Ask a Cradle Catholic

[Marie1234]

They want me to focus on my education because we arent rich. I understand their concern but I wish they would let me have a little more freedom. I feel like before I met her, I lacked communication with anyone. I felt so isolated from the rest of humanity. When I met her, we bonded immediately. I dont want to lose her but I dont know what to do.

Okay, I see your parents’ concern now. It’s understandable but maybe you could communicate with them in a way to help them realize that having a girlfriend may actually help you through college rather than distract you from your studies?

It does help to have good friends and a significant other in your life to talk to and support you and to just hangout with. It’s good for the soul. It helps you relax and focus on the important things in life like keeping God the center of your life, graduating, getting a good job, and leading your life toward a good marriage.

I would first talk to your girlfriend and figure out what you two want to do. Have you discussed any of this with her so far?

 

[Marie1234]

To the OP - congratulations and I hope both of you will be very happy together.

Can I ask why you have invited people to ask you questions?

Aw thanks!

Hmm I guess because I see so many threads titled “Ask a (insert religion here)” and I thought I’d start an ask a Catholic girl one.

I thought maybe my story and advice might be interesting and possibly helpful to some people out there.

 

[Marie1234]

When was the first time you recall being introduced to Eastern Catholicism?

Do you recall your initial response to Eastern Catholicism? Did it change, for the better or the worse, over time?

In what ways (if any) do you think Eastern Catholicism could have been better introduced to you as a cradle Catholic?

In what ways do you and your husband-to-be “breathe with both lungs” and hope to teach your children to do so?

How can Eastern Catholics support your family-in-the-making in doing so?

Well I have known about Eastern Catholicism for quite some time. In the past I never really understood the difference between Eastern and Roman Catholicism. I took a class called Early Christianity in college that mentioned briefly the difference between the two. I know that the Roman Catholic Church believes in the filoque clause whereas the Eastern Orthodox Church does not. I also know that the Easter Church sided more with Pelagius and the Roman Catholic Church sided more with Augustine in regards to the concept of Original Sin. But aside from that I don’t really know how they differ that much…

My initial response was that I thought they were basically the same. Over time I learned more about the schism and I my reaction is confusion because I find them very similar.

I as a cradle Catholic, I could have been introduced to Eastern Orthodox at an earlier age so I could understand it better. I still am confused by the schism.

Well I haven’t given it much thought, but I do like the Eastern Icons. My mother had some of them around the house when I was a child and still has them there. My grandma gave me an Icon of the Virgin Mary and told me about how people of the Eastern Church meditates with them and prays while looking at it. She told me it was really special and to treasure it. I’ll probably have icons in my house and tell my children the same thing my grandma told me.

How can Eastern Catholics support my family in the making? I’m not really sure?

 

[CDB1718]

Well I have known about Eastern Catholicism for quite some time. In the past I never really understood the difference between Eastern and Roman Catholicism. I took a class called Early Christianity in college that mentioned briefly the difference between the two. I know that the Roman Catholic Church believes in the filoque clause whereas the Eastern Orthodox Church does not. I also know that the Easter Church sided more with Pelagius and the Roman Catholic Church sided more with Augustine in regards to the concept of Original Sin. But aside from that I don’t really know how they differ that much…

My initial response was that I thought they were basically the same. Over time I learned more about the schism and I my reaction is confusion because I find them very similar.

I as a cradle Catholic, I could have been introduced to Eastern Orthodox at an earlier age so I could understand it better. I still am confused by the schism.

Well I haven’t given it much thought, but I do like the Eastern Icons. My mother had some of them around the house when I was a child and still has them there. My grandma gave me an Icon of the Virgin Mary and told me about how people of the Eastern Church meditates with them and prays while looking at it. She told me it was really special and to treasure it. I’ll probably have icons in my house and tell my children the same thing my grandma told me.

How can Eastern Catholics support my family in the making? I’m not really sure?

One of my favorite quotes is from Pope John Paul II’s Orientale Lumen. He said
Since, in fact, we believe that the venerable and ancient tradition of the Eastern Churches is an integral part of the heritage of Christ’s Church, the first need for Catholics is to be familiar with that tradition, so as to be nourished by it and to encourage the process of unity in the best way possible for each.

