Education! Education! Education!

[Mort_Alz]

In my time perusing the Eastern Catholicism section of this forum and in my studies of the Eastern Orthodox, it occurred to me that I know VERY little about Eastern Catholicism (and, perhaps littler still, about Eastern Orthodoxy).

Now, I am gradually becoming aware of a very interesting phenomenon that seems to be happening. First of all, I love Eastern Catholics. They’re what I wish all Eastern Orthodox were, but I find some of the same hostility that is generally directed at Western practices not only just from the Orthodox, but from Eastern Catholics as well!

I understand that “latinization” has probably contributed to a lot of this feeling and that a lot of Western practice is not strictly applicable to Eastern Catholics (after all, the Pope also functions as the patriarch of the west, so some of the things he says are only applicable to the west), but I still see a lot of lamentable criticisms coming from both sides on a lot of these issues.

No, the West should not try and mandate strictly Western practice upon their Eastern Catholic brethren, but I have noticed a lot of Eastern Catholic bitterness against the West. It’s as if the West accepts Eastern Catholic tradition as valid, but the Eastern Catholics do not do the same to their Western brethren in return.

For example, Eucharistic adoration. An Eastern Catholic will say something like, “the command was ‘take and eat, not sit and stare.’” The way it’s stated almost comes across as if the given EC thinks that the practice is almost intrinsically bad??

From the Orthodox, I commonly hear a lot of questioning of Western practice because they were “late developments” and “cannot be found in the patristic writings.”

I’m kind of tired of having to convince myself that my Western practices are OK. And surely there are Eastern practices that are late developments. I know they’re out there. I feel like they just don’t get as much publicity here in the West. Most Protestants haven’t even heard of the Eastern Orthodox.

So tell me. What are some Eastern practices that are “late developments?” I highly doubt that there aren’t any. small “t” tradition is never perfectly preserved. I would like to know these so that I can point them out the next time someone criticizes my Rosary or Eucharistic adoration.

 

[mardukm]

Dear brother Mort,

So tell me. What are some Eastern practices that are “late developments?” I highly doubt that there aren’t any. small “t” tradition is never perfectly preserved. I would like to know these so that I can point them out the next time someone criticizes my Rosary or Eucharistic adoration.

I can give you some from the Oriental Tradition, but I am of the opinion that tu quoque argumentation is invalid rhetoric, so I won’t.

I would rather tell you that I personally love the Rosary and Eucharistic adoration.

Saying “we do it but you do it too” does not really justify why you yourself do what you do. You should simply focus and meditate on the advantages and holiness that following your Tradition brings to your personal life. Forget what others think.

Blessings,
Marduk

 

[Mort_Alz]

Dear brother Mort,

I can give you some from the Oriental Tradition, but I am of the opinion that tu quoque argumentation is invalid rhetoric, so I won’t.

I would rather tell you that I personally love the Rosary and Eucharistic adoration.

Saying “we do it but you do it too” does not really justify why you yourself do what you do. You should simply focus and meditate on the advantages and holiness that following your Tradition brings to your personal life. Forget what others think.

Blessings,
Marduk

heavy sigh You are right. I thank you for the gentle correction. I have just been frustrated by my witnessing of Eastern Catholicism. It seems many of them just end up going Orthodox and, in return, simply hate the West. It is good to hear you love the Rosary and Eucharistic adoration. I would never demand any Eastern Catholic brother of mine take them up as if they are mandatory. I would only wish for them to return what I give to them. That is, “I do not understand that tradition, it is foreign to the way I was given to understand it, but I accept it as valid.”

 

[Phillip_Rolfes]

Marduk is absolutely correct. I can hardly add to his advise.

Many Eastern Catholic, particularly those zealous to restore their authentic heritage, often end up turning against Latin practices and some times even condemning them. It is usually a case of misguided zeal. But as friends of mine have pointed out, Latin practices make sense within the Latin tradition, world-view, expression of the Faith, etc. They are beautiful practices and ought to be encouraged among the Latin faithful. Simply because they don’t fit into the Eastern/Byzantine mindset, theology, spirituality, or whatever does not mean that they should be condemned carte blanc by we Easterners. I confess that I myself have, on occasion, fallen into the practice of “Latin-bashing.” I hope that such an attitude has been corrected in me, though.

With regards to the Rosary, what most Easterners don’t realize is that there is a form of the Rosary that is a very ancient part of the Byzantine tradition, and has only recently (comparatively) been re-popularized… more or less. This devotion is known as the “Prayer Rule of the Theotokos.” In the form handed on to us from St. Seraphim of Sarov it is effectively a Byzantine Rosary, containing Mysteries to meditate on, 15 decades of “Hail Marys” separated by the “Glory be…” and “Our Father.” So those Easterners who bash the idea of Easterners praying the Rosary ought to at least look to their own tradition in order to find a “suitable replacement” for the Rosary, which effectively is simply another version of the Rosary.

I only have one thing to say about Eucharistic Adoration. When I was struggling with the idea my spiritual father said to me, “Think of Eucharistic Adoration as the great icon of the West.” For me, that settled the matter. I have no problems with Eucharistic Adoration, and have spent many hours in front of the Blessed Sacrament prior to becoming an Eastern Catholic. Had I a parish near me that offered Perpetual Adoration, I would most likely go from time to time. Whether Christ is present in His Word, His icon, or His Sacrament, He is always worthy of adoration and veneration.

 

[iohanne]

I can give you some from the Oriental Tradition, but I am of the opinion that tu quoque argumentation is invalid rhetoric, so I won’t.

I’m interested, actually, in late developments in the east because as a westerner, I’ve always been struck by how antiquated the east can seem - don’t get me wrong, I personally love it. I don’t plan to use it it as rhetoric so just out of curiosity, could you give *me *examples?

 

[Vico]

From the Byzantine version of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, at the The Great Entrance with the Holy Gifts, announcing the arrival or Our Lord in the Holy Mystery of Communion, the previously transubstantiated Gifts.

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

metropolitancantorinstitute.org/singing/Liturgy_of_Presanctified_Gifts.html