Antiochian Orthodox Church

[mommamia]

We would like to visit the Antiochian Orthodox Church near our home in Loveland OH.

However, I have to admit I am somewhat unsure…will we be welcomed, or considered interlopers? I have taken the time to read most of the information on the North American Antiochian Orthodox website, and it seems as though converts are welcome, but I know that is not always put into practice.

It is a bilingual English/Arabic Liturgy, and I know no Arabic.

Should I contact the Church first?

I ask this because while living in another state, we tried to visit and EC/Greek Church…and were basically told that there was a Latin Rite Parish a few towns away where we would “fit in better”, as we are not of the same ethnicity. I’m scared if those who are in communion with Rome don’t want us, the Orthodox may feel similar.

Does it matter that I was raised Roman Catholic, and not another religion?

I am very drawn to the Orthodox Church, and would love to learn more about it (from real people, not just the internet!). It seems like finally!! DH and I are in agreement that this could be the Faith for us.

Thanks in advance for any and all advice!!

 

[ConstantineTG]

Go. Don’t worry too much, most people will be warm and welcoming.

 

[1inICXC]

I have had wonderful experiences with the Antiochian Orthodox Chirch…up until it came to the Sacraments…

I was allowed to confess but not to receive Communion- announcement were always made before Communion that ONLY those who were baptized or chrismated in the Orthodox chrism can approach the chalice. Then I got chrismated and I thought problem was solved but, since my family is Catholic I wanted to attend Christmas mass with them, I was told it would be a sin for me to receive Communion in the Catholic Church at that point… Then there was so kuch arbitrariness in big issues that I realized I needed a Church with solid authority and teaching.

I.e some priests were saying Catholic communion is ok, some not. Some were saying sex is only allowed during fertile times, some were saying contraception is ok in serious circumstances, then I got into the Greek Orthodox church where many believed that if you weren’t GREEK Orthodox you weren’t really Orthodox enough etc…
Like Scott Hahn said, a brotherhood with no father. It can be quite messy and confusing and makes me so much happier to be part of a Church with a hierarchy, and solid, universal Dogma.

Having said all that, I LOVED the parish and their liturgy!

 

[Mickey]

Go. Don’t worry too much, most people will be warm and welcoming.

Ditto. And you will love the Arabic parts…it is a beautiful language…even if you can’t understand it.

 

[John_of_Patmos]

We would like to visit the Antiochian Orthodox Church near our home in Loveland OH.

However, I have to admit I am somewhat unsure…will we be welcomed, or considered interlopers? I have taken the time to read most of the information on the North American Antiochian Orthodox website, and it seems as though converts are welcome, but I know that is not always put into practice.

It is a bilingual English/Arabic Liturgy, and I know no Arabic.

Should I contact the Church first?

I ask this because while living in another state, we tried to visit and EC/Greek Church…and were basically told that there was a Latin Rite Parish a few towns away where we would “fit in better”, as we are not of the same ethnicity. I’m scared if those who are in communion with Rome don’t want us, the Orthodox may feel similar.

Does it matter that I was raised Roman Catholic, and not another religion?

I am very drawn to the Orthodox Church, and would love to learn more about it (from real people, not just the internet!). It seems like finally!! DH and I are in agreement that this could be the Faith for us.

Thanks in advance for any and all advice!!

Don’t let that one EC discourage you. I would try another one. You said you were raised catholic. Come home if you have left. Some ECs style themselves as Orthodox in Communion with Rome. So with the EC, you get the best of both worlds (Catholic and EO).
:byzsoc:

 

[mommamia]

Don’t let that one EC discourage you. I would try another one. You said you were raised catholic. Come home if you have left. Some ECs style themselves as Orthodox in Communion with Rome. So with the EC, you get the best of both worlds (Catholic and EO).
:byzsoc:

Well, I do have my reasons. I didn’t say I was ready to join, but ready to take the first step towards learning more.
It has a lot to do with dh, who was raised protestant. He has always joined the kids and I at Mass, but has never embraced it fully. Together we felt that Orthodoxy seems right to explore.

Thank all of you who encouraged me to visit. Just one last question, should I email the Church first? Or is it ok to just show up?

 

[Cavaradossi]

Well, I do have my reasons. I didn’t say I was ready to join, but ready to take the first step towards learning more.
It has a lot to do with dh, who was raised protestant. He has always joined the kids and I at Mass, but has never embraced it fully. Together we felt that Orthodoxy seems right to explore.

