A
Aramis
Guest
That’s the Ruthenian Eparchy’s (Diocese’s) website… it won’t include the other Byzantine Catholics… Go to ByzCath.org instead. It will list almost all the non-roman parishes. Use the Find a Parish link.
Can a Roman Catholic attend a Byzantine Mass when there are Roman Rite options available?
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L
lizaanne
Guest
I can’t find the Church I’m thinking of on either site. It’s located on Woodward Avenue, just south of Eight Mile. It’s St. John Something - but I can’t recall the rest of the name. Will have to pay more attention when I drive by there again. 
I do know for sure that it is Byzantine though.
~Liza
I do know for sure that it is Byzantine though.~Liza
J
jam070406
Guest
Do you mean St. John The Baptist Romanian (Byzantine) Catholic Church? I believe just off of Woodward, south of 7 mile, I think.I can’t find the Church I’m thinking of on either site. It’s located on Woodward Avenue, just south of Eight Mile. It’s St. John Something - but I can’t recall the rest of the name. Will have to pay more attention when I drive by there again.
~Liza
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lizaanne
Guest
Yes!! That is exactly the one! It really is just right at 8 Mile, that’s where I turn onto 8 Mile to drive East to go home. Those three new attached condos are just north neighbors of the Church.
Thanks for the name - maybe now I can find out their schedule.
~Liza
G
guanophore
Guest
You don’t need permission, but there are significant differences, and I recommend that you search the internet and read up on them first.
I also recommend that you “visit” for the first time, and don’t plan to participate in Communion. Also, take a small pad, so you can write down questions you want to ask. The Divine Liturgy has many differences, and an attentive Latin will note and be curious about these.
I recommend that you attend a Sat. eve. mass at your usual parish, then go on Sunday. Let the people know it is your first time. Most members are happy to assist you to find your way in the books. There is bowing , instead of kneeling, and the sign of the cross is made differently.
G
guanophore
Guest
Eastern’s do not require sacramental confession before communion. Many at my church take communion, then do confesson after. However, I think the form of taking communion bears some research in advance as well.
J
jam070406
Guest
D
dixieagle
Guest
Why would you not recommend the poster receive Communion? Although different, it is not difficult - just watch the other communicants.
Also, it would not be necessary to attend a vigil Mass in her own parish if she were to attend Divine Liturgy on Sunday.
My dh is Ruthenian, and we have, as often as possible, attended divine Liturgy over the years when possible. Alas, there is no Ruthenian parish within any reasonable distance, so he usually has to wait for Otpust (Pilgrimage) in Uniontown PA at Mt. St. Macrina annually (he is the one who makes the announcements over the PA.)
L
lizaanne
Guest
I will do that!
If you go, let me know how it is. I may want to visit as well.
But I must admit that I’m getting a bit discouraged actually by some of the suggestions here. I am a Roman Catholic and would not feel comfortable crossing myself differently, and perhaps some of the other differences I might not feel comfortable with as well, such as bowing when I would normally kneel, etc. I’m not saying that these forms of expression are not right or valid, just that I may not be comfortable changing, and I’m sure my husband would not. So - we may have to think on this a bit more before we decide if we will go or not. It’s not like we HAVE to go there, I was just interested in going because of the very close proximity to where my husband works and I’ve always heard that the liturgy is very beautiful.
~Liza
B
Brendan
Guest
Look at it as an educational experience. I’m rather fortunate, in that there is a Rutherian parish, and a Chaldean parish within a few miles of my house. I try and take the kids to one of those every few months, so that they gain a deeper understanding of the Eastern Churches.It’s not like we HAVE to go there, I was just interested in going because of the very close proximity to where my husband works and I’ve always heard that the liturgy is very beautiful.
~Liza
One thing that it also does is help keep my postures at Mass from being done simply by rote. Each action in all the Liturgies has meaning, once you learn the meanings, it becomes much easier to do what the Liturgy askes, because there is theology in posture.
J
jam070406
Guest
I completely understand. In alot of respects it is beautiful. But I also find the (Latin) church I now attend to be just as beautiful. I admit I felt a bit uncomfortable when I visited the Byzantine parish (OLR in Warren) as well, because there were things I wasn’t used to. Not kneeling was one. Especially after communion. But I definitely liked it and will visit now and again. I guess I find great things in both and it’s nice to have the ability and privelage to go to both.I will do that!
