Folia Canonica 5. (2002)

STUDIES - John D. Faris: Territory and the Eastern Catholic Experience in the United States

54 JOHN D. FARIS The great crisis that was to befall this community finds its origins in the issue of territoriality. From the time of the appointment of the first bishop for the Ruthenian / Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the Apostolic See had deter­mined that the priests who were to serve in the United States were to be celibate or widowed without children.15 Legislation continued to follow that, despite the traditions of their own churches, only celibate Ukrainian and Ruthenian priests were permitted to serve in the United States. This territorial restriction resulted in the departure of thousands of Ukrainians and Ruthenians from Catholic com­munion and remains “on the books” until today with regard to all Eastern Catho­lics. No other Eastern Catholic church was given a hierarchy in the United States until the latter part of the twentieth century. Establishment of Hierarchies The establishment in the United States of hierarchies of other Eastern Catho­lic churches was a consequence of the impetus of Vatican II. When the Maronite Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn16 and the Melkite Greek-Catholic Eparchy of Newton17 were established, the eparchial bishops of Passaic (1963); Eparchy of Parma (1969); Eparchy of Van Nuys (1981). It is inter­esting to note that the Annuario Pontificio 2001 refers to the Archeparchy as a jurisdic­tion “for the Byzantines” while all the suffragan sees carry the title of “for the Ruthenians.” There is yet another anomaly with regard to the Ruthenian Church. Its status is that of a metropolitan church and since it is established in the United States, it is not ex­tra-territorial. The Ruthenian Church also includes two jurisdictions in Eastern Europe: the Eparchy of Mukacheve in Ukraine immediately subject to the Apostolic See and the Exarchy of the Czech Republic, also immediately subject to the Apostolic See. 15 Sacred Congregation for the Eastern Church, decree Qua sollerti, 23 XII. 1929, in AAS 22 (1930) 99-105. 16 The Apostolic Exarchate for the Maronites in the United States of America was es­tablished on 10 January 1966. On 29 November 1971, the Exarchate was elevated to the status of Eparchy of Saint Maron of Detroit, to be changed to the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn with the transferal of the see on 27 June 1977. Until 1994, the ju­risdiction of the eparchial bishop extended throughout the United States. On 19 Febru­ary 1994, the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles was established and comprises the western part of the United States. In July, 2001, permission was obtained from the Apostolic See for Saint Raymond Church, St. Louis, Missouri to be named a Co-Cathedral and to transfer the bishop’s residence and curia from Los Angeles to Mis­souri. 17 The Apostolic Exarchate for the Greek-Melkites in the United States of America was established on 10 January 1966. On 28 June 1976, the Exarchate was elevated to the status of Eparchy of Newton of the Greek-Melkites.

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