changing rites

[dairygirl4u2c]

i don't know much about rites or any of that stuff where it's assumed the CC is true so..
you may have to fill me in if i'm missing something obvious

[Socrates]

If that's the only reason, I'd say yes. One shouldn't change rites for frivolous or petty reasons. It should reflect a serious commitment to the rite. However, it is not our place to judge the purity of another's motivations.

Btw - Eastern rite priests cannot marry, though married men can be ordained priests.

[Aloysius]

you should only change rites if your entire theological and ritualistic point of view has shifted.

[Guest JeffCR07]

The only acceptable reason for changing rites is if you feel more at home in the particular theological outlook of the rite that you are changing into. This should be a decision that is made after a long time of deep prayer and contemplation, as well as discussion with a spiritual director.

Remember, the Rite to which you belong shapes the entire expression of your faith - style of prayer, liturgy, theological study, the entire way you approach God is determined in large part by your Rite. To change Rites for a trivial reason could never be considered prudent or wise.

[son_of_angels]

Moreover it requires permission from the Holy See, which doesn't routinely grant permission to switch rites. In fact, one canon lawyer I read said they were most often refused.

[Aloysius]

as far as I know you only have to contact the two bishops (your latin rite bishop and the eastern rite bishop of that area) and get permission from them. I don't believe you have to go all the way to Rome.

[photosynthesis]

yeah, if the Holy Father had to deal with this, when would he have the time to write his new encyclical?

also, what if you want to marry someone in another rite? would that be a good reason to change rites?

[CatholicAndFanatical]

I wouldnt think it would matter since you would still be apart of the Holy Catholic Church, no matter what Rite, as long as its Catholic.

its not the same thing as a prot vs. Catholic in marriage, we should be able to go cross Rites, we share in the same Communion. But thats just me

[dspen2005]

that is a petty reason to be changing rites. To change rites is to imply that the spirituality that you express is more conducive and in conformity with the spirituality of the Byzantine Rite, for example. This decision must be approached w/ intense prayer and reflection, spiritual direction because it is irreversible. once you change, you cannot return to your previous Rite, by virtue of Ecclesiastical Law.

[thessalonian]

I suspect it would come up in the discernment process and they would reject you.

[Sanvean]

Most petitions for a change of canonical enrollment are granted, as long as you have proper spiritual motivations.

One needs to contact the Bishop of their Diocese for release, and the Eparch for the Eparchy they are wishing to transfer in to. This is initiated by speaking to the pastor of a parish in the Rite one wishes to switch to.

Petitions to switch Rites because of a distaste for some attribute of your Rite are always rejected. One should be running to, and not from.

[Lounge Daddy]

i don’t have a problem attending Mass in a different rite - as long as it is communion with the Pope
there are Episcopalian and Anglican priests "coming home" to the Church all the time - some of them married, so exception is made
and i love going to Mass at a local Eastern Rite Ukrainian Church - in union with the Church
amazing - is all i can say

[Myles Domini]

Changing one's particular church within the Catholica because one wishes to become a married priest is a big decision that should not be taken lightly. As someone has said its an irreversible decision that will affect your entire life. You'll have to uproot your wife from the traditions that you two most likely grew up with so its not simply a decision for the husband. Will the wife have imagined someday seeing her children all dressed up going for 1st Holy Communion? Well she'll have to forget that one because in the East its administered at the same time as baptism (and confirmation).

As someone said changing one's particular church has to be motivated spiritually, it has to involve a deep love and respect for the Eastern traditions because its not the same as the Latin Church. Both husband and wife have to be deeply in love with Eastern Christianity, a slight fascination--which is normal in most Western Christians--is not enough. When it gets down to the nitty gritty you (man and wife) have to think theologically in Eastern terms and act devotionally in Eastern ways.

One cannot just switch rites thinking aha now I'll become a priest. Your parishoners will be expecting an Eastern minded/educated priest. The saints of the Latin calendar whilst possibly known to them will not the saints they learnt about when they were on their Mothers' knee and as an Eastern priest it'll be those saints feastdays and their traditions you'll be celebrating and upholding. Many of whom will be completely unappreciated and unknown to someone who makes the change of ritual family for the motive around which this thread is framed.

Going East is a life changing decision and should not be taken lightly. Above all else, it affects your relationship with Christ and thus should not be taken as a get out clause to escape the laws of the Roman Church on priestly celibacy. That is cheating your family, your future parishoners and your Blessed Lord.

[photosynthesis]

is it possible to go to an Eastern rite church and follow Eastern Rite devotions without becomign Eastern rite?

[Myles Domini]

[quote]is it possible to go to an Eastern rite church and follow Eastern Rite devotions without becomign Eastern rite?[/quote]

Catholics can recieve communion in any Catholic Church (Latin or Greek).

[Aloysius]

[quote name='Lounge Daddy' date='Oct 19 2005, 01:01 AM']i don’t have a problem attending Mass in a different rite - as long as it is communion with the Pope
there are Episcopalian and Anglican priests "coming home" to the Church all the time - some of them married, so exception is made
and i love going to Mass at a local Eastern Rite Ukrainian Church - in union with the Church
amazing - is all i can say
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only the Latin Rite calls it Mass

you like their Divine Liturgies :

[Anastasia13]

[quote name='Aloysius' date='Oct 16 2005, 08:44 PM']you should only change rites if your entire theological and ritualistic point of view has shifted.
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I thought that one of the things about the Catholic Church was the you don't have shifts in theological views the way that Protestants do. I am confused. Isn't there like a standard Catholic theology that won't shift? How then can there be a shift? I don't understand.

[Aloysius]

doctrine, official teaching, is always the same.

however, there are different points of view from which to approach that doctrine and different ways of expressing that doctrine.

but ultimately, we all believe the same thing. the differences in protestant doctrines and ours are like apples and oranges... the difference in theological viewpoints between east and west are like big apples and small apples; green apples and red apples.

[Anastasia13]

[quote name='Aloysius' date='Oct 19 2005, 01:41 AM']doctrine, official teaching, is always the same.

however, there are different points of view from which to approach that doctrine and different ways of expressing that doctrine. 

but ultimately, we all believe the same thing.  the differences in protestant doctrines and ours are like apples and oranges... the difference in theological viewpoints between east and west are like big apples and small apples; green apples and red apples.
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Can you give me some examples of theological points of view that might shift? This is a rather new concept for me.

[Aloysius]

in an eastern catholic church at the confessionals you might find an examination of conscience based on the beatitudes. at a roman church you're more likely to find one based on the ten commandments. ultimately, it's both the same thing. but one is asking "did I do this, did I do this?" and the other is asking "did I not do this, did I not do this?"

easterners view marriage as something the priest does to the couple. the roman church views marriage as something the couple does to each other while the priest accepts that into the church.

then there's the infamous filioque fiasco in the creed that was the straw that broke the camel's back in the Great Schism. in viewing the Trinity, the easterners liked the formula that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father in that His person originates solely in the Father. the roman church added to the creed the phrase (referring to the Holy Spirit) "proceeds from the Father [i]and the Son (filioque)[/i]". Ultimately when pressed we both understand that in the the Holy Spirit proceeds solely from the Father theologically (in the inner workings of the Trinity), but in the economy (dealings of God and man) of salvation the Holy Spirit proceeds towards man from both the Father and the Son so there's two ways of emphasizing, either the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone or the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. easterners focus on one way, romans on another.