But I must admit that I’m getting a bit discouraged actually by some of the suggestions here. I am a Roman Catholic and would not feel comfortable crossing myself differently, and perhaps some of the other differences I might not feel comfortable with as well, such as bowing when I would normally kneel, etc. I’m not saying that these forms of expression are not right or valid, just that I may not be comfortable changing, and I’m sure my husband would not. So - we may have to think on this a bit more before we decide if we will go or not. It’s not like we HAVE to go there, I was just interested in going because of the very close proximity to where my husband works and I’ve always heard that the liturgy is very beautiful.
~Liza
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lizaanne
Guest
Thank you for your post - glad to know I’m not alone.
Not kneeling when receiving Jesus is just not thinkable to me. Heck, if I could I’d by lying flat on my face in His presence!!!
So maybe it just would not be a good thing for me to go. I just wouldn’t feel right there.I’m glad we all had this “talk”, it has helped me understand better and to be able to discern if we will go or not. I think for now I will say that we won’t be going, but who knows that may change in the future.
Thanks!
~Liza
I
Irenicist
Guest
Um, just a little gloss on that if someone else hasn’t already pointed this out. Not all Eastern rites are associated with Eastern sui juris Churches. Italo-Albanian Catholics, for example, follow the Byzantine rite, but do not have a sui juris Church of their own (other than the Latin Church, of course). But the rule is that a Catholic can partake of the eucharist in any Catholic church of whatever rite anywhere in the world, whether sui juris or not. I’m sure that’s what Woodstock meant to say.
I highly recommend doing so from time to time, btw. Most people find it an enriching experience.
Irenicist
I
Irenicist
Guest
I don’t think it’s a rite issue. You are normally encouraged to stick with one confessor who thus knows you better and can thus better help you in your spiritual and penitential progression. Churning through confessors tends to minimize what you can gain from the experience, though sacramentally it’s just as effective.
Irenicist
D
dixieagle
Guest
I am a Latin Rite Catholic married to a Ruthenian. On the fairly rare occasions when we have been able to attend a Divine Liturgy, I have just made the (Latin) sign of the cross as always and otherwise have just done what everyone else does.I will do that!
But I must admit that I’m getting a bit discouraged actually by some of the suggestions here. I am a Roman Catholic and would not feel comfortable crossing myself differently, and perhaps some of the other differences I might not feel comfortable with as well, such as bowing when I would normally kneel, etc. I’m not saying that these forms of expression are not right or valid, just that I may not be comfortable changing, and I’m sure my husband would not. So - we may have to think on this a bit more before we decide if we will go or not. It’s not like we HAVE to go there, I was just interested in going because of the very close proximity to where my husband works and I’ve always heard that the liturgy is very beautiful.
Lizaanne,
~Liza
In our Latin parish, where we usually attend, dh does what he grew up with - “backwards” (according to one woman who noticed) sign of the cross, and bowing instead of genuflecting. He does kneel when everyone else does.
Don’t stress about it - just go - it will be fine.
God Bless.
G
GladCatholic
Guest
Thanks to this thread, I am going to attend a DL at a Byzantine Ukrainian-Catholic church not too far from me (maybe 30 minutes in rush hour traffic). I spoke to the pastor and although nervous, not as nervous as I was when I called for the schedule. I’ll wait until the Sunday at 9 service since that’s always in English. They have daily 8:30 a.m. Mass, but he says it depends on attendance if they do it in English or not. Also, like another poster recommended, I’m going to research receiving Communion prior to going. I’m pretty excited about this. The Mass in my diocese, at least in many parishes, leaves much to be desired in reverence, and just the actual structures of most of the churches as well as the music and overall lack of liturgical beauty seldom aide in lifting my heart to God (and for me, once in a while it’s nice to be aided by the church since I can sometimes be distracted) and I think I may be taking the first step in considering switching rites.
GladCatholic
GladCatholic
I
Irenicist
Guest
Your willingness to experience an Eastern Catholic liturgy is commendable, but before giving serious consideration to changing rites on the grounds you suggest, perhaps you should visit some of the other Latin rite churches in your area first to see if any have preserved the reverence you seek. This might also include monastic churches that are not associated with any parishes.
Irenicist
G
GladCatholic
Guest
I wouldn’t consider a change such as switching rites without having visited more Latin rite churches in my Diocese than probably any other person in the Diocese. I love my faith, I love the Catholic church. For a long time the Diocese has struggled with the same issues I think most diocese have–a loss of the sense of reverence, an emphasis put on community instead of God. There are a handful of churches that were able to cling to beauty in the liturgy and in the elements of the church.
But we are in the middle of “parish planning.” The Bishop, who has said he did this in four diocese, has imported his “planning staff” and mandated clusters and mergers. All parishes put together a planning team and met for under a year to determine recommendations. Gee, guess what happened? Of course the big mega-churches that are 1/2 empty and in the red have recommended the little full chruches in the black merge with them. They feel the smaller churches are “WaWa” churches and might be sucking up parishioners who would otherwise populate the fan-shaped mega-church.
