First time poster, and a question

[mangoburst]

Hello all,

I’ve been a long time-lurker at this site (I joined way back in the winter when I was going through some very intense soul-searching, and trying to find out where God wanted to take me), and since this is my first time posting, I shall introduce myself. I am a twenty year old college student in Washington, currently studying cultural anthropology, so far learning a lot about Russia. My question is in regards to those who are searching, or have already found a church that they believe to be right. It was during this past winter that I came to God and then found myself trying to figure out whether or not I should be Catholic or Orthodox, as I believed the true Christian church to have apostolic succession (plus I will admit I have a bit of a protestant phobia, due to some bad experiences growing up). I have since come to Orthodoxy and I am incredibly happy with my church, the community, religious life, etc. I am wondering how many others are in a similar situation to what I was in during the winter, caught between Catholicism and Orthodoxy, and what pushed you one way or the other, that sort of thing. I am still very new to both Orthodoxy and Christianity in general, and I have a lot to learn…I am wondering what everyone else’s experiences are like! I must say going from nothing to Orthodoxy has been a little intense at times, but I know this is where God wants me, and I could not be happier at how warmly the community has embraced me. Anywho, this is a novel, so I’ll end it here, for now!

God bless!

 

[mangoburst]

oh dear, I realize this might not be the right place to post this…sorry for any trouble!

 

[Aramis]

I have since come to Orthodoxy and I am incredibly happy with my church, the community, religious life, etc. I am wondering how many others are in a similar situation to what I was in during the winter, caught between Catholicism and Orthodoxy, and what pushed you one way or the other, that sort of thing. I am still very new to both Orthodoxy and Christianity in general, and I have a lot to learn…

Many people find themselves caught between the two. There are several threads touching on that. I myself was Latin Rite Catholic, and fell in love with the Byzantine Rite. I found myself torn between the Catholic and Orthodox churches. I found myself resolved by timelining the events of the Gospels.

That lead me to reject the Russian Orthodox “view” of the end of St. John’s Gospel that local Orthodox had been putting forth. Further, it showed me initiation of Peter as Archpatriarch, or at least, something more than the other apostles were.

At which point, I could not divert to Orthodoxy. Fortunately, there is a Byzantine Catholic parish near enough to participate at.

 

[mlouise007]

Christ is in our midst!

I’ve been a long time-lurker at this site…I am a twenty year old college student …I have since come to Orthodoxy and I am incredibly happy with my church, the community, religious life, etc. …I am wondering how many others are in a similar situation to what I was in during the winter, caught between Catholicism and Orthodoxy…

Welcome! Thanks be to God for you home in Orthodoxy! You are truly blest to have this home, especially as a young college student.

I’ve heard many stories of those caught between Catholicism and Orthodoxy here and on another forum. I am not one. I am committed to my Roman rite parish, tho it’s not always an easy fit. I do have a strong connection to a ECC parish and also go to a couple of Orthodox parishes when, for example, my ECC parish isn’t having a Feastal Vigil, ex: Transfiguration recently. I feel incredibly blest to have these communities within an hour of my home.

I must say going from nothing to Orthodoxy has been a little intense at times,

LOL! Amen!

Good you’ve stopped lurking and will be more active. I’ll be lurking more as I work in academia and the new semester has begun…

God bless.

 

[5Loaves]

Christ is in our midst!

I’ve been a long time-lurker at this site…I am a twenty year old college student …I have since come to Orthodoxy and I am incredibly happy with my church, the community, religious life, etc. …I am wondering how many others are in a similar situation to what I was in during the winter, caught between Catholicism and Orthodoxy…

Welcome! Thanks be to God for your home in Orthodoxy! You are truly blest to have this home, especially as a young college student.

I’ve heard many stories of those caught between Catholicism and Orthodoxy here and on another forum. I am not one. I am committed to my Roman rite parish, tho it’s not always an easy fit. I do have a strong connection to an ECC parish and also go to a couple of Orthodox parishes when, for example, my ECC parish isn’t having a Feastal Vigil, ex: Transfiguration recently. I feel incredibly blest to have these communities within an hour of my home.

