www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Canonical change from roman to ugcc whats the point in it?

Why do people get canonical changes? Whats the point in it really? if your Roman and like the byzantine Church, just live and pray byzantine right? Why is there a need for canonical change for some people?

It's a very personal decision as to what you do . For some people , however , it is needed as an identity .

Thank OLS. Are there many who get refused canonical transfer? and if so do you know for what reason?

In 1977 my wife and requested and received a canonical change from the Latin Rite to the UGCC at the time our first child was born. Our reason for requesting the change was we felt that we had a more fulfilling and complete worship experience from participating in the Divine Liturgy than from the Novus Ordo. Fr. Paul Guthrie, OFM (of Blessed Memory) was the pastor who received us into the UGCC at St. Michael's UCC in Rossford, OH. Fr. Paul got me to participate by handing me a missal and asking me to read the Tropars, Kondaks, Epistles and Prokiemans every Sunday. It was the best way to ensure my learning the Divine Liturgy. Our canonical change ensured that each of our three children would be Baptized and Chrismated as Ukrainian Catholics. The younger two of the three were baptized by immersion. Fr. Paul baptized all three of our children; he was a great friend and mentor. He is sorely missed. Anyway, we felt that it if we were going to participate in the Ukrainian Catholic Church it was imperative that we did so as full members of the Church. We are very glad that we did.

Yes I guess this is kinda how I feel which is why I petitioned for a change.

For me, I would be fine without the canonical change. However, for something like vocation; or what you guys touched up on, a canonical change is necessary.

vocation? I think that for anyone to change ritual churches just so they could be a priest would be a huge mistake in my opinion. And I am sure there are canons set up to prevent that from happening. I would hope so, because someone changing ritual rite just to be a priest would not be a vocation but someone usurping a vocation that was never there to begin with.

No, I talked to the vocational director in my eparchy. and he said, in a few years, we'll look into changing your canonical status. It's not like the selfish mentality you're alluding to. I'm aware of people talking about changing canonically so they can be ordained while married. I totally see that.

However, I'm discerning the call right now, to Holy orders, within the Byzantine tradition. If not for these stipulations, I wouldn't mind remaining canonically Roman, while living out my spirituality/worship at a Byzantine church.

oh I see what your saying. I just thought I'd throw that one out there.

I'll say a prayer for you in your vocation to the priesthood.

Hi Wheelbarrow and Lester. I was going to chime in and say that this ^^ response doesn't really make sense to me, but now I see that you later said,



so I guess it's "all good" as they say.

The main reason I can see for canonical change is to allow for easier reception of all the Mysteries in the Eastern tradition. What I mean are times such as a child's receiving Baptism, Chrismation, and the Eucharist: I might be wrong, but it seems like it might be more difficult for the child to receive these Mysteries in the Eastern tradition if he is canonically Roman. I might be wrong about that, and if so, I would happily accept correction.

The biggest question I have (if anyone can answer it) is this: can a couple that is canonically Roman receive the Mystery of Crowning in the Eastern tradition? I'm not a canon lawyer by any stretch of the imagination, but from what I've read, it seems like the couple has to be canonically Eastern to be married using the Eastern Mystery. Can anyone else shine some light on this?

This is much like that there are some that are dual-Rite Catholic, like myself, meaning that they worship on and off between both Latin and Byzantine traditions, and alternate between both Churches. I don't see this as being a problem, either. Just as long as you don't mess up the traditions from one Church to another, you'll be perfectly fine.

The Sacraments. I'm not talking about Eucharist or Confession, I'm talking about Sacraments of Initiation (for your children), marriage, even Holy Orders. Also Funeral Rites. Though if you are a long standing parishioner I doubt that you will be denied any of these (except ordination). I mean, I had my daughter recently initiated in the UGCC Rite even though we are all canonically Roman.

The other is validation. Nice to have that piece of paper to make it formal. Also keeps the legalistic RCs from bugging you if you decide to go to an eat-all-you-can shrimp place on Ash Wednesday. Or maybe even have a nice juicy steak on Ash Wednesday and your parish is on the Julian and Lent doesn't start for another 2 weeks.

:thumbs up:

How old is your daughter?

Turning 6 months