Hello Medi,
I just want to clarify up front that I am not in communion with Rome, and not the best person to answer your questions. I only saw a window of opportunity and I took it
Thank you Michael for your response. In answer to your question, "Who told you a Mortal Sin does not exist? ", a deacon in an Eastern Church did tell me that the Eastern Catholic Church makes no distinction between mortal and veniel sin as tought by the Latin Church and that all sin is an affront to God.
His explanation sounds OK to me.
The mortal/venial distinction is a much later development. It is like scientifically categorizing sin, in my opinion. Over much of the East, if not all, that isn’t traditionally done. That doesn’t mean some Eastern Catholics and Orthodox haven’t been influenced by these concepts.
We also acknowledge that there are sins unto death, but were are not saying some sins are so minor one can still take communion. We are saying that all sins are serious to one degree or another, and we are unworthy in any case.
We are not counting sins so much as looking at the state of our hearts. Frequent confession is recommended, that way you don’t have to worry so much about whether you are worthy enough TODAY to receive communion. Just figure you’re not worthy anyway and trust in our loving God.
Your priest will know if you have not been to confession recently, and could refuse you if he thought it was really necessary. He carries a great burden.
The very act of receiving communion (is in a sense) expiatory. Even after having confessed, we acknowledge in liturgy before God that we are unworthy and still we ask to receive. The prayers of the liturgy make this clear…
Priest :* **In You, O Gracious Master, we place our whole life and hope, and we beseech, pray and implore You: ***
***make us worthy to partake with a pure conscience of Your heavenly and awesome mysteries from this sacred and spiritual altar, ***
***for the remission of sins, ***
***for the pardon of transgressions, ***
***for the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, ***
***for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, ***
for confidence in You, and not for judgment, nor condemnation.
I am not familar with the Eastern Church’s Vespers. Can you explain it to me? Do vespers include confession?
If you are familiar with the Liturgy of the Hours (such as monastics and some laity will pray in a cycle of days and weeks), you will know that the first liturgical prayer of a ‘day’ is vespers, which comes at sundown.
The LOTH (contained in a most convenient Breviary in the west) which is often called Divine Praises once was very strongly practiced in parishes. The day actually begins at sun down.
In the Russian tradition vespers the night before would be the time to start making the Day of Resurrection a holy one through prayer, and if possible confession. So one comes to church and participates in Vespers Saturday night, then makes a confession and goes home to rest, returning in the morning for Orthros and Divine Liturgy.
Most of the Byzantine Catholic churches are not doing this, I understand. Vespers has often been replaced by the Saturday anticipatory Mass. Oddly, a little known fact is that for Eastern Catholics, attendence at Vespers counts toward one’s Sunday obligation, even absent the Holy Eucharist! I cannot explain the reasoning for that but the canons were approved by the Vatican.
Also I understand that belief in Purgatory only pertains to the Latin Church. However belief in Purgatory is a dogma of the Catholic Church and are not all Catholics bound by Catholic Church dogma and doctrine?
I cannot answer that question. Perhaps someone else will take it up. There are Eastern Catholic deacons and even priests who read this forum, I am sure they all have something to say about it.
I do not intend this post for the sake of argument but for clarification.
Slava Isus Christu!
Medi
You have been fine.
Your most unworthy friend,
Michael
, I know I have.
.