But I would be very surprised if any were about your hair-color or ethnicity.
I went to a Byzantine (Slovak Carpatho-Rusyn) parish for about a year, and even though I am not visibly “different” from them, I never felt like I quite “fit in”. Many Eastern Rite parishes (I would say almost all of them) have a strong ethnic element to them, and the first question anyone is going to ask is “why are you here instead of the Latin Rite parish?”. I would not go so far as to say that you will be unwelcome — you most certainly are welcome — but unless you’re a part of the dominant ethnic group, and from the same cultural background, it just feels kind of strange.
This is definitely the experience of many people coming into our churches for the first time. It was the experience of my parents when they first visited a Ruthenian parish in the late 1960s. They certainly weren’t unwelcome, but they were asked where their parents/grandparents were from, with sort of a puzzled “Why are you here?” These days, we have a Slovak priest, we love our pirohy, and we have the occasional slavonic sprinkled in, but there is little trace of ethnic groups in our Parish. That is true for most our parishes in the west. Our liturgies are definitely served according to the Slavic traditions.Jragzz123:
I went to a Byzantine (Slovak Carpatho-Rusyn) parish for about a year, and even though I am not visibly “different” from them, I never felt like I quite “fit in”. Many Eastern Rite parishes (I would say almost all of them) have a strong ethnic element to them, and the first question anyone is going to ask is “why are you here instead of the Latin Rite parish?”. I would not go so far as to say that you will be unwelcome — you most certainly are welcome — but unless you’re a part of the dominant ethnic group, and from the same cultural background, it just feels kind of strange.
I would say that in some Eastern Rite parishes, there is an understanding that some Latin Rite Catholics will prefer to attend them because of perceived issues with the Novus Ordo (I said “perceived issues”, I didn’t say invalidity or illicitness).
As others have said, Melkites are of Middle Eastern background. They are well known for their hospitality and their food can’t be beat. While you might not feel you fit in, you will be welcomed.
Yeah, the question about family background is one that I would expect to come up if someone who looked ethnically diverse from the group showed up. Where I come from, the Eastern churches are still pretty heavily ethnic. It would not be asked so much in a “you don’t belong here” sort of way, but more in a “how did you get interested in our church rather than the other Catholic churches in the area” sort of way. If you say your grandma is Slav or Greek, or you lived in a Slavic country and developed an interest in the culture, then no problem. If you say you don’t have any background but don’t like Pope Francis or the Novus Ordo, then problem.
Exactly.babochka:
Yeah, the question about family background is one that I would expect to come up if someone who looked ethnically diverse from the group showed up. Where I come from, the Eastern churches are still pretty heavily ethnic. It would not be asked so much in a “you don’t belong here” sort of way, but more in a “how did you get interested in our church rather than the other Catholic churches in the area” sort of way. If you say your grandma is Slav or Greek, or you lived in a Slavic country and developed an interest in the culture, then no problem. If you say you don’t have any background but don’t like Pope Francis or the Novus Ordo, then problem.
During my year in virtual Ruthenia by way of Pittsburgh diaspora (it wasn’t in Pittsburgh but I’m assuming many parishioners were), I picked up some of the Old Church Slavonic (mnohaja l’ita!) and I warred with a BCR coworker whether they were pirohi or pierogi, but I never really assimilated. I have adopted some Polish ways and language due to marriage but have no known Slavic blood.
I traveled to that parish two or three times over 20 years ago when Fr Munn (memory eternal!) was the pastor. Very nice parish.
That is precisely what I encountered. As I said, I didn’t stand out ethnically.
I would say it is Syrians and Lebanese you are encountering, not Greek. All have very handsome Mediterranean features, but there are very few Greek Hellenic Rite Catholics — almost all Greeks are Orthodox. Syrians and Lebanese pretty much split between being some rite of Catholic and being Orthodox.
I love your entire post, but especially this.
Out here the the wild west, we call that the “Old Country”!
That was the same thing my priest called it!
When the car is dirty, does it “need to be washed”, or does it “need washed”?
