www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Help in changing churches

For all those who have changed from West to East, I need your help. My priest tells me that I have to prepare a letter to send to the respective bishops to state my intention to change from Roman Catholic to Melkite Greek Catholic. Unfortunately, he has never done this before and cannot find any samples to refer too.

Whenever you are dealing with bureaucracy there is a certain speak that they look for. I would really appreciate any help that you who have successfully gone through the process could provide. What should I include and what should I avoid? Maybe if you could provide an outline.

Thanks for any help.

Terry

Terry,

It was so long ago for me, that I can no longer conjure up what I said or didn't say. As memory serves me, you traveled a road that led you from Latin Catholicism and along various other spiritual paths before returning to Catholicism and then discovering its "other side" among we Melkites. I think that what is most important is that you state what is in your heart and soul, how Eastern spirituality fulfills your ability to speak with God. It is important that you not be seen as running away from or rejecting Latin Catholicism.

I don't know anything about the Bishop of Rochester, but I know Bishop John (Elya) well. He is hardly a bureaucrat and I'd not worry that he looks for anything formulaic. I'd fully expect that he looks for sincerity in a letter that speaks from the heart.

I'd draft something and ask Father Ken (that's who's up there, right?) to read it over. Even if he hasn't handled a canonical transfer before, he should feel comfortable giving an opinion as to how the letter sounds, in terms of expressing your spiritual needs and how they will be fulfilled by the change of Church.

My prayers for you in this.

Many years,

Neil

Dear Terry,

Neil gave you excellent advice!

And make sure the letter begins with "Bless, Father or Excellency" as the case may be and ends with "Kissing your right hand, I again implore your blessing . . ."

If nothing else, this will give the RC's the impression that you are already so far gone toward the East that only the formal transfer remains to be done!

Oh, and put a three bar Cross at the top of your letter with "IC XC" and "NI KA" as well! This will help to expedite your transfer out of the RC Church even more quickly!

Alex

I wish to take this opportunity to thank all who have responded for my request for help, both here and privately. I have received excellent suggestions.

Again, thanks to all.

Terry

Hi Terry,

One more thing-- avoid any negative references to the Roman church. Keep your letter as postitive as possible.

Having done this myself successfully (both bishops replying affirmatively within 24 hours of each other), let me recommend that one thing you absolutely do NOT do is complain about whatever abuses and problems you have found in the Latin Church. Moreover, do not mention any interest in, say, ordination or such matters at present (at least not to the Latin bishop). In general, pitch your letter 'positively,' using all that disgustingly unctuous language so popular today--about your 'faith journey' and 'spiritual fulfilment' and other such mumbo jumbo. Most bishops are trained--by the feminists they keep on staff to look progressive--to lap that sort of pablum up.

ADAM:

I love it!!

Feminists and pablum and progressive.

Man, I thought I was the only one who got himself in trouble saying or writing that kind of stuff to priests, bishops, or feminists.

You made my day!! May God bless you today and the rest of your life. I hope to exchange notes in the Kingdom with you.

In Christ,

BOB

Dear Adam,

Adam, Adam - keep it positive! Oh, you have already come over to the Eastern Church.

In that case . . .

One could do a list of "don't's" in writing a letter to a Latin bishop about why one wishes to transfer to the Eastern Churches:

1) DON'T say you want to become Eastern because you want to be a priest - the bishop will assume it's because you want to get married and why should you have it better than the celibates?

2) DON'T say it is because you like the "mysticisim" of Eastern spirituality - he may want to cure you of that by sending you on retreat to a Camaldolese hermitage.

3) DON'T say it is because you are in love with the Divine Liturgy - he may think you are one of those Tridentinists who never got used to the NO and so want something that looks very much like what the Latin Church had in the "good old days."

4) DON'T say it is because you prefer a Church with a decided conservative theological/spiritual outlook - he may order you to watch EWTN for several months.

5) DON'T say it is because you like the icons - he might assign you to a shop repairing statues.

6) DON'T say it is because your ancestors of long ago were Eastern Catholic - he might say, "So what? That was then . . ."

Alex

For the new responses to my request, I wish to give my sincerest thanks. I may be leaving the tradition I was raised in, but there will be no bashing on my part. I just hope to impart the idea that in one sense I am coming home.

Alex, I love your list of what not to say. A little tongue in cheek, but a certain element of truth I do believe .

Again thanks to all who have responded for your kind and excellent advice.

Terry

Adam, that was great advice. Many years ago when I went through this process I was also advised to "keep it positive". Back then one had to go through the Pro-Nuncio which required even more "greasing of the skids" and thankfully the process after the promulgation of the newer Eastern Code is much simpler.

Adam has given some great advice about the catch phrases and pickup lines you will want to consider. Spin it positive, as negativism and any hints of being disgruntled will be picked up on by Sister Margie-without-the-habit and the other similar "forward thinkers" in the chancery.

Your very welcome. Polemics are just part of the services I provide, and I'm pleased that you are pleased!

I like the image of exchanging notes in the Kingdom, but I rather hope we won't have impersonal technical intermediaries, but can talk directly--over, of course, a nice glass of (take your pick) port, single malt, red wine, or Guiness. (Memo to the Baptists: yes, there will be booze in heaven. Get over it. The teetotalers and other fascists are sent to the other place.)