Folia Canonica 5. (2002)
STUDIES - John D. Faris: Territory and the Eastern Catholic Experience in the United States
TERRITORY AND THE EASTERN CATHOLIC EXPERIENCE IN THE UNITED STATES 55 were both endowed with cumulative jurisdiction, that is, the Maronite and Melkite Greek-Catholic eparchial bishops shared jurisdiction over their faithful along with the local Latin bishop. In practical terms, this meant that a dispensation from the invalidating impediment of disparity of worship for the marriage of a Melkite Greek-Catholic man and a non-bap tized woman in Boston, Massachusetts, could be granted either by the Melkite Greek-Catholic bishop of Newton (a suburb of Boston) or the Latin Archbishop of Boston. This situation perdured for several years perhaps because no one adverted to the matter. When the canonical arrangement was eventually noticed, a modification was requested. In a letter dated 24 June 1982, the Apostolic Delegate to the United States indicated that the Sacred Congregation for the Eastern Churches clarified (sic) that all Eastern Rite Bishops of the United States have exclusive jurisdiction over their faithful in that country.18 Because of the paucity of faithful and priests, international boundaries were ignored in the establishment of two hierarchies in North America: • The Apostolic Exarchate for the Faithful of the Armenian Rite Residing in the United States of America and in Canada19 comprises the Armenian Catholics of two countries and is today the only exarchy in the United States. The exarch resides in New York. • The Eparchy of Our Lady of Deliverance of Newark20 (New Jersey) comprises the Syriac Catholic in the United States and Canada. The eparch resides in Newark. Such an arrangement is practical, but perhaps could be viewed as offensive to Canadians who strive to maintain their unique identity and autonomy despite their proximity to the almost overpowering United States. The Romanian Eparchy of Saint George’s in Canton is the only extraterritorial jurisdiction of a metropolitan church. The eparchy was established in 1987 prior to the 1990 re-establishment of the Romanian Greek Catholic hierarchy in Romania. The participation of the bishop of this eparchy in the Romanian Catholic council of hierarchs should be noted. Unlike the other Eastern Catholic bishops who are members of their respective patriarchal or major archiépiscopal synods, his deliberative vote cannot be restricted.21 18 CANON Law SOCIETY OF America, Roman Replies and CLSA Advisory Opinions 1984, 5-9. 19 The Exarchate was established on 3 July 1981. 20 The Eparchy was established on 6 November 1995. 2lCCEO c. 164 §2. Compare with CCEO c. 102 §2.
