I have found some errant people who think that Eastern Rite Catholics are radically different from Latin Rite. However, while they have different practices (the practice of married vs. unmarried priests; leavened vs. unleavened bread; liturgy of the Mass, etc.), they all believe the same doctrines and dogmas, and are all united by accepting the supreme authority of the Bishop of Rome as defined at Vatican I (1870). Note the following from the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches:
title iii. THE SUPREME AUTHORITY OF THE CHURCH
can. 42† Just as by the Lord’s decision
Saint Peter and the other Apostles constitute one college, so in a like manner
the Roman Pontiff, the successor of Peter, and the bishops, successors of the
apostles, are joined together.
chapter i. The
Roman Pontiff
can. 43† The bishop of the Roman Church, in
whom continues the office (munus)
given by the Lord uniquely to Peter, the first of the Apostles, and to be
transmitted to his successors, is the head of the college of bishops, the Vicar
of Christ and pastor of the entire Church on earth. By virtue of his office (munus) he possesses supreme, full,
immediate and universal ordinary power in the Church which he is always able to
exercise freely.
can. 44 §1.† The Roman Pontiff obtains
supreme and full power in the Church by his acceptance of legitimate election
together with episcopal ordination. Therefore, a person elected to the supreme
pontificate who is marked with episcopal character obtains this power from the
moment of acceptance. If the person elected lacks episcopal character, however,
he is to be ordained a bishop immediately.
§2.† If it happens that the Roman Pontiff resigns his
office (munus), it is required for
validity that the resignation is made freely and properly manifested, but not
that it is accepted by anyone.
can. 45 §1.† By virtue of his office (munus), the Roman Pontiff not only
possesses power over the entire Church but also obtains the primacy of ordinary
power over all the eparchies and their groupings. Moreover, this primacy
strengthens and protects the proper, ordinary and immediate power which bishops
possess in the eparchy entrusted to their care.
§2.† In fulfilling the office (munus) of the supreme pastor of the entire Church, the Roman
Pontiff is always united in communion with the other bishops and with the
entire Church. He nevertheless has the right, according to the needs of the
Church, to determine the manner, whether personal or collegial, of exercising
this office (munus).
§3.† No appeal or recourse is permitted against a
sentence or decree of the Roman Pontiff.
can. 46 §1.† Bishops assist the Roman
Pontiff in exercising his office (munus).
They are able to render him cooperative assistance in various ways, among which
is the synod of bishops. To assist him there are also cardinals, the Roman
curia, pontifical legates and other persons and various institutions according
to the needs of the times; all these persons and institutions fulfill the
function entrusted to them in his name and by his authority for the good of all
the Churches, according to the norms established by the Roman Pontiff himself.
§2.† The participation of patriarchs and of all the other
hierarchs who preside over Churches sui
iuris in the synod of bishops is regulated by special norms established by
the Roman Pontiff himself.
can. 47† When the Roman see is vacant or
entirely impeded, nothing is to be altered in the governance of the entire
Church; the special laws issued for these circumstances, however, are to be
observed.
can. 48 In this Code the term “Apostolic
See” or “Holy See” applies not only to the Roman Pontiff but also, unless it is
otherwise specified by the law or is clear from the nature of the matter, to
the dicasteries and other institutions of the Roman curia. (Code
of Canons of the Eastern Churches: New English Translation [Washington,
D.C.: Canon Law Society of America, 2001], 16–19)
Here is the Latin text:
Titulus III
De Suprema Ecclesiae Auctoritate
can. 42 Sicut
statuente Domino sanctus Petrus et ceteri Apostoli unum Collegium constituunt,
pari ratione Romanus Pontifex, successor Petri, et Episcopi, successores
Apostolorum, inter se coniunguntur.
Caput I
De Romano Pontifice
can. 43
Ecclesiae Romanae Episcopus, in quo permanet munus a Domino singulariter Petro,
primo Apostolorum, concessum et successoribus eius transmittendum, Collegii
Episcoporum est caput, Vicarius Christi atque universae Ecclesiae his in terris
Pastor, qui ideo vi muneris sui suprema, plena, immediata et universali in
Ecclesia gaudet potestate ordinaria, quam semper libere exercere potest.
can. 44 § 1.
Supremam et plenam in Ecclesia potestatem Romanus Pontifex obtinet legitima
electione ab ipso acceptata una cum ordinatione episcopali; quare eandem
potestatem obtinet a momento acceptationis electus ad summum pontificatum, qui
episcopali charactere insignitus est; si vero charactere episcopali electus
caret, statim ordinetur Episcopus.
§ 2. Si contingit, ut
Romanus Pontifex muneri suo renuntiet, ad validitatem requiritur, ut
renuntiatio libere fiat et rite manifestetur, non vero, ut a quopiam
acceptetur.
can. 45 § 1.
Romanus Pontifex vi sui muneris non modo in universam Ecclesiam potestate
gaudet, sed et super omnes eparchias earumque coetus potestatis ordinariae
obtinet principatum, quo quidem simul roboratur atque vindicatur potestas
propria, ordinaria et immediata, quam in eparchiam suae curae commissam
Episcopi habent.
§ 2. Romanus Pontifex in
munere supremi universae Ecclesiae Pastoris explendo communione cum ceteris
Episcopis immo et universa Ecclesia semper est coniunctus; ipsi ius tamen est
determinare secundum necessitates Ecclesiae modum sive personalem sive collegialem
huius muneris exercendi.
§ 3. Contra sententiam
vel decretum Romani Pontificis non datur appellatio neque recursus.
can. 46 § 1.
In eius munere exercendo Romano Pontifici praesto sunt Episcopi, qui eidem
cooperatricem operam dare possunt variis rationibus, inter quas est Synodus
Episcoporum; auxilio praeterea ei sunt Patres Cardinales, Curia Romana, Legati
pontificii necnon aliae personae itemque varia secundum necessitates temporum
instituta; quae personae omnes et instituta nomine et auctoritate eiusdem munus
sibi commissum explent in bonum omnium Ecclesiarum secundum normas ab ipso
Romano Pontifice statutas.
§ 2. Patriarcharum
ceterorumque Hierarcharum, qui Ecclesiis sui iuris praesunt, participatio in
Synodo Episcoporum regitur normis specialibus ab ipso Romano Pontifice
statutis.
can. 47 Sede
Romana vacante aut prorsus impedita nihil innovetur in universae Ecclesiae
regimine; serventur autem leges speciales pro eisdem adiunctis latae.
can. 48 Nomine
Sedis Apostolicae vel Sanctae Sedis in hoc Codice veniunt non solum Romanus
Pontifex, sed etiam, nisi aliter iure cavetur vel ex natura rei constat,
Dicasteria aliaque Curiae Romanae instituta. (Codex Canonum Ecclesiarum Orientalium [Vatican
City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1995], Logos ed.)
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