine liturgical family (another mouthful - sorry about that!) it's best to make that clear. Incognitus

It would seem, rather than do a study of a given locale (Jackson, MS or whatever), it would be best (as some parishes do) to make best efforts to continue to minsitry (by prayer, communication, etc) those members of a parish who have migrated to where there is no church. Then, when critical mass is reached, use them as the core of new mission, and to compare notes with other jurisdictions.

Axios

Hi Incognitus and Axios,
I think you are both right.

First, I simplified my story too much, if I had had the time I would have re-written it. I meant to say that they should be from similar traditions, thank you for pointing that out.

Secondly, there is more than one kind of migration. Sometimes it's just a matter of “urban flight” and people cross town, a second temple could be a good idea. And both temples should be open to newcomers.

But if it's a congregation from say, Atlanta and the members are scattering from St Petersburg to Chattanooga it's hard to take care of all of them from one location. I don't have an answer for that but more and more families are scattering in just that way. I think is one of the principal reasons for the declining numbers in many of our churches.

We must remember that the old ghetto model is dead for us. People don't usually walk to church and we have sent most of the young ones to college when we could. When they leave school they are recruited into corporations around the country and they lose their roots. It's a shame.

In Christ,
Michael

Just to respond to Michael's question re vocations. We do have a subdeacon and another man both in preparation to become deacons. On the other hand, our priests have always come on loan from the Jesuits on a part-time basis. As such, the parish has never really grown and people have always taken for granted Jesuit involvment. Secondly, our parish is located in one of the most expensive sections of one of the most expensive cities in the country. Therefore, there are very few families that can afford to raise kids in our area and stay there long enough to encourage those boys to become priests. Priestly vocations is a problem for us, as it is for most BC jurisdictions.

However, I am young and recently married. Given a few years and once I am more established, there may be at least one non-Jesuit priest at OLF! Pray for me.

Justin

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Dear Justin,
You have my prayers and best wishes!

God bless you and your community.

Stay in touch

PAX
Michael, that sinner

Justin,

Based on the time that we spent together in Ohio those many years ago, I can say that you would make a fantastic priest. Nicole agrees. Based on the posts that you have made on this forum recently, I can see that you've really grown a lot in the past four years. God is really working in your life in a powerful way.

A few questions: since there currently isn't a Russian Catholic hierarchy, who ordains priests for the Russian Catholic Church? Is it possible for a man to be ordained as a Russian Catholic priest, or must he be ordained for some other jurisdiction and be loaned to the Russian Catholics? What bishop would sponsor his vocation?

Anthony

Perhaps Patriarch Lubomyr? He is the successor to Metropolitan Andrew who had authority over Tsarist Russia, as Bishop of Kamjanets-Podilskyi.

Antony Dragani asks who (meaning what bishop) would ordain a man to serve in the Russian Catholic Church. Any bishop of any of the Byzantine Catholic Churches is competent to do this, provided that there is a request from the proper ordinary (which would normally mean the ordinary of the parish where the prospective deacon or priest is to serve). There is also a variant: for centuries the Holy See used to maintain a bishop in Rome with some titular see and the designation "Prelate for the conferral of Sacred Orders in Rome according to the Byzantine Rite" - but so far as I know, Archbishop Nicholas (Elko) was the last of these. If one specifically wanted a bishop capable of serving in the current Muscovite usage, that could be one of the bishops in Bulgaria (they train at the Russicum, so they would know the drill) or perhaps one of the bishops in Ukraine who would be comfortable following the Muscovite usage on a particular occasion. Or one could send the candidate to Damascus, to Patriarch Gregory III. Or, indeed, Patriarch Lubomyr could do it. Incognitus

Hi Anthony,
Christ is in our Midst!

I keep meaning to call you; but with the new baby and all, time is....Thank you for your kind words.

Our Lady of Fatima has a very good relationship with the Melkites here in this country. Currently, our priest was ordained by the Melkites, as was our now retired deacon. Our two deacon candidates study both in the Latin Archdiocesan program as well as the summer program at the Melkite St. Gregory's. Our subdeacon was tonsured by Bp. John. In fact, Bp. Nicholas makes a pastoral visit to us every year or two. As such, we remember Pat. Gregory in our Liturgy out of gratitude. On the other hand, our retired deacon was tonsured reader and subdeacon by the former bishop of Van Nuys. Our clergy are ordained for the Russian Catholic Church by any Byzantine bishop with the permission of the Latin Archbishop of S.F. and are incardinated in the Latin Archdiocese. Kind of a jurisdicitonal mess!

Justin

Where is the Catholicos of Kyiv when you need him?

Someone asked "Where is the Catholicos of Kyiv when you need him?"
I don't know. But you might try Tmutorokan! Incognitus