Unequivocally, YES. We are fully Catholic and in union with the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, whom we recognize as the visible head of the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church is a communion of Eastern and Western churches. While most are familiar with the Roman Catholic Church (Western), the Eastern Catholic Churches—such as ours—share the same faith, sacraments, and communion. However, we express them in different ways according to ancient traditions.

The Byzantine Catholic Church is part of the Eastern Christian tradition. Our worship, theology, and spirituality follow the Byzantine Rite, which emerged in Constantinople (formerly Byzantium) and spread to Eastern Europe through the missionary work of Saints Cyril and Methodius. We celebrate the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, dating to the 4th century, along with the Liturgy of St. Basil on certain feast days.

There are 23 Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with Rome, each with its own liturgical and cultural heritage. Among them: Ruthenian (Byzantine) Ukrainian Melkite Romanian Maronite (Lebanon) Chaldean (Iraq) Armenian Syro-Malabar (India) Ethiopian Our own Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Church is a diverse community with roots in Eastern Europe and now a true melting pot in America.