Can Latin Rite priest switch to Eastern Rite?

[Mannyfit75]

Can Latin Rite priest switch to Eastern Rite?

[Irenicist]

In theory, yes it can be done, but it's generally discouraged. You are normally expected to stick to your baptismal rite and to be baptized in the rite of your parents.

That said, nothing stops you from being ordained to serve in a different rite, in which case you are usally assumed to have joined that rite.

Too much can be made of this, however. If you are a Latin and consistently attend services in an Eastern rite parish, to all real intents and purposes, you have joined an Eastern rite.

The stick-to-your-own-rite rule is there mainly to discourage latinization of Easterners.

Irenicist

[Woodstock]

There are two options available.

The first is for a Latin priest to be temporarily moved under the Eastern bishop. He retains his bi-ritual status, but his paycheck comes from the Eastern Church and that becomes his primary Church affiliation for the time being.

The other option allows the priest to have a canonical change of enrollment. He then fully switches to the Eastern Church.

[a pilgrim]

Please let me amend what Irenicist has said…

Of the seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church, both East and West, the only one that is required to be administered through the individual’s official Church of canonical enrollment is the Sacrament of Holy Orders. This means that a member of the Latin (Roman) Catholic Church who is called to the priesthood must be ordained as a Latin (Roman) Catholic priest. And since ordination to the priesthood is a one-time sacrament, leaving an indelible mark upon the soul (much like the Sacrament of Confirmation, e.g.), it follows that “once a Roman Catholic priest, always a Roman Catholic priest.”

There are, however, Catholic priests who have been granted what is referred to as bi-ritual faculties. This means that these priests are allowed by the respective bishops to celebrate the Mass or Divine Liturgy in the tradition of another sui iuris Church, in addition to their own. There are, for example, many Roman Catholic priests who have been granted bi-ritual faculties in order to support the liturgical needs of Eastern Catholic faithful within their geographic area where there just are no Eastern Catholic priests available. Certainly, these priests must be adequately trained in the liturgical traditions and praxes of the Church to which their bi-ritual faculties apply. These priests however, despite their additional training, are still Roman Catholic priests… they have not “switched rites.”

In short, if a Roman Catholic male aspires to ordination as a Byzantine Catholic priest, he must first officially become a member of the Byzantine Catholic Church through a process called a Change of Canonical Enrollment. According to Canon Law, even if, for example, a canonical Roman Catholic individual has regularly attended a Byzantine Catholic parish for his entire lifetime - even if he has completely assumed a Byzantine Catholic lifestyle with regard to his personal devotions and liturgical life, and even if he has gone so far as to register as a parishioner of said Byzantine parish – he is still officially a Roman Catholic! Consistent attendance at and adherence to a sui iuris Church tradition other than one’s own does not automatically grant that person canonical membership in that Church, no matter how long a time duration has passed. There have been cases documented and discussed, some on this very Message Board, wherein an individual seeking priestly ordination “assumed” that he was a member of a particular sui iuris Church, only to find after a thorough background check that he was, in fact, a canonical member of a different sui iuris Church, thus officially requiring the cessation of all activities toward his ordination.

[a pilgrim]

Oops!

I may need to amend my own post, based upon what Woodstock (who "snuck" his post in before I could hit "send" on mine ) said in his post...

Certainly, I would assume that a Catholic priest, being first and foremost a Catholic, is entitled to apply for and undergo a Change of Canonical Enrollment, just as any other Catholic individual may do. Where I'm unclear (and I'm certainly no canon lawyer - not even close!) is whether or not his priesthood, because it is so specific to his former sui iuris Church, automatically changes as well... or if he must be adequately re-trained in the theological and liturgical praxes of his new Church before being allowed to fully serve in Our Lord's holy priesthood... or, whatever...

???

Can anybody help clear this up for me/us? Any cases you know of and, if so, how where they handled?

[Woodstock]

I know of priests in both categories. Both underwent training in the other Church's seminary, but it wasn't a full process. It was more like a crash-course. Then they were paired with another priest for a short time to learn on the job. I don't think the Latin understanding of the stain on the soul also imprints a Church affiliation. I'm not well versed in it, though, and would be interested to see the Latin side.

[Irenicist]

Originally Posted by a pilgrim

Please let me amend what Irenicist has said…

Of the seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church, both East and West, the only one that is required to be administered through the individual’s official Church of canonical enrollment is the Sacrament of Holy Orders. This means that a member of the Latin (Roman) Catholic Church who is called to the priesthood must be ordained as a Latin (Roman) Catholic priest. And since ordination to the priesthood is a one-time sacrament, leaving an indelible mark upon the soul (much like the Sacrament of Confirmation, e.g.), it follows that “once a Roman Catholic priest, always a Roman Catholic priest.”

There are, however, Catholic priests who have been granted what is referred to as bi-ritual faculties. This means that these priests are allowed by the respective bishops to celebrate the Mass or Divine Liturgy in the tradition of another sui iuris Church, in addition to their own. There are, for example, many Roman Catholic priests who have been granted bi-ritual faculties in order to support the liturgical needs of Eastern Catholic faithful within their geographic area where there just are no Eastern Catholic priests available. Certainly, these priests must be adequately trained in the liturgical traditions and praxes of the Church to which their bi-ritual faculties apply. These priests however, despite their additional training, are still Roman Catholic priests… they have not “switched rites.”

In short, if a Roman Catholic male aspires to ordination as a Byzantine Catholic priest, he must first officially become a member of the Byzantine Catholic Church through a process called a Change of Canonical Enrollment. According to Canon Law, even if, for example, a canonical Roman Catholic individual has regularly attended a Byzantine Catholic parish for his entire lifetime - even if he has completely assumed a Byzantine Catholic lifestyle with regard to his personal devotions and liturgical life, and even if he has gone so far as to register as a parishioner of said Byzantine parish – he is still officially a Roman Catholic! Consistent attendance at and adherence to a sui iuris Church tradition other than one’s own does not automatically grant that person canonical membership in that Church, no matter how long a time duration has passed. There have been cases documented and discussed, some on this very Message Board, wherein an individual seeking priestly ordination “assumed” that he was a member of a particular sui iuris Church, only to find after a thorough background check that he was, in fact, a canonical member of a different sui iuris Church, thus officially requiring the cessation of all activities toward his ordination.

I stand corrected.

Irenicist