I must say going from nothing to Orthodoxy has been a little intense at times,

LOL! Amen!

Good you’ve stopped lurking and will be more active.

God bless.

 

[Byzman]

I myself am a Byzantine Catholic who loves the Orthodox Church(not the same kind of love as I do for the Catholic Church). In fact I go to my local Orthodox churches for all kinds of various events when my Catholic parish doesn’t have anything going on. I go for the Eastern spiritual aspect of prayer and liturgical worship. All in all, I am very attracted to Orthodoxy but I will remain forever faithful to Rome. Orthodox churches vary differently on doctrines of the faith,…doctrines that should be set in stone, such as Birth Control. Certain beliefs too, are not set in stone(Dormition, Immaculate Conception). The Orthodox Church has no leader to bring in all the faithful to affirm certain truths of the faith. If the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople speaks on a matter…this doesnt mean that the Russian Patriarch of Moscow will agree. So, that is how it is in the world of Orthodoxy. With the Catholic Church…we have an Ecumenical Pontiff that will speak on truths of the faith and those throughout the Church, East and West will have to submit. Therefore the Church can be One.

 

[Byzman]

Sorry I didn’t mention it in my first post but,…yes you did find an Apostolic Church that you will grow spiritually in. That is a good thing.

 

[Formosus]

I am a “convert” to the Byzantine tradition. I have stuck with the Catholic Church, but the idea of Orthodoxy comes up every once in awhile. Ultimately, I think Archbishop Zoghby had the best way to reunite the Churches and I stick with his plan, which of course puts me in the Catholic camp, though I find enough Catholics and Orthodox who disagree with me on it lol… I will attend at Orthodox parishes on occasion, usually in the Greek tradition since I enjoy the Byzantine chant so much : ) but I am an active member in my own Greek-Catholic parish and attend as often as I can. Usually the Orthodox churches I go to are for events during the week.

 

[chaunceygardner]

I have since come to Orthodoxy and I am incredibly happy with my church, the community, religious life, etc.

Congratulations; I am happy that you have found a “home”.

I am still very new to both Orthodoxy and Christianity in general, and I have a lot to learn.

It is a wonderful feeling to encounter new things, especially when they are spiritual. Keep learning, keep questioning, keep expanding your vision of God. I started my journey when I was the same age as you, and it continues after many decades.

Peace and many blessings.

 

[Ghosty]

Well, I myself am a convert to the Catholic Faith who was Baptized into the Latin Church when I was young (wasn’t raised with the Faith at all). From the start of my entering the Catholic Church as an adult I was drawn to the East, especially the Byzantine tradition, but I practiced in a wonderful Dominican parish that I still love dearly (it’s the same parish the Catholic writer Mark Shea and his family attend, incidentally). When a Melkite mission was started just blocks from where I lived, I joined up immediately and haven’t really looked back.

I can’t say I was ever really torn between Orthodoxy and Catholicism; I’ve always found the Catholic Church to have the better side of any disputes. I’m obviously part of the Byzantine tradition, however, which is the tradition of the Eastern Orthodox Communion.

The key thing for me is that I don’t see a theological break between Eastern Orthodoxy and the Catholic Communion, though I often see people try to paint the picture of such a rift. Given that I don’t see the theological gaps, and it’s not for lack of studying the issues, my only real question was the place of Rome. That question is answered by the clear position of the unbroken Church that Rome has a place of primacy owing to St. Peter, and that Rome is the sure safeguard of orthodoxy. If the Fathers, East and West, hadn’t stated as much in the first millenium I would be in a much more difficult place, but as it stands I’m not only happy to be Catholic, but I feel it is the only proper way to uphold the tradition of the Byzantine Fathers. Apart from Rome we really are lacking a huge portion of our tradition.

