Afraid to join an eastern parish because I’m Irish Italian descent

[on_the_hill]

I warred with a BCR coworker whether they were pirohi or pierogi,

Whatever you call them, they’re a whole lot of work for what they are. And I refuse to eat them if they’re not homemade, which means I haven’t had them for about 25 years.

 

[on_the_hill]

My understanding was that the various Churches aren’t keen on people switching from one to another unless you have a really, really solid reason.

 

[babochka]

My understanding was that the various Churches aren’t keen on people switching from one to another unless you have a really, really solid reason.

I think that’s overstated. As long as you don’t have a bad reason (running from the novus ordo, transferring solely so that you can be ordained as a married man), it will generally be approved.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

When the car is dirty, does it “need to be washed”, or does it “need washed”?

It “needs wa r shed”.

And that is precisely what you will hear anywhere within a 100-mile radius of Pittsburgh. They have a unique dialect in that area.

I warred with a BCR coworker whether they were pirohi or pierogi,

I have never made them. Mrs T’s are OK, while Golden’s have a little bitter taste, I didn’t care for them. I also saw a brand called Kasia’s in the store the other day.

My son’s other grandmother makes the best ones, though, in Poland. And yes, there is a lot of work involved.

 

[Margaret_Ann]

And I refuse to eat them if they’re not homemade, which means I haven’t had them for about 25 years

My late uncle made the BEST sauerkraut pyrohy - and I’m not a fan of sauerkraut. We got 2 dozen from him after my mom’s family reunion 20+ years ago. He also made nut, poppy seed, lekwar, apricot and raspberry rolls.

Now my cousins (his daughters) have their own shop in upstate PA, and they make them exactly as my uncle did. If I’m going to have nut roll (or any of the others except poppy seed), it has to be my cousins.

I don’t know if I should post their shop information because it might violate CAF guidelines.

 

[Margaret_Ann]

( mnohaja l’ita! )

Vo zdraviye, vo spaseniye, mnohaja l’ita!

 

[Margaret_Ann]

One of our good parishioners is 100% Irish. He married a Ukrainian lady and joined our parish. He calls bingo, occasionally reads the Epistle and played St. Nicholas for many years.

 

[Francisco_Fernando]

I am embracing praying the Rosary in Greek as a Spanish-Filipino person. I remember that during Spanish history, there are Greek colonies in the Eastern side of Spain, the Byzantines in Andalucía and Las Baleares, and the former Queen of Spain is of Greek descent

 

[dochawk]

Years ago, I found myself wondering what I, an Irish Catholic, was doing serving at the altar in my 40s at a Ruthenian parish at a liturgy for a Mexican Holiday . . .



Many parishes, including Maronite and Melchite, are quite welcoming. Mediterranean hospitality is hard-core.

I was the KofC honor guard to the Maronite consecration of the local parish. They wouldn’t let us leave until we’d tried practically everything from their food festival (and it was all impressive).

When chatting with their bishop beforehand, he quite literally turned and banged his head on the wall in frustration at the ethnocentric faction that wanted to keep everything in arabic–I’d mentioned that I would have recognized the Byzantine Divine Liturgy as pretty, but probably wouldn’t have returned if it hadn’t been in English–but understanding it, it had blown me away.

And at last count, I had been added to the planning committee for the Melchite outreach here (currently dormant).

So, no, don’t be afraid to go. While there are some parishes, both EC nd EO, that are ethnic first and religious second, it’s far more likely that you’ll be pulled aside and fed than that you’ll be frowned upon . . .

several years ago, coming back from the diocesan clergy meeting, our priest told us that the materials had double-underlined that “The Ruthenian immigration is over!”, and that evangelization had to be directed to the US population.

We actually have some Ruthenians in the parish, but they’re a small (but significant) minority these days. There is a majority of those who came by from the RCC and stayed, as well as many converts and several other flavors, err, churches, of EC and EO, as well as some OC/OO.

We do ask visitors what brought them to our parish and we do bristle a bit if it seems that they are simply running away from something, rather than being motivated by a genuine interest an our rite, but ethnicity doesn’t come up unless they mention it.

Yeah, they don’t last long at all.. I remember one couple that was quite insistent that most of us were running from the “Novus Ordo,” and shocked (and condescending) when I told them no.

And those that the prior priest, well, antagonized when they sanctimoniously told him that their priest (at one of the schismatic latin churches) told them to attend here when he was away, as “they have valid sacraments.” He gave a caustic reply, pointing out that he was RC, and asking, “so in my own rite, my sacraments aren’t valid, but here they are?”

Afterwards they had a huge dinner where all the Greek women tried to “force” more food down my throat than any one person should ever eat at once, and then tried to get me to take some home to my wife.

I believe that our parish has a 500 calorie minimum for visitors.
:crazy_face:

 

[dochawk]

Whatever you call them, they’re a whole lot of work for what they are.

Our parish stopped doing them over that a few years ago. And we even have some kind of machine for them.