Thank all of you who encouraged me to visit. Just one last question, should I email the Church first? Or is it ok to just show up?

It’s probably ok just to show up. If you would like to, you might consider emailing the priest anyway, just to be cordial. If he knows that there will be guests, the priest might help make your visit a more welcoming experience.

 

[Cavaradossi]

I have had wonderful experiences with the Antiochian Orthodox Chirch…up until it came to the Sacraments…

I was allowed to confess but not to receive Communion- announcement were always made before Communion that ONLY those who were baptized or chrismated in the Orthodox chrism can approach the chalice. Then I got chrismated and I thought problem was solved but, since my family is Catholic I wanted to attend Christmas mass with them, I was told it would be a sin for me to receive Communion in the Catholic Church at that point… **Then there was so kuch arbitrariness in big issues that I realized I needed a Church with solid authority and teaching. **

I.e some priests were saying Catholic communion is ok, some not. Some were saying sex is only allowed during fertile times, some were saying contraception is ok in serious circumstances, then I got into the Greek Orthodox church where many believed that if you weren’t GREEK Orthodox you weren’t really Orthodox enough etc…
Like Scott Hahn said, a brotherhood with no father. It can be quite messy and confusing and makes me so much happier to be part of a Church with a hierarchy, and solid, universal Dogma.

Having said all that, I LOVED the parish and their liturgy!

Any Orthodox priest who says that communing with the heterodox is ok should be defrocked by his bishop. There is an official answer in Orthodoxy, and that answer is that intercommunion with those who do not share your faith is not permitted. It would be better for an Orthodox Christian to go without communion at all than to commune in a community which does not hold the same faith.

 

[Richard320]

The easiest thing to do would be to pick up the phone and call the church and ask. You may find them gracious and welcoming, and arrange for someone to explain things to you during the Divine Liturgy. Or they may discourage you. You’ll never know unless you ask. And they may be sticklers about women wearing head coverings and men and women on opposite sides, you’ll be told about that beforehand, and avoid a faux pas.

 

[Mickey]

And they may be sticklers about women wearing head coverings and men and women on opposite sides, you’ll be told about that beforehand, and avoid a faux pas.

That could be an issue in some of the Slavic Churches…but not likely for the Antiochians. But it could not hurt to email or call.

 

[onemangang]

We as Catholics do the same thing in regards to the non-apostolic Christian communities, to some degree.

A friend of mine asked me to attend “service” with him. I made the distinction from a Church as defined by Pope Benedict XVI and a Christian community. He was fine with my view so I went with him. The Pastor of this particular non-denomination gave his message on 1 Corinthians 10. They passed around a communion plate, I passed and did not partake. When we left afterwards my friend asked why I did not partake and I gave him my reasons. One of which, was that I am not in common union with their beliefs. He was deeply offended by me not partaking in communion.

I guess the Truth is offensive, now the Orthodox faith believes that the Catholic Church is in Schism and their is no type of indelible mark on the soul making you once a bishop always a bishop, then you can see why, they wouldn’t consider the Catholic Sacraments valid. Terribly sorry if I misrepresented the EO Church.

The Catholic Church on the other hand teaches that there is an indelible mark on the soul, that you cannot undo what God has done. So, by Apostolic Succession, the Catholic Church would view the Orthodox Sacraments as Valid!

I have another friend who understands communion in the sense that he, as a protestant, would not partake communion in a Catholic Church being that he is not in common union in faith or doctrine!

I think it boils down to a question of truth. I don’t think it’s mean spirited to uphold, what you see to be true!

I’ve gone to a Greek Orthodox Church with a Protestant friend of mine and told the priest that I was going as a mere observer and not looking to partake of the Sacraments, I just wanted to see St. John Chrysostom’s divine Liturgy. He was fine with it and invited us to have coffee and treats afterwards. We had some great discussions on the history of the Church. It got my protestant friend to look into some shared beliefs of the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Church and differences! He may have not converted to either of the two yet, but he is far from being a bible only non-denominational Christian. Even as far as sharing early Church Fathers writings at his home bible study.

Talking to the Orthodox priest is always beneficial prior to going

 

[Nine_Two]

In my experience some parishes are more welcoming than others (this is true across denominational lines). If they have a website check it out, if it looks like they welcome visitors, they probably do.