Considering a transfer to the Byzantine Catholic Church

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kenny_Kamel
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
K

Kenny_Kamel

Guest
For some background, tomorrow is my 5 year anniversary of entering into the Church and I have been having some kind of struggle lately with the Roman Rite, specifically devotions and the treatment of some aspects of our faith. Many who convert struggle with Mary and Marian doctrine, I can say that this was never a problem for me and in fact I would credit Mary with having the greatest impact on the ease of my conversion and enhancement of my faith. I have always been known as a major devotee to Mary.

Since December I have developed a great affinity for the Byzantine Catholic Church and strongly feel that I may end up transferring rites in the near future. Probably the #1 reason that I desire to transfer is because I have had a strong desire to deepen and grow in faith but it seems I am dead-ending in every way I have sought to do that in the Latin Church.

For 5 years I have been going to Daily Mass 6 days a week, have only missed Sunday Mass one time, pray the Rosary almost every day, go to confession at least once a month, regularly attend adoration, spiritual direction, etc. I don’t want to go on and on giving everyone my resume as a Catholic but every time I have asked anyone for advice on advancing in my faith life they just tell me to do what I have already been doing. Most recently I have just felt like my faith life primarily boils down to Mass attendance and a series of devotions. In case you are wondering, yes I have sought to discern a vocation to the priesthood and religious life (multiple dioceses and orders) and nothing has developed.

I am doing everything as prescribed and now feel more disconnected with the Roman Rite faith than ever. I’ll even go so far to say I am feeling Pharisaic as a Latin Catholic. Why I have become interested in the Byzantine Catholic Church is because I have had nothing but wonderful experiences, particularly as it relates to faith enhancement. The specific parish I attend is primarily comprised of former Roman Rite Catholics who have transferred to the Byzantine Catholic Church in large part for feeling like I am now. They have been very warm and welcoming and take a genuine interest in each other. It really starting to feel like home to me much like my original parish was only it is getting me far more engaged in my faith than I have ever been.

Has anyone else had such an experience?
 
You should have more than subjective feelings to lead you into a change that is normally allowed only once in a lifetime.

Get as much spiritual counsel as you can.

ICXC NIKA
 
Actually among my greatest interests is Carmelite spirituality and those two saints in particular. I have a good relationship with the community at a nearby Carmelite Monastery. Their Chaplain is a seminary professor and author who has written and taught extensively on the same subjects, I have begun to study his work.

I certainly do not want to give the impression that I am basing everything on emotions, feelings but suffice it to say that I perhaps lack the words to properly express what I am “feeling.” I know there is a huge difference between feeling good and experiencing personal change. I suppose that the best way of putting it is that I have sought direction for what I “feel” like I am lacking, to no avail. It seems that there is also a redundancy in what in the direction I have received thus far, I also know that many saints such as St. Faustina went through similar struggles.
 
Do what I do: Worship in the Byzantine rite (in my case, Melkite) every once in a while (maybe one Divine Liturgy a month), but stick with the Latin Church. I didn’t know Melkites existed when I became Catholic. As it is though, I am content with being a Latin. Though, I do love the Jesus prayer. I do consider it a blessing to be so close to the Melkite community in Augusta. I think I can enjoy Byzantine spirituality without leaving my sui iuris I am currently in. Not trying to discourage you, but think about it for a while first.
 
I think you are doing all you can to advance, the rest is up to God. If you are interested, you might look into joining a third order such as the Carmelites.
 
I empathize with your struggle. A life of Spirituality has periods, sometimes long periods, of dryness. If you read the Saints you will see many have experienced the same condition.

What I try to do is to find some activity which is new to me and will provide opportunity for spiritual growth. Might be a retreat, course on the Eucharist, if their is an Opus Dei group near you maybe attending a meeting. This tends to help with the sometimes mundane nature of our spiritual walk.

As another person said, the problem with the grass seeming greener is that once you get there, you find out it is the same grass, just different side of the fence. I like the idea of attending the church which you feel brings a newness to your faith, but that does not mean you need to leave where you are to try it.

Good luck with your journey!
 
As I understand it, you can start practicing all aspects of the faith as a Byzantine Catholic while remaining a Latin. You can go to Mass there as you like and it satisfies your Sunday obligation. You can confess to a Byzantine priest and take Communion at Divine Liturgies. You can even observe the Eastern fasts if you’d like. The only difference (I think) from being properly in the Eastern Church is that you are still obligated to follow the Western calendar for fasts, etc.

Why don’t you do that for a few years? You don’t need to change now. You can enjoy all aspects of the Eastern Rites, including following their calendar so long as you follow both, and just give it time. If in three years, five years, whatever, you are convinced that this wasn’t a passing phase, change then. It’s easy to go over, but it’s not easy to change back, so make sure it’s what you want before you do it.

Good luck and remember, the time scales for this sort of thing can be years not months.
 
As a Latin rite Catholic, you can attend and receive the sacraments at Greek Catholic churches whenever you like, you don’t have to switch.

You can even become active in a BC parish, work a booth at the parish festival, usher or other activities if they need the help.
 