That being said, I don’t think that the Catholic Communion is perfect, and I don’t think that the way things are set up currently is the best way to keep the Faith going strong. That just makes me someone who wishes to heal the living body, however, and I believe that all the organs (from the Pope down to the parish priest) should function in a healthy and harmonious way; I don’t believe for a second that schism is a healthy solution, or even a solution at all. I believe schism is a disease.

As a side note, when you say you are in Washington, do you mean the city or the state? If you mean the state I could provide you with some local resources, and I’d be interested in hearing more of your story. If you’re in the city, you’re on your own.

Peace and God bless!

 

[Mickey]

God bless mangoburst.

I was born and raised as a Latin Catholic. I canonically changed to the Byzantine Catholic Church about ten years ago, then converted to the Orthodox Church two years ago. I found that the Orthodox Church was closer to the Church that I have studied in history before East and West divided. I see the entire truth in Holy Orthodoxy. It was a natural progression for me.

 

[Timbothefiveth]

I somewhat recently chose a church, within the last few years. I compared the 2. Basicly, the catholic church had the appeal of being the original church that you can literally trace all the way to the Lord Himself, (the orthodox church just broke away from it) and it doesn’t reject the successor of peter. Matthew 16:18 really helped me pick catholicism.

Matthew 16:18-19

18"I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

19"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."

The orthodox church on the other hand, didn’t seem to have much going for it. It was similiar to catholicism but without that extra legitimacy and scriptural support.

 

[thunderballs75]

I am sometimes attracted to Orthodoxy, simply because they have such purity of faith and reverence. However, I think maybe the best choice would be to join the Orthodox in Communion with Rome.

God bless.

 

[5Loaves]

…Basicly, the catholic church had the appeal of being the original church that you can literally trace all the way to the Lord Himself, (the orthodox church just broke away from it)…

Or, as seen on the Orthodox time line, we “broke away”.

The orthodox church on the other hand, didn’t seem to have much going for it. It was similiar to catholicism but without that extra legitimacy and scriptural support.

Ouch.
I encourage you to learn more about church history and about Orthodoxy. Orthodoxy most definitely does have “much going for it”.

God bless.

 

[mathewjoseph]

I am a catholic. But when you make a decision, you must consider the following quotes from eminent catholic persons which I found from these forums

The great American Archbishop James Cardinal Gibbons (1834-1921) said, “Peter went to Antioch and established the church there and served as the bishop there”.
The Major Archbishop of Syro malabar catholic church said, "What is the authority of Rome? On what basis Rome is appointing bishops all over the world. From where Rome got all these powers? In the first centuries, there was a dispute between Rome and Antioch, who is head and superior.

 

[Tradycja]

Orthodoxy has been a little intense at times, but I know this is where God wants me, and I could not be happier at how warmly the community has embraced me. Anywho, this is a novel, so I’ll end it here, for now!
God bless!

I totally recommend the books “The Russian Church and the Papacy” by Vladimir Soloviev
amazon.com/Russian-Church-Papacy-Vladimir-Soloviev/dp/1888992298?&camp=212361&linkCode=wey&tag=russiancatholic-20&creative=391825

“Leonid Feodorov: Bridgebuilder between Rome and Moscow”

and
*
Blessed Bishop Nicholas Charnetsky, C.Ss.R., and Companions Modern Martyrs of the Ukrainian Catholic Church: Modern Martyrs of the Ukrainian Catholic Church*


http://www.amazon.com/Nicholas-Charnetsky-Companions-Ukrainian-Catholic/dp/0764808672?&camp=212361&linkCode=wey&tag=russiancatholic-20&creative=391825

Also these links:

Russian Orthodox community in union with Rome (Moscow):
russiancatholic.blogspot.com/2009/04/russian-orthodox-community-in-communion.html

Blessed Leonid Feodorov:
russiancatholic.blogspot.com/2009/04/exarch-leonid-feodorov.html

Also Fr. Sergei Golovanov, who I had the honor of meeting:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Golovanov

All of these people were/are 100% Orthodox and 100% in communion with Rome.