www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Parish Life & Evangelization My True Identity??????

Dear Vladimir,

Although I am not an expert in Canon Law I would say that you are a member of the Latin Church. What can you do to change this situation? In the Eastern Code of Canon Law a member of the Latin Church can become member of sui iuris Eastern Catholic Church if he can prove that his ancestors were members of and Eastern Catholic or non Catholic Church (that is your case, if he becomes priest or member of an order or religious congregation which follows some of the Eastern rites or if he identifies himself his the spirituality, the theological, canonical and liturgical tradition or an Eastern catholic Church (that is my case). Now, what is the procedure you must follow? You must send a letter or official paper both to your Latin bishop and to the bishop of the Eastern Catholic Eparchy you want to enter. In this letter you must explain the reason that drove you to ask for your translation to an Eastern catholic Church. You must also include your name, address, age, and the date and place of baptism, confirmation and first communion. If your Latin bishop and the bishop of the Eastern Catholic Eparchy do agree on your canonical transfer (that is the common practice) then you will be considered automatically a canonical member of an Eastern Catholic Church. If they do not agree on your transfer you must ask the Holy See to grant you the canonical transfer.

Dear Robert,

I see what you mean.

Volodymyr should indeed approach his pastor first, I think it is safe to say, and then, with him, move forward.

It is always better to begin with lowest rung and then climb upward.

It could all very well be as you say.

But I'm not personally sure of the path that Volodymyr has taken in this respect (and no one appointed me to be sure) and he would have to "hash" it out with his pastor - perhaps over some pyrohies with sour cream!

This is especially important if Volodymyr would like to enter the married priesthood in our Church.

I wish Volodymyr Metrik very well (I could tell who it was from an ending of one of his posts "sinner saved by Grace" etc.) and hopefully he will be a priest one day.

Hopefully, Anastasios will as well!

Alex

Mmmmmmm...pirohi and sour cream! Sounds like a plan.

Oh and in regard to Volodymyr...I don't think he probably needs anymore comments on procedure; really Alex is right; he needs to go see his priest. And to recant of some of my former mentality about this situaion - being Eastern is not so much about what sui juris Ritual Church you belong to as it is if you attend Church Services, live the Eastern traditions, follow the customs, do the fasts etc.

A Roman Catholic can be Eastern Catholic in beliefs and praxis and a Eastern Catholic can be Latin in beliefs and praxis; just because someone has the canonical attachment to a certain ritual Church does not mean that person is authentically living out the spirit of that Church; if he is living the Eastern Christian life regardless of what current ritual Church he belongs to, then he is Eastern period and will eventually have his situation straightened out by the proper channels. May God be with Volodymyr on his journey.

In Christ,

Rob

Dear Francisco,

But we already decided Volodymyr was Byzantine Catholic! :-)

In Christ,

anastasios

Dear Francisco,

Anastasios is correct. All Vladimir / Volodymyr /Walt needs to do is to meet with his pastor to determine if there is any paperwork to be done.

Admin

Dear Anastasios, dear administrator,

I am very sorry to say that there are people who do not share your opinion. From my point of view although Volodymyr's ascription to the Latin Church was not completely canonical according to the Roman Code of Canon Law (Canon 111—1. A child of parents who belong to the Latin Church is ascribed to it by reception of baptism, or, if one or the other parent does not belong to the Latin Church and both parents agree in choosing that the child be baptized in the Latin Church, the child is ascribed to it by reception of baptism; but, if the agreement is lacking, the child is ascribed to the Ritual Church to which the father belongs) since there was no formal agreement between his parents to initiate him in the Latin Church but a tacit agreement, he is a member of the Latin Church by baptism. There are people I know in this forum who had the same problem (Eastern Catholic father, Latin mother, boy baptized in the Latin Church who becomes later Eastern Catholic). I can give you other examples like that of my friend the Most Reverend bishop Vartan W. Boghossian, Eparch of Saint Gregory Narek Eparchy in Argentina and Apostolic Exarch for the catholic Armenians in Latin America who was baptized in the Latin Church became member of the Society of Saint John Bosco and ordained priest in the Latin Church and who was later ascribed to the Armenian Church because of his Armenian father when was elected bishop by the Holy See (if I am right he was considered Latin when he was ordained priest in the Latin Church). Anyway, Volodymyr, tell your bishop (the Latin one) about it, I think he will have no problem to accept your ascription to the Ukranian Church and enjoy the liturgical, theological and canonical heritage of the Church of your father!!!

Dear Francisco,

We are arguing over nothing here - the Administrator has already, and several times, suggested that Waltodymyr should see his pastor.

They can proceed from there.

Alex

Thank you all for your posts and caring advice. I will pursue this my pastor and the church I was baptized in. I will keep you informed.

Peace,
V

Francisco,

I realize that you are probably sharing the application of the canons in places you are familiar with. I have consulted the priests who deal with this issue here in the States on a routine basis. I have recounted what I have seen numerous times and can testify to.

As I stated earlier, if Vladimir was born prior to the issuance of the 1983 canons he is definitely enrolled in the Church of his father. If he was born after 1983 and is, therefore, subject to the new canons in the Latin Church, then his is considered to be a member of the Church of his father (Byzantine) unless there was a formal request and it was noted in the baptismal registry.

The only appropriate place for Vladimir / Volodymyr / Walt to seek official advice regarding this is from his pastor.

Admin