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Слава Ісусу Христу! It is necessary to remind you what is the role and obligations of the Parish Priest in the liturgical life of the parish. Basically you know that the parish priest/administrator is totally responsible for, and in charge of, all liturgical services (baptisms, funerals, liturgies, marriages etc.) in a parish. Under no circumstance can a lay person or family decide which priest in the Eparchy or parish will perform the liturgical services for them. They may request a priest who is in the parish or is not the local parish priest, but it is solely the responsibility of the local parish priest to decide who will celebrate each service. No priest or deacon from another parish may enter a parish and perform liturgical services without the express permission of the local parish priest. The same applies for liturgical services in another Eparchy. A visiting priest must contact the local Eparch before they can perform any liturgical services in that Eparchy. A priest who has no jurisdiction or permission to celebrate in an Eparchy may not celebrate any liturgical ceremony. I quote canon law on the topic: Canon 290 #2: Sacred functions of greater importance, such as the celebration of the sacraments of Christian initiation, the blessing of marriages, without prejudice to canon 302, #2, the ecclesiastical funeral rites, belong to the pastor; therefore, parochial vicars are not allowed to carry them out except by permission, at least presumed, of the pastor himself.
Yours sincerely in Christ +Peter Stasiuk C.Ss.R. Eparch for Ukrainian Catholics in Australia, New Zealand and Oceania | |
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