Can a priest be ordained under eastern and latin rites QUESTION from walter Wildes Jr. June 15, 2000 I was doing a little research on the subvject of ordaination and have some questions on it.
Can under cannon law a person be ordained under the eastern rite and the latin rite if the person is properly trained in both rites. I ask this question because since eastern catholics are united with Rome and we are all one holy catholic church people will know the beauty of both the latin and eastern rites if a person was ordained under both rites. If both sides where in aggreement would this be possable evan if there are some differences in Litugical styles and teachings. I think that if one is ordained under both rites the whole church can benifit be this type of ordaination and more people will come back to the church.
And the people will have a chose within the church ant to learn more about the eastern church that are in union with the church some catholics are misslead saying that the eastern church's are not catholic mabe if a person is ordained under both rites things can be different and catholics can see both sides of the coin and start comeing back to the church in general.
What doe's cannon law say about this type of ordaination and would it be possible to be ordained in this manner.
Thank You Wally
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, O.L.S.M. on July 21, 2000 Dear Mr. Wildes:
A priest is only ordained once, if his ordination was valid. So once ordained as a Latin Rite priest, or as a Eastern Rite priest, the person is a priest, period.
As for a priest authorized to perform the liturgies of both the Latin and Eastern Rites, I thought I saw something about that in Canon Law, but I can't find it now.
I think this is possible. I have a childhood friend who is a Latin Rite priest. I know that at one time, he was in training for the Byzantine Liturgy too.
At this point I would say that I believe this is possible, with proper motivations and permissions of course.
However, your question implies that you are wondering if this is possible so that a Latin Rite priest, for example, could say a Eastern Liturgy in his Latin Rite parish so that the people would be exposed to that Liturgy. I don't think that would be proper.
If a Latin Rite Catholic wishes to learn about the Eastern Rite Liturgy they would need to visit a Eastern Rite Parish, and vise versa.
I would encourage that. We ought to know more about one another.
I would like to have a section on our Website for Eastern Rite Catholics someday. It is primarily a matter of finding the volunteers who are qualified to webmaster that section.
Note: Since we are talking about this, it should be noted that many Latin Rite Catholic frustrated over abuses are going to Eastern Rite parishes IMPROPERLY.
It is alright to visit a Eastern Rite Parish as a Latin Rite Catholic, but not alright to go there permanently unless we formally transfer from the Latin to the Eastern Rite.
Transfer from one Rite to another can only been done with Rome's permission and only for VERY limited reasons. Begin frustrated with the abuses in the Roman Liturgy is NOT SUFFICIENT reason to transfer.
Back to Index Page