A
Antonius_Lupus
Guest
Well for the first time in my journey home to the Catholic Church I am experiencing doubts about my calling. It all began when I did some study into the Eastern rites of the Catholic Church. In short, I am falling in love with the Byzantine/Melkite Rite of the Church. This however placed me into contact with Eastern Orthodoxy, which I have found to be highly anti-Catholic in nature. They claim to be the true Church Jesus founded, and unlike groups like Mormons, the EO have valid Apostolic Succession to back up that claim.
As I am introduced to Eastern Orthodoxy, I find that I am more spiritually filled in the Eastern ways than in my own Roman Rite. Personally I find the Roman Rite to be well…spiritually dry. The Eastern emphasis on the Trinity, the mystery of Faith, and their awesome reverence for the Eucharist is sooooo appealing to me.
For the first time I am beginning to wonder whether or not Catholicism is the truth. I hear of Catholics who become Orthodox and that scares me. They claim they have found the genuine Apostolic faith!
I prayed to St. Peter the other day, asking him to ask Jesus to reveal to me which Church was genuine. So far, I feel God has answered me with a resounding yes that the Catholic Church is the one. But how can I know for sure that God is answering me???
**In any case, I am finding it increasingly difficult to answer Eastern Orthodox claims about themselves and claims about the Catholic Church. It seems the Catholic Church is strong on defending herself against the Protestants, but touchy about taking a stand against the Eastern Orthodox. **
The worst part of this is that I am not being spiritually fulfilled in my own Roman Church. It just doesn’t have the awe of the liturgies of the East. I live in the Deep South, so it is a blessing that there is even a Catholic Church in my county. As far as I know there is not a single Eastern Catholic Church anywhere I live, BUT ironically there is an Eastern Orthodox Church LESS THAN 5 MINUTES FROM MY HOUSE!!!
I am tempted to go to the Divine Liturgy at the Eastern Orthodox Church on Sunday and not to the Catholic Church, but I know that that would be a sin since the EO are in schism. I am soooo confused! Any thoughts???
As I am introduced to Eastern Orthodoxy, I find that I am more spiritually filled in the Eastern ways than in my own Roman Rite. Personally I find the Roman Rite to be well…spiritually dry. The Eastern emphasis on the Trinity, the mystery of Faith, and their awesome reverence for the Eucharist is sooooo appealing to me.
For the first time I am beginning to wonder whether or not Catholicism is the truth. I hear of Catholics who become Orthodox and that scares me. They claim they have found the genuine Apostolic faith!
I prayed to St. Peter the other day, asking him to ask Jesus to reveal to me which Church was genuine. So far, I feel God has answered me with a resounding yes that the Catholic Church is the one. But how can I know for sure that God is answering me???
**In any case, I am finding it increasingly difficult to answer Eastern Orthodox claims about themselves and claims about the Catholic Church. It seems the Catholic Church is strong on defending herself against the Protestants, but touchy about taking a stand against the Eastern Orthodox. **
The worst part of this is that I am not being spiritually fulfilled in my own Roman Church. It just doesn’t have the awe of the liturgies of the East. I live in the Deep South, so it is a blessing that there is even a Catholic Church in my county. As far as I know there is not a single Eastern Catholic Church anywhere I live, BUT ironically there is an Eastern Orthodox Church LESS THAN 5 MINUTES FROM MY HOUSE!!!
I am tempted to go to the Divine Liturgy at the Eastern Orthodox Church on Sunday and not to the Catholic Church, but I know that that would be a sin since the EO are in schism. I am soooo confused! Any thoughts???
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