Kenny_Kamel said:
For some background, tomorrow is my 5 year anniversary of entering into the Church

Happy Anniversary! Many Years to you!

And I have been having some kind of struggle lately with the Roman Rite, specifically devotions and the treatment of some aspects of our faith. Many who convert struggle with Mary and Marian doctrine, I can say that this was never a problem for me and in fact I would credit Mary with having the greatest impact on the ease of my conversion and enhancement of my faith. I have always been known as a major devotee to Mary.

Since December I have developed a great affinity for the Byzantine Catholic Church and strongly feel that I may end up transferring rites in the near future. Probably the #1 reason that I desire to transfer is because I have had a strong desire to deepen and grow in faith but it seems I am dead-ending in every way I have sought to do that in the Latin Church.

dead-ending. Sounds familiar. When my husband attempted to convert to Roman Catholicism his description would be more like dead-starting. He ended up converting Eastern Catholic and bringing me back into the church.

For 5 years I have been going to Daily Mass 6 days a week, have only missed Sunday Mass one time, pray the Rosary almost every day, go to confession at least once a month, regularly attend adoration, spiritual direction, etc. I don’t want to go on and on giving everyone my resume as a Catholic but every time I have asked anyone for advice on advancing in my faith life they just tell me to do what I have already been doing. Most recently I have just felt like my faith life primarily boils down to Mass attendance and a series of devotions.

Has anyone else had such an experience?
Click to expand...
I was a cradle Roman Catholic who had attempted to revert as a teen after my parents left the church and was unsuccessful. I had attempted again as an adult when my husband wanted to convert. The spirituality our devoted lifelong Christian lives together was mirrored best by Eastern Catholicism. We also felt welcomed by the Eastern community of believers, both Maronite and Ruthenian Byzantine and their priests. My husband currently assists a. Melkite Catholic in his apostolate mission work.

I would not ‘wait’ but would encourage you to speak with the Eastern priest. The harvest fields are ripe, we need harvestors.
 
I would urge you to wait before making the jump, not that there is anything wrong with the Byzantine Churches or their liturgy. I’m just not sure you have clearly articulated why you want to leave and what you find attractive in their services.

When I thinking of becoming Catholic I thought first of becoming Orthodox since in my mind I could venerate Mary, receive the Eucharist and do things I thought was important, but not have the Pope (which at the time was a big stumbling block for me). After I ruled that out I thought about joining one of the Byzantine churches (probably would’ve been Ruthenian) since I’d gone to many Divine Liturgies with a friend and fell in love with the icons, incense, prayers, and the worship.

But the more I thought about I realized that I was comfortable and at home in the Latin Church. I also thought that when my ancestors were Catholic this is the Church they most definitely would’ve belonged to and sometimes I feel a strong connection to my family’s history. Sure there were many uninspiring homilies, bland music, polka masses, and sometimes aloof and unfriendly people, but beyond that there is a richness that is comparable to the East, in spirituality, devotions, worship, and writings. There was plenty there to sustain me and help me grow.

I also realized that I was seeing these Byzantine Churches as a non-member. I wasn’t going weekly or often enough to notice any of the problems or issues with the other members, the homily, or anything else. I just realized that no parish is perfect, no priest is perfect and to find the good where you can.

Also realize that not every devotion is right for everybody. You mentioned you’ve said the rosary nearly every day. Yes, it is a very popular devotion and highly indulgenced but just maybe another devotion could tap into what makes you feel empty and fill you up with a renewed spiritual growth and insight. I imagine many will tell you to keep praying the rosary, but maybe try something else for a time.

Don’t give up on the Latins and the grass may not be greener on the other side.

ChadS
 
I have been a Latin Catholic from the cradle. In my spiritual journey to Christ, much of it, for reasons beyond the current scope, was along the East. Later in life, among the spiritualities in the West, the one that attracted me most was the Carmelite spirituality, the most Easterner of all in the West, since it was by inspiration of the Desert Fathers that it came about. In my 8 years as a Secular Discalced Carmelite, 5 of them were lived attending an Eastern liturgy once a week. To me it has been a haven where I could worship in the same language of my spirituality, instead of having to transpose the Latin worship to my first spiritual language. Though the Eastern parish had become my secondary parish, I felt ever more attached to it, so I made it my primary and only parish about a year ago.

It is not, in my opinion, like the Eastern Churches have what the Latin Church lacks, but that the same truths are expressed in a different manner. Surely, it feels good when this manner resonates with one’s spirituality, but it also makes one grow deeper in the faith. Like finding a spouse excludes an intimate relationship with all other persons, I entered into an intimate relationship with the Maronite Church that I feel must be exclusive, so I put the request to transfer to this newly found yet familiar Church.
 
