www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall chancing canonical status-- can Religious do it?

Chancing canonical status from the Latin Church to an Eastern Catholic Church -- can Religious do it? It's my understanding priests can be bi-ritual but cannot change from one Church sui iuris to another. Can Religious/Lay Brothers and Sisters be granted that change?

Priests/deacons can indeed change enrollment from one Church to another as can monastics/religious but it is more difficult for the latter as it will also entail be granted release from their vows by their superior.

I was misinformed re the priests/deacons, thanks for clarifying that part, and for answering my question about Lay Religious Brothers and Sisters.

Just to clarify, the difficulty for monastics and religious would likely be less should they belong to an order which has an 'Eastern province' - e.g., Jesuits, Redemptorists, Benedictines, Marianists, Assumptionists, some Franciscans.

Many years,

Neil

It is a rare occurrence, but one we have the privilege of witnessing here today.

Note, however, that there is often a considerable period of discernment. The process is thus normally a lengthy one.

There are some Latin-rite orders in the Middle East, who live the rite of the particular area, where they are missioning. They do not change rites officially but to all intents and purposes act as if they do.

The only reason for changing Rites, is if you want to get married or ordained in some Church other than the Church of your baptism (or heritage). For everything else (parish membership, worship, even your funeral) you can choose your Church.

So, as a lay religious (monk or nun) is hardly likely to marry or be ordained, there is no need. They can simply live and serve in the Church of their choice. There is no need to petition for a change.

In the rare case of a monk who wishes to be ordained, he can either endure being ordained in his original Church (serving afterwards in the Church of his choice), or ask permission to be ordained in Church other than his own (complicated and rare, but not unknown).

Why do they need to be released from their vows?

It is probably enough to have the permission of the superior, and his blessing for the change. In fact, the superior general (or his procurator) in Rome would probably handle the petition to the Congregation for Religious, or the Oriental Congregation. There is no need to be released from vows to do that?

Some Orders/Congregations do not allow their priests to be biritual or serve a Church other than the Latin.

Bishop John of Parma (Ruthenian) was a TOR Franciscan (Latin) before he was incardinated into the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh.

Further on the comment made by Deacon Lance... To a religious order which has no history of involvement with the non-Latin Churches and has its own missions (works to which it is committed, versus worshipping communities) there is little incentive to allow one of their own to take on a new field of endeavor. This is particularly the case in an era when vocations are not what they once were - and every body counts. So, it may not even always be a case of not allowing - but of not seeing it as consistent with the order's charge.

Along similar lines, I've known several biritual priests from religious orders who have been recalled in time, not because of any animosity toward the work they were performing, but simply because they were needed - for the work of their order.

Many years,

Neil

A Canon Lawyer told me some time ago that, Religious for good reason may be permitted to be bi-ritual but the Church does not permit them to change Rite.

I appreciate all your responses.





It's interesting that we have two completely different responses that happen to come from posters both in Australia.

I'm was asking a theoretical question. I know no Religious myself who are wanting to make a formal change from the Latin Church to an Eastern/Oriental Catholic Church. The question just came up in my mind because of a discussion elsewhere about lay people changing from one Church sui iuris to another. That discussion comes up often.

Dear me - I've overlooked a potential reason for being bothered to obtain a "change of rite". If one seriously hopes to become canonized, or even beatified, it would be well to obtain the otherwise pointless "change of rite". Sister Miriam Theresa Demianovich has been stuck in this headache for decades - she was born and baptized as a Greek-Catholic, joined an RC community of nuns, led an outstanding Christian life, and died in the fragrance of sanctity.

In her case, honesty compels me to add, there is also the problem of whether she was a "Slovak" or a "Rusyn". Fortunately, from Sister Miriam Teresa's present vantage point, she probably remains blissfully unconcerned for both of these matters.

(And no, I am NOT making this up).

Fr. Serge

A former administrator of our parish (then bi-ritual Latin), upon his second retirement, successfully petitioned for a change of ritual.

He co-celebrates once or twice a month, and covers when Father is shipped out of town.