Why are there different Rites in the Catholic Church?

Question

such as Latin Rite, Roman Rite(are Latin Rite and Roman Rite the same thing?)

There are also different rites in the eastern catholic churches, Why? Are they still Catholic like Roman Rite?
I am pretty sure they are all under Papal Authority, I think

Answer 1

Actually there are over 20 different Catholic Churches that make up the worldwide Catholic Church.

In addition to the Latin Rite (Roman) Catholic Church, the Eastern Rite Catholic Churches are in full communion with the Pope, and are part of the same worldwide Catholic Church.

Many of these rites trace their Traditions back to the first and second centuries.

Eastern Rite Catholic Churches include:

Alexandrian liturgical tradition
+ Coptic Catholic Church
+ Ethiopic Catholic Church

Antiochian (Antiochene or West-Syrian) liturgical tradition
+ Maronite Church
+ Syrian Catholic Church
+ Syro-Malankara Catholic Church

Armenian liturgical tradition:
+ Armenian Catholic Church

Chaldean or East Syrian liturgical tradition:
+ Chaldean Catholic Church
+ Syro-Malabar Church

Byzantine (Constantinopolitan) liturgical tradition:
+ Albanian Byzantine Catholic Church
+ Belarusian Greek Catholic Church
+ Bulgarian Greek Catholic Church
+ Byzantine Church of the Eparchy of Križevci
+ Greek Byzantine Catholic Church
+ Hungarian Greek Catholic Church
+ Italo-Albanian Catholic Church
+ Macedonian Greek Catholic Church
+ Melkite Greek Catholic Church
+ Romanian Church
+ Russian Byzantine Catholic Church
+ Ruthenian Catholic Church
+ Slovak Greek Catholic Church
+ Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13121a.htm

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

ALL Eastern Catholic churches are in communion with the Pope. They are those who re-united/reconciled with Rome from the various Orthodox Churches.

It is the Orthodox Churches who are not in communion with Rome although some are slowly working to that end.

NO....the Roman and Latin rites are not the same. The Mozarabic, Gaulic, Italo-Albanian and a couple of others are Latin but not Roman.

The Roman empire was once the largest empire in the world. Because of this one of the emporers divided in two for better ruling. The Eastern part had its capital in Byzantium/New Rome. It was later called Constantinople and now Istanbul. It was very Greek culturally as the Greeks ruled the area before Rome.

The western part had its capital in Rome and spoke Latin.

The Greek church means more than just the Greek culture. The Greek liturgy has been adopted by the Melkite rite which reunited with Rome from the Syrian Orthodox Church.

In all there are 22 rites in the Catholic Church. MOST of them -- but not all -- revolve around a particular culture.

If you can, find a Melkite Rite or Maronite Rite church in your area and go to their liturgy. If you are Catholic, YES you may receive Communion from them. The experience will leave you breathless! Very heavenly!

A few years ago I put together a 2-hour seminar entitled "A Genealogy of the Catholic Church" which explains the Catholic, Eastern Catholic and Orthodox churches. I give the seminar to whoever wants me to do it.

Answer 3

Here you go:
Eight Rites of the Catholic Church:
1. Roman 2. Armenian 3. Byzantine 4. Coptic 5. Maronite 6. East Syrian 7. West Syrian 8. Ethiopian (often listed as a recension of the Coptic Rite)
The twenty-two Catholic Churches:
* ROMAN RITE * 1. Latin Church
* ARMENIAN RITE* 2. Armenian Church
* BYZANTINE RITE * 3. Italo-Albanian Church 4. Melkite Church 5. Ukrainian Church 6. Ruthenian Church 7. Romanian Church 8. Greek Church (in Greece) 9. Greek Church of Former Yugoslavia 10. Bulgarian Church 11. Slovak Church 12. Hungarian Church 13. Russian Church 14. Belarusan Church 15. Albanian Church
* COPTIC RITE * 16. Coptic Church (in many lists the Ethiopian Church is also placed here)
* MARONITE RITE * 17. Maronite Church
* EAST SYRIAN RITE * 18. Chaldean Church 19. Syro-Malabar Church
* WEST SYRIAN RITE * 20. Syro-Malankara Church 21. Syrian Church
* ETHIOPIAN RITE * 22. Ethiopian Church (often listed under the Coptic Rite)

Answer 4

With the TLM in the news, you may see it referred to as the Latin Mass. While true in terms of language, it should really be referred to as the Tridentine Mass (from the Council of Trent) with the use of Latin language being one of the many differences in celebration.

Eastern churches - yes and no :)

The Eastern Orthodox (Russian, Greek, Ukrainian, etc Orthodox) are not in communion with Rome. Many of the Churches are divided by state and ethnic lines. There is no centralized authority for them.

However, many of them are in talks with Rome to work towards unification. They believe that the Bishop of Rome has primacy, as we Latin Rite / Roman Catholics do, but we disagree on what that means in actuality.

There are other Eastern Churches in communion with Rome - i.e. under papal authority. Some examples are the Maronites, Ukrainian Catholics, Byzantine Catholics, etc.

Part of the reunification is that they are allowed to function liturgically as they always have, and have their own Rite. Their rites tend to lean very traditional, and Rome has been very supportive of Latin Rite Catholics attending (roamin') and learning about our Eastern brothers and sisters. They have the light of Mystery about them.

There is even an Anglican use rite, although I am not sure if that applied only if the whole community/parish converted.

Answer 5

The different rites in the Catholic Church are matter of preference.

After Vatican II - the normal Catholic Mass is the norvus ordum (the mass you find at most Catholic Churches throughout the world).

There are still some Latin masses - and possibly more coming.

These are based on the preference of worshippers who love that form of the mass.

Eastern Catholic churches are not under Papal authority (yet).

There are talks - and that may still happen in our lifetime.

Answer 6

The japanese Rites don't seem to be Orthodox that might be like calling the Agnglican church Roman catholic. The uniates discuss with them selves as ___ catholic how ever because the Pope is given the doctrine of infaliblity within the excathadra announcement us Orthodox might state they're nonetheless Roman Catholic. As we bear in mind all Bishops to be identical.

Answer 7

There are a bunch. Latin/Roman, Byzantine, Ukrainian, Melonkite (sp?).

They're all Catholic, but just have a little bit more of that particular culture than the Latin rite.

http://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/catholic_rites_and_churches.htm

That gives some good info.

Answer 8

'The Carmelite' gave a rather lengthy answer, thanks to him!
I found the following link:

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05230a.htm

where the various Eastern Catholic Churches are enumerated. For a (Catholic) lay-person like me, my litmus test is: are they loyal to the Holy See?

If yes, then, as far as I know, we have full communion, i.e., I may take communion in their church, and they in ours.

Answer 9

For the same reason that there are different prayers and different scriptures.

Answer 10

Rites aren't right, they are just superstition.