When I was in western PA (where I found byzantine catholicism), the polish guys from the polish parish (we had an Irish, a Lithuanian, a polish, and a ruthenium parish, no “general” parish) were exasperated because the old ladies (i.e., their wives) were so protective of their recipes that they wouldn’t let the younger women help them, and were overdoing it . . . even with no-one to pass the precious recipes to . . .)

My understanding was that the various Churches aren’t keen on people switching from one to another unless you have a really, really solid reason.

You’re about a century out of date

Until a few popes ago, though, you couldn’t canonically

And that is precisely what you will hear anywhere within a 100-mile radius of Pittsburgh. They have a unique dialect in that area. transfer from RC to EC.

now whoever told yuens such a thing???

 

[po18guy]

There is a Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Seattle. I stopped by and spoke with the Priest. Turns out that he was a Californian and a convert from Methodism. One distinction in the Eastern Church(es) is that they tend to be more cultural and geographically center or oriented.

Attend a mass and see.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

One distinction in the Eastern Church(es) is that they tend to be more cultural and geographically center or oriented.

That is the whole idea here. Eastern Rite churches tend to cater to a single ethnicity (or possibly “cluster” of ethnicities). While it is possible for a Latin Rite parish to have a “flavor” of a single founding ethnicity (e.g., Irish, Italian), or to have taken on an ethnic character (such that some parishes become de facto, for instance, Hispanic or Vietnamese parishes), it is not the rule, and Latin Rite parishes tend to be pan-ethnic with no discernible ethnic character.

 

[babochka]

While it is possible for a Latin Rite parish to have a “flavor” of a single founding ethnicity (e.g., Irish, Italian), or to have taken on an ethnic character (such that some parishes become de facto , for instance, Hispanic or Vietnamese parishes), it is not the rule, and Latin Rite parishes tend to be pan-ethnic with no discernible ethnic character.

This is the case now, but up until the 1920s, officially ethnic parishes, known as “national parishes”, were common in the Latin Rite. They were founded to serve the particular needs of various groups of immigrants. They still exist today, but are not nearly as common, as immigration has slowed down tremendously. They have the same status in canon law as a “personal parish” does today. Those parishes that tend to have the ethnic character today are often parishes that were once “national parishes”. In my town, we have a Portuguese parish, an Italian parish, several Mexican parishes, a Polish parish and a Vietnamese parish. My dad grew up going to the German parish in his town and no German would have gone to the Italian parish two streets over. The difference is that they are all in the same diocese, under the same bishop.

National parish - Wikipedia

 

[ziapueblo]

My Greek Orthodox parish is made up of maybe 1/3 ethnically “Greek” parishioners. Most have been “mixed”, if that is the appropriate term lol, over the years. The vast majority of the parish is very mixed group. Actually, we have a nice size group of immigrants from Africa.

My priest, who is of Irish decent, is actually going to make a proposal to the parish council that we take the word Greek out and call ourselves St George Orthodox Church. He made a good point one day saying, “would you go to a Korean Pentecostal Church?”

ZP

 

[Margaret_Ann]

I believe that our parish has a 500 calorie minimum for visitors.
:crazy_face:

Cute.

 

[Margaret_Ann]

There is a Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Seattle. I stopped by and spoke with the Priest. Turns out that he was a Californian and a convert from Methodism. One distinction in the Eastern Church(es) is that they tend to be more cultural and geographically center or oriented.

Attend a mass and see.

It’s NOT a mass (sic!), it’s Divine Liturgy.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

This is the case now, but up until the 1920s, officially ethnic parishes, known as “national parishes”, were common in the Latin Rite. They were founded to serve the particular needs of various groups of immigrants. They still exist today, but are not nearly as common, as immigration has slowed down tremendously. They have the same status in canon law as a “personal parish” does today.

I knew there were “national parishes”, but I did not know that they had any special status under canon law. Interesting to know. Thanks.

 

[DeniseNY]

now whoever told yuens such a thing???

yinzers!

 

[George720]

I’ve really been looking into the East for months now! I really wanna go to a Melkite parish in Atlanta but when I look at photos online it seems like it’s a lot of Greek people. I’m a red headed Irish guy so I’m afraid if I go it’ll be frowned upon because Greek isn’t my cultural background. I was wondering if anyone has any advice. Thanks

A) - Fear of Greek looking people is what good Christians are called to do!!

I would avoid them at all costs - There are known cannibals among them, and they prefer red-headed Irishmen boiled to a turn and served au-gratin… They would probably be smirking behind your back - I mean, who knows?? At any rate, if they look like that, they can be counted on to be devious, small minded, judgmental and hypocritical, no question…

In fact, if I were you, I would spray myself with repellant before going in the door - I have heard that they have insect infestations…

OR…

B.) - You can trust God and go and meet some new folks!


geo

 

[dochawk]

I would avoid them at all costs - There are known cannibals among them, and they prefer red-headed Irishmen boiled to a turn and served au-gratin…

whew.

Fortunately, I’m a dark haired irishman :crazy_face:

But on the bright side, the greeks would cook him with great flavorings!

I think I only stopped by my greek neighbor/landlord a couple of times over five years without his insisting on feeding me something or other that was on his stove . . .