This is basically the last straw. I’ll no longer be able to find the small, intimate, beautiful and reverend church, but rather will be forced to attend the churches I’ve declined to attend. They have also recommended our only Latin indult parish merge with, yet again, another fan-shaped mega-parish.
So I didn’t make this first step lightly or without great thought. If I could move completely out of this diocese, I would. Considering a change to the Eastern rite may be the one thing that saves my desire for beauty in worship and placing God above all else in the liturgy.
GladCatholic (but SadCatholic too)
But we are in the middle of “parish planning.” The Bishop, who has said he did this in four diocese, has imported his “planning staff” and mandated clusters and mergers. All parishes put together a planning team and met for under a year to determine recommendations. Gee, guess what happened? Of course the big mega-churches that are 1/2 empty and in the red have recommended the little full chruches in the black merge with them. They feel the smaller churches are “WaWa” churches and might be sucking up parishioners who would otherwise populate the fan-shaped mega-church.
This is basically the last straw. I’ll no longer be able to find the small, intimate, beautiful and reverend church, but rather will be forced to attend the churches I’ve declined to attend. They have also recommended our only Latin indult parish merge with, yet again, another fan-shaped mega-parish.
So I didn’t make this first step lightly or without great thought. If I could move completely out of this diocese, I would. Considering a change to the Eastern rite may be the one thing that saves my desire for beauty in worship and placing God above all else in the liturgy.
GladCatholic (but SadCatholic too)
W
Woodstock
Guest
Glad,
This issue comes up frequently. Latin Catholics who are (mostly rightly) disenchanted with their parishes, priests, and bishops, see the reverence of the east and decide before even visiting that they are going to switch Churches sui iuris. Some of them become very happy easterners while others become disenchanted, especially as the eastern Churches move away from their Latinizations, and move back to the Latin Church when things look better over there.
Would you start a new thread so that your situation can be given adequate room to be discussed?
This issue comes up frequently. Latin Catholics who are (mostly rightly) disenchanted with their parishes, priests, and bishops, see the reverence of the east and decide before even visiting that they are going to switch Churches sui iuris. Some of them become very happy easterners while others become disenchanted, especially as the eastern Churches move away from their Latinizations, and move back to the Latin Church when things look better over there.
Would you start a new thread so that your situation can be given adequate room to be discussed?
E
Edmac
Guest
I’m coming late to this thread, being newly registered. I am an
ex-Latin, now canonically a member of an EC Church.
church more or less regularly for a period of time and who have
shown great enthusiasm, but who later disappeared. I am not
privy to their reasons for doing so, but have a strong suspicion
that they found the differences between Byzantine Catholicism
and Latin Catholicism too much for them. This may be espec-
ially true in my parish, which is not at all Latinized and never
has been. No Eucharistic devotions, no Stations of the Cross,
no Benediction, no statues, no Novenas, no Rosaries, etc.
We have other things. I do not say better things, but other.
It depends on what you are looking for.
ex-Latin, now canonically a member of an EC Church.
- On the matter of canonically changing churches (within
the Catholic communion) I most strongly recommend that
no Latin Catholic seriously consider such a step without
first having regularly participated in the whole liturgical life
of the EC parish involved for at least two years. There is,after
all no rush, and no compulsion. Many active members of
my own EC parish, old-timers there, are still canonically Latins.
church more or less regularly for a period of time and who have
shown great enthusiasm, but who later disappeared. I am not
privy to their reasons for doing so, but have a strong suspicion
that they found the differences between Byzantine Catholicism
and Latin Catholicism too much for them. This may be espec-
ially true in my parish, which is not at all Latinized and never
has been. No Eucharistic devotions, no Stations of the Cross,
no Benediction, no statues, no Novenas, no Rosaries, etc.
We have other things. I do not say better things, but other.
It depends on what you are looking for.
- The only way to find out what it’s like is to go.It won’t help
if the Liturgy is entirely in Ukrainian or Slavonic or Arabic.
You need one at least partly in English. Don’t worry about
the crossings and bowings, icon kissings and candle lightings;
no one expects a visitor to know
about these things. Contacting the priest first is a good idea.
Arrive early.Don’t be shy. Introduce yourself to whomever you
find standing about. Ask for guidance (like how to receive
communion). Go to the coffee hour (trapeza) afterwards.
Unless you are unfortunate enough to visit a very in-groupy
sort of parish, people will be only too happy to welcome you
and clue you in.
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