R. J. Grigaitis, S.F.O.
Rites of the Catholic Church
Most people, including many Catholics, think that the only Catholic Church is the Roman Catholic Church. In fact, some Protestants even state that the term Roman Catholic is contradictory: Roman meaning a specific culture; and Catholic meaning universal. The truth is that the Roman Catholic Church is only one of a family of churches that vary in culture, but are united under the leadership of Christ's vicar, that is, the pope.
The different churches in the family of Catholic churches are referred to as rites.
It is important for Catholics to realise that they belong to a larger family than just the Roman Church. Like wise, it is important for non-Catholics to realise that the Catholic Church is truly universal.
The following tables give a quick description of the different rites of the Catholic Church and a better idea of it universality. It is very important that this information be presented in catechistical programs such as R.C.I.A. and children's religion classes.
To this end, a PDF file has been created that formats the following tables nicely so they fit on one piece of paper.
Click here to download this file.
Rites of the Catholic Church in the West
| Church | Area of Practice | |
|---|---|---|
| Latin Rite | ||
| Ambrosian | Italy - Milan Archdiocese | |
| Mozarabic (Iberian) |
Spain - Toledo Archdiocese | |
| Portugal - Bragan Archdiocese | ||
| Roman | Worldwide | |
Rites of the Catholic Church in the East
| Church | Area of Practice | Canonical Status | Date of Reunion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandrian Rite (Liturgy of St. Mark) | |||
| Coptic | Egypt & Near East | Patriarchate | 1741 |
| Ethiopian/Eritrean | Ethiopia & Somalia | Metropolitan | 1846 |
| Antiochene Rite or West-Syrian (Liturgy of St. James) | |||
| Maronite | Middle East & Diaspora | Patriarchate | never separated re-affirmed 1182 |
| Syrian | Near & Middle East | Patriarchate | 1781 |
| Syro-Malankara | India | Major Archepiscopal | 1930 |
| Armenian Rite ( Greek Liturgy of St.Basil) | |||
| Armenian | Near East & Diaspora | Patriarchate | 1742 |
| Chaldean Rite or East-Syrian (Derived from Antiochene Rite) | |||
| Chaldean | Near & Middle East | Patriarchate | 1692 |
| Syro-Malabar | India | Major Archepiscopal | 1599 |
|
Byzantine Rite
(Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, St. James, St. Basil & Others) |
|||
| Albanian | Albania | without hierarchy | 1628 |
| Belarusian | Belarus | without hierarchy | 1596 |
| Bulgarian | Bulgaria | sui iuris | 1861 |
| Croatian | Croatia & USA | sui iuris | 1611 |
| Greek | Greece & Diaspora | sui iuris | 1829 |
| Hungarian | Hungary & USA | sui iuris | 1646 |
| Italo-Albanian | East & South Italy | sui iuris | never separated |
| Macedonian | Macedonia | sui iuris | 1918 |
| Melkite | Greece & Diaspora | Patriarchate | 1726 |
| Romanian | Romania & USA | Major Archepiscopal | 1697 |
| Russian | Russia & Diaspora | without hierarchy | 1905 |
| Ruthenian | Ukrainia & USA | Metropolitan | 1646 |
| Slovackian | Slovackia | sui iuris | 1646 |
| Ukrainian | Ukrainia & Diaspora | Major Archepiscopal | 1595 |
