CHURCHES RITES & COMMUNION Catholicity: Unity in Diversity Ecumenism: Internal & External

What is “Church”? “Church” = temple, the actual building “Church” = diocese (particular or local church): basic unit “Church” = the universal Church (the Catholic Church in whole world)  “ Church” = (Ecclesia Suri Iuris)  an Autonomous self-governing Catholic Church  within the Catholic Communion

Communion, Church, Rite: 1 Catholic “Communion” (Universal Catholic “Church”) 22 autonomous Catholic Churches –Ecclesia sui Iuris (self-governing Churches within the Cath. Communion) -- eg: Roman Catholic Church = 1 of the 22 Autonomous Cath. Churches --eg; Chaldean Catholic Church (Persia, China) = 1 of the 22 also 7 Rites used by the 22 Catholic Churches Each of the 22 Autonomous Churches uses a Rite Each rite has it’s own: 1. theology: 2. spirituality: 3. liturgical ceremonies: 3. Church discipline (law, structure, administration, functioning, etc.)

“Rite” “Church”, common misconceptions No Eastern Rite: 6 Rites used by Churches originating in East --each as different from 1 another as from the Latin Church (the R.C.C.) No Eastern Church: 21 Eastern Church es : –Between them, they use 6 Eastern Rites eg: UGCC = 1 Autonomous Church in the Catholic Communion –Self – governing (own head & governing structure: Synod, Metrop. –Autonomous but not Autocephalous (not independent) –We are part of / act together with the universal Catholic Ch/Comm. –We are the UGCC and we use the Byzantine Rite Roman Catholic Church = also 1 Autonomous Catholic Church –Self – governing (own head & governing structure: Vatican, Cardnl. –Autonomous but not Autocephalous (not independent) –1 of the 22 within the the universal Catholic Ch/Comm. –The Universal Catholic Church: not just the RCC: only 1/22 –The Catholic Communion = the 22 Autonomous Catholic Churches

2 Groups: Eastern Churches: Eastern Catholic Churches: 21 within the Catholic Communion Ancient Apostolic Churches, Apostolic Succession Valid Sacraments Orthodox Theologies as per their Church & Rite “Orthodox in Communion with Rome” Eastern Orthodox Churches Ancient Apostolic Churches Apostolic Succession Valid Sacraments Eastern Theologies as per their Church & Rite but NOT in communion with the Catholic Churches

Rites used in the Catholic Communion 1. Byzantine rite used by Churches evangelized from Byzantium: (13 Catholic Churches) 2. Syrian rite used in Churches evangelized from Antioch: (3 Catholic Churches) 3. Chaldean rite used in Churches evangelized frpm Persia: 2 Catholic Churches+ China 4. Ethiopian rite Churches from Ethiopia & Eritrea: (1 Catholic Church) 5. Coptic rite Churches from Egypt: (1 Catholic Church) 6. Armenian rite Churches from Armenia: (1 Catholic Church) 7. Latin rite: (presently, the predominant “Western rite”) 1 Catholic Church “Roman Catholic” Church (canonically, the “Latin Church”)

e.g. Churches using the Byzantine rite Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (Ukraine, etc.) Romanian Greek Catholic Church (Romania, etc.) Melkite Greek Catholic Church (Middle East, etc.) Rusyn Greek Catholic Church (United States, etc.) Russian Greek Catholic Church (Russia, etc.) Greek Greek Catholic Church (Greece, etc.) Bilo-Rusyn Greek Catholic Church (Bilo-Rus, etc.) Bulgarian Greek Catholic Church (Bulgaria, etc.) Italo-Albanian Greek Catholic Church (Italy, etc.) Albanian Greek Catholic Church (Albania, etc.) Slovak Greek Catholic Church (Slovakia, etc.) Hungarian Greek Catholic Church (Hungary, etc.) Krizevci Greek Catholic Church (former Yugoslavia, etc.)

Assyrian Church & Malabar Church

Antioch: Syrian, Malankara, Maronite

Egypt (Alexandria) : the Coptic Church

Ethiopian Church: Ethiopian rite

Armenian Church: Armenian rite

Byzantine Churches

The 3 levels of Church Structure Bishop: head of his Diocese Patriarch: head of his Autonomous Catholic Church Pope: serves the unity of the Catholic Communion, –keeps the 22 Catholic Churches together & coordinates them e.g.: Pope: 3 jobs –Bishop of Rome –Patriarch/head of the Roman Catholic Church (1 of 22 “patriarchs”) Most of Pope’s work is as Patriarch of the Latin Church –Pope of the entire Catholic “Communion” of 22 Churches (Patriarchs: 2 jobs, Bishop: 1)

Internal Ecumenism:within Catholicism Different Churches using diff. rites but all equally Catholic Orientalium Ecclesiarum (Vat.II) Variety, in no way harms, but rather manifests the unity Each Church should preserve their rite whole & entire Each Church should take steps to return to their ancestral traditions Unitatis Redintegratio (Vat.II) Lawful variety of theological expressions Different understandings and confessions of God’s truth Mutually complementary, not conflicting (the more different {legitimately}, the more Catholic)

Byzantine/Latin Differences Church Discipline: –Married priesthood // Celibacy –Democratic Synodal Administration // Latin Church monarchialism Theology: –Filioque in Symbol of Faith –Marriage: Contract (Rom/Germ) // Mystery of Crowning in God –Infant Communion –Confessional Absolution: May God absolve… // I absolve Liturgy (Mass v. Divine Services) –Epiclesis // Words of Institution –Information // Transfiguration, learning // contemplation Spirituality –Icons // Statues –Mt Tabour Transfiguration Light // Stigmata

Catholic Communion = 22 Churches Shows it’s Catholicity Ecumenical Reunion with Orthodox A Church priority: “realize it’s universality” Important because: 1. Pope says 2. should know the full reality of our Church (not just 5%) 3. Christianity: not foreign, European, late import to China Eastern Christianity established in Tang Dynasty (600s) Christianity at the heart of Chinese Culture: Jesus Sutras Eastern Churches: What’s it to me?

Pope St. Pius X Nec Plus Nec Minus Nec Aliter Nothing More Nothing Less Nothing Different Pope Benedict XVI The current Successor of Peter feels himself to be personally implicated in this question and is disposed to do all in his power to promote the fundamental cause of ecumenism

Churches using Rites 1 universal Catholic Church/Communion: 22 autonomous Churches Assyrian Church (Iran, Iraq, etc.):uses: Chaldean rite daughter--Malabar Church (India):uses: Chaldean rite Syrian Church (Syria, Turkey, etc.):uses: Syrian daughters:--Malankar Church (India, etc.): uses: Syrian --Maronite Church (Lebanon, etc.): uses: Maronite/Syrian Coptic Church (Egypt, etc.): uses: Coptic Rite (200,000) Ethiopian Church (Eritrea, Ethiopia, etc.): uses: Ethiopian Rite (222,000) Armenian Church (Armenia, Israel, etc.): uses: Armenian Rite (400,000) Latin Church (Western Europe, etc.): uses: Latin Rite –(extinct Western rites/Churches): Ambrosian, Mozarabic, Celtic, Gallican etc.

Pope Benedict XVI Reunion with Eastern Orthodox, How? "Rome must not require more from the Orthodox Churches with respect to the doctrine of primacy than had been formulated and was lived in the first millennium. When the Patriarch Athenagoras…designated him as as the most esteemed among us, as one also presides in charity, the doctrine of primacy in the first millennium. Rome need not ask for more. Reunion could take place in this context