Our Eastern Catholic brothers and sisters are very conscious of being the living bearers of this tradition, together with our Orthodox brothers and sisters. The members of the Catholic Church of the Latin tradition must also be fully acquainted with this treasure and thus feel, with the Pope, a passionate longing that the full manifestation of the Church’s catholicity be restored to the Church and to the world, expressed not by a single tradition, and still less by one community in opposition to the other; and that we too may be granted a full taste of the divinely revealed and undivided heritage of the universal Church which is preserved and grows in the life of the Churches of the East as in those of the West.

That story about your grandma is beautiful and shows how she was doing exactly what Pope John Paul II called us to do in breathing with “both lungs” as he called it, of East and West. What a great legacy you can continue in your own home!

It’s particularly fitting that you would choose iconography for your home. Ukrainian Catholic Patriarch Sviatoslav said
Today we live in the culture of the image. The Eastern churches have a special theology of sacred imagery and a theology of beauty which can be a very successful way of transmitting the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The famous Russian philosopher Fyodor Dostoevsky said, “Beauty will save the world.”*The beauty of our liturgical celebrations, the beauty of our churches, and the very notion of the Christian temple and the imagery involved can be very useful for the New Evangelization.

I am thrilled to be the one to be able to introduce you to the Eastern Catholic Churches! We look, sound, think and worship like the Eastern Orthodox Churches you’re familiar with, but we are Catholic and we share full communion with Rome. Roman Catholics can come to our churches, receive Communion and fulfill their Sunday or feast day obligation.

Here’s a short video that explains who we are and it includes info on the schism, too: youtube.com/watch?v=AFIzumjrEjc

I hope you’ll consider learning a little bit more about us. Setting up some icons in your home prayer corner. Teaching your children at a young age as you wish you would have had the opportunity to enjoy. Making an occasional visit to our churches. Asking questions. There’s a whole forum here dedicated to Eastern Catholicism! Maybe I’ll do an Ask an Eastern Catholic thread to get things rolling.

 

[Marie1234]

One of my favorite quotes is from Pope John Paul II’s Orientale Lumen. He said
Since, in fact, we believe that the venerable and ancient tradition of the Eastern Churches is an integral part of the heritage of Christ’s Church, the first need for Catholics is to be familiar with that tradition, so as to be nourished by it and to encourage the process of unity in the best way possible for each.

Our Eastern Catholic brothers and sisters are very conscious of being the living bearers of this tradition, together with our Orthodox brothers and sisters. The members of the Catholic Church of the Latin tradition must also be fully acquainted with this treasure and thus feel, with the Pope, a passionate longing that the full manifestation of the Church’s catholicity be restored to the Church and to the world, expressed not by a single tradition, and still less by one community in opposition to the other; and that we too may be granted a full taste of the divinely revealed and undivided heritage of the universal Church which is preserved and grows in the life of the Churches of the East as in those of the West.

That story about your grandma is beautiful and shows how she was doing exactly what Pope John Paul II called us to do in breathing with “both lungs” as he called it, of East and West. What a great legacy you can continue in your own home!

It’s particularly fitting that you would choose iconography for your home. Ukrainian Catholic Patriarch Sviatoslav said
Today we live in the culture of the image. The Eastern churches have a special theology of sacred imagery and a theology of beauty which can be a very successful way of transmitting the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The famous Russian philosopher Fyodor Dostoevsky said, “Beauty will save the world.”*The beauty of our liturgical celebrations, the beauty of our churches, and the very notion of the Christian temple and the imagery involved can be very useful for the New Evangelization.

I am thrilled to be the one to be able to introduce you to the Eastern Catholic Churches! We look, sound, think and worship like the Eastern Orthodox Churches you’re familiar with, but we are Catholic and we share full communion with Rome. Roman Catholics can come to our churches, receive Communion and fulfill their Sunday or feast day obligation.