Apparently I’m one if not the only one in your camp on this matter, I have dear friend who is an Easter Orthodox Monk,although I feel I could never leave the Catholic Church I do occasionALLY attend his Liturgy,its amazing to me how much the Liturgy parallels the Byzantine Rite in the Catholic Church,I am drawn to the Traditional Latin Mass,I for other reasons attend the Latin Rite,the Sacraments are obviously limit and valid so go where you are led,I understand on some level the reasons some suggest otherwise to you and believe their motives are sincere i.e. your motives,but I suggest you attend the Liturgy albeit the Latin or otherwise,Peace Be With You my brother,
 
awsiukiewicz said:
I have dear friend who is an Easter Orthodox Monk,although I feel I could never leave the Catholic Church I do occasionALLY attend his Liturgy,its amazing to me how much the Liturgy parallels the Byzantine Rite in the Catholic Church,
Click to expand...
Where do you think the Byzantine Catholic services came from? 😃
 
Kenny_Kamel said:
For some background, tomorrow is my 5 year anniversary of entering into the Church and I have been having some kind of struggle lately with the Roman Rite, specifically devotions and the treatment of some aspects of our faith. Many who convert struggle with Mary and Marian doctrine, I can say that this was never a problem for me and in fact I would credit Mary with having the greatest impact on the ease of my conversion and enhancement of my faith. I have always been known as a major devotee to Mary.

Since December I have developed a great affinity for the Byzantine Catholic Church and strongly feel that I may end up transferring rites in the near future. Probably the #1 reason that I desire to transfer is because I have had a strong desire to deepen and grow in faith but it seems I am dead-ending in every way I have sought to do that in the Latin Church.

For 5 years I have been going to Daily Mass 6 days a week, have only missed Sunday Mass one time, pray the Rosary almost every day, go to confession at least once a month, regularly attend adoration, spiritual direction, etc. I don’t want to go on and on giving everyone my resume as a Catholic but every time I have asked anyone for advice on advancing in my faith life they just tell me to do what I have already been doing. Most recently I have just felt like my faith life primarily boils down to Mass attendance and a series of devotions. In case you are wondering, yes I have sought to discern a vocation to the priesthood and religious life (multiple dioceses and orders) and nothing has developed.

I am doing everything as prescribed and now feel more disconnected with the Roman Rite faith than ever. I’ll even go so far to say I am feeling Pharisaic as a Latin Catholic. Why I have become interested in the Byzantine Catholic Church is because I have had nothing but wonderful experiences, particularly as it relates to faith enhancement. The specific parish I attend is primarily comprised of former Roman Rite Catholics who have transferred to the Byzantine Catholic Church in large part for feeling like I am now. They have been very warm and welcoming and take a genuine interest in each other. It really starting to feel like home to me much like my original parish was only it is getting me far more engaged in my faith than I have ever been.

Has anyone else had such an experience?
Click to expand...
I thought Roman Catholcs can attend Byzantine church? Is it necessary to transfer?

epiphanybyzantinecatholic.org/faq.html
 
I know a few Roman Catholics who are very involved in EC churches, on committees and everything, and never transferred.
 
Kenny_Kamel said:
For some background, tomorrow is my 5 year anniversary of entering into the Church and I have been having some kind of struggle lately with the Roman Rite, specifically devotions and the treatment of some aspects of our faith. Many who convert struggle with Mary and Marian doctrine, I can say that this was never a problem for me and in fact I would credit Mary with having the greatest impact on the ease of my conversion and enhancement of my faith. I have always been known as a major devotee to Mary.

Since December I have developed a great affinity for the Byzantine Catholic Church and strongly feel that I may end up transferring rites in the near future. Probably the #1 reason that I desire to transfer is because I have had a strong desire to deepen and grow in faith but it seems I am dead-ending in every way I have sought to do that in the Latin Church.

For 5 years I have been going to Daily Mass 6 days a week, have only missed Sunday Mass one time, pray the Rosary almost every day, go to confession at least once a month, regularly attend adoration, spiritual direction, etc. I don’t want to go on and on giving everyone my resume as a Catholic but every time I have asked anyone for advice on advancing in my faith life they just tell me to do what I have already been doing. Most recently I have just felt like my faith life primarily boils down to Mass attendance and a series of devotions. In case you are wondering, yes I have sought to discern a vocation to the priesthood and religious life (multiple dioceses and orders) and nothing has developed.

I am doing everything as prescribed and now feel more disconnected with the Roman Rite faith than ever. I’ll even go so far to say I am feeling Pharisaic as a Latin Catholic. Why I have become interested in the Byzantine Catholic Church is because I have had nothing but wonderful experiences, particularly as it relates to faith enhancement. The specific parish I attend is primarily comprised of former Roman Rite Catholics who have transferred to the Byzantine Catholic Church in large part for feeling like I am now. They have been very warm and welcoming and take a genuine interest in each other. It really starting to feel like home to me much like my original parish was only it is getting me far more engaged in my faith than I have ever been.

Has anyone else had such an experience?
Click to expand...
AFAIK, There’s nothing wrong with transferring rites.

I just have a few questions


  1. *]What exactly have you found? Can you be specific
    *]Does the specific Byzantine parish you’re looking at have daily mass / liturgy?
    *]What specific devotions are you looking for there that are not available in your current parish?
    *]are you of Eastern heritage? What were you before becoming Catholic?

    Thanks in advance
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top