Here’s a short video that explains who we are and it includes info on the schism, too: youtube.com/watch?v=AFIzumjrEjc

I hope you’ll consider learning a little bit more about us. Setting up some icons in your home prayer corner. Teaching your children at a young age as you wish you would have had the opportunity to enjoy. Making an occasional visit to our churches. Asking questions. There’s a whole forum here dedicated to Eastern Catholicism! Maybe I’ll do an Ask an Eastern Catholic thread to get things rolling.

I’ve always found the art and architecture of the Eastern Church to be very beautiful. I will definitely put Eastern Iconography in my home!

I agree with what you said about the importance of beauty in evangelization. There is something special about religious art and architecture that enhances the religious experience. For me it makes it easier to focus on prayer and God; it also has a calming effect that I absolutely love.

I would definitely love to learn more about the Eastern Church, thanks for the youtube link! I didn’t realize that the Eastern Church was in full communion with Rome and we Roman Catholics can receive communion in Eastern Churches too?! That’s pretty amazing, I’m surprised I never learned that before.

If you don’t mind me asking, where are you from?

Oh and I think an “Ask an Eastern Catholic” thread would be a hit!

 

[CDB1718]

I’ve always found the art and architecture of the Eastern Church to be very beautiful. I will definitely put Eastern Iconography in my home!

I agree with what you said about the importance of beauty in evangelization. There is something special about religious art and architecture that enhances the religious experience. For me it makes it easier to focus on prayer and God; it also has a calming effect that I absolutely love.

I know what you mean! When Prince Volodymyr’s emissaries returned from their travels, they told him that the Byzantine Divine Liturgy was so beautiful that no words could describe it.
“We knew not whether we were in heaven or on earth, for surely there is no such splendour or beauty anywhere upon earth. We cannot describe it to you, only this we know, that God dwells there among humans, and that their service surpasses the worship of all other places. For we cannot forget that beauty.”

I would definitely love to learn more about the Eastern Church, thanks for the youtube link! I didn’t realize that the Eastern Church was in full communion with Rome and we Roman Catholics can receive communion in Eastern Churches too?! That’s pretty amazing, I’m surprised I never learned that before.

To be clear, there is a difference between saying Eastern Catholic and saying Eastern Orthodox. You seem to use them interchangeably. We Eastern Catholics share communion with Rome, but we sadly don’t share communion with the Eastern Orthodox from whom we came. You may receive the Eucharist at all Eastern Catholic Churches as we share communion with Rome, but most Eastern Orthodox Churches would not commune you.

If you don’t mind me asking, where are you from?

I’m in Texas. If you let me know where you are in a post or a PM, I can tell you what Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with Rome are in your area that you could visit.

Oh and I think an “Ask an Eastern Catholic” thread would be a hit!

I made one! I hope you pop in! forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=810878

Thank you for answering my questions here!

 

[Marie1234]

I know what you mean! When Prince Volodymyr’s emissaries returned from their travels, they told him that the Byzantine Divine Liturgy was so beautiful that no words could describe it.
“We knew not whether we were in heaven or on earth, for surely there is no such splendour or beauty anywhere upon earth. We cannot describe it to you, only this we know, that God dwells there among humans, and that their service surpasses the worship of all other places. For we cannot forget that beauty.”

To be clear, there is a difference between saying Eastern Catholic and saying Eastern Orthodox. You seem to use them interchangeably. We Eastern Catholics share communion with Rome, but we sadly don’t share communion with the Eastern Orthodox from whom we came. You may receive the Eucharist at all Eastern Catholic Churches as we share communion with Rome, but most Eastern Orthodox Churches would not commune you.

I’m in Texas. If you let me know where you are in a post or a PM, I can tell you what Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with Rome are in your area that you could visit.

I made one! I hope you pop in! forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=810878

Thank you for answering my questions here!

hehehe yeah my fiance just told me that. He told me the difference between Eastern Catholic and Orthodox Catholics. I didn’t realize that! I thought they were the same. My fiance said he knows of an Eastern Catholic Church around where we are and we might go to a Mass there sometime. I’m excited to see what it’s like.

Cool! I’ll be sure to drop by and ask you some questions. I have a lot to learn.

God Bless!