Gifts from the East--What Orthodox love about Catholics

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PilgrimMichelangelo

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In honor of Epiphany (in Western liturgical practice, the feast of the Magi visiting the Christ child and Holy Family) could my Orthodox brethren list things they like, love or appreciate about our Catholic brethren? (Please keep it positive, as a gift of Christian goodwill.)

I will start:

Gregorian Chant
Gothic Architecture
Traditional Latin Mass
 
I’m frankly impressed that you came up with three things you love about us Catholics. Thank you.

I’d love to like the Orthodox more but a lot of them won’t let me.
 
Eucharistic Adoration
Rosary
Y’all can literally go pretty much anywhere for confession, whereas we’re lucky to have confessors at all.
 
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As a Catholic, one thing that I personally love about you guys is your church architecture, both the internal artworks and exterior grandeur.
 
@porthos11 Very sad, I had expected better of my Orthodox brethren.

A few more things I like about Catholicism:

Traditional Benedictine monasticism, especially Le Barroux Abbey in France and the Monks of Norcia.

St. Pio of Pietrelcina

The Ambrosian and Mozarabic Rites and their ancient chant
 
Daily Mass has to be a plus. No one else does that outside of monastic settings.
 
Ok, here’s some things I love about the Orthodox;
  • Romanian Orthodox cathedral near me has best Lent fish fry in town, dozens of Catholics are there, they are happy to take our money and give us their excellent fish, desserts and Romanian beer; they also do an awesome Romanian festival in the summer with even more great food, wine and music
  • St. Seraphim of Sarov
  • Holy Martyr Elizabeth Feodorovna
  • “Pencils and Prayer Ropes” series by Bojan (account name Bible Illustrated) on Youtube
  • The Russian Orthodox blessing everything. Catholic priests used to be more like that too but not so much any more.
  • Domes on churches
  • The main sanctuary of Nativity Church in Bethlehem
 
Malachi 1:11 for the win:

Malachi 1:11 New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

11 From the rising of the sun to its setting,
** my name is great among the nations;**
Incense offerings are made to my name everywhere,
** and a pure offering**;
For my name is great among the nations,
says the Lord of hosts.
 
Lovely thread, OP. Thank you. There is much I love about the East as well.
 
@porthos11 I am currently a member of the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America. In a very traditional mission parish that is spiritually close to the Athonite monasteries.
 
  1. Rosary
  2. Gregorian chant
  3. Franciscan Friers of the Renewal (there is a friary in town and they are a wonderful asset to the community. I often help them in their mission to the poor and prayer outside the local abortion mill with them)
ZP
 
Things I appreciate…with a little bit of humor

I don’t mean to sound trite, but I really appreciate that Catholics are on time.

This reflects my own weakness, but I appreciate that when something requires 10 words to say, that’s what Catholics do. Orthodox, on the other hand, will find a way to use 50 or 100 words.
 
I should have qualified my answer to you: although I am a member of a very traditional parish with close spiritual connections to the Athonite monasteries, I am an outlier (sadly) in my position towards Rome. Most in my parish are firmly if not vociferously against the Catholic tradition, which has caused me no small amount of heartache and a desire to learn more about the Catholic Church. Quite frankly so many of the arguments against Rome are polemical and have a false sound to them, that prayerful study seems the only recourse to find the Truth.
 
Is there anything you appreciate about Eastern Catholicism?

On another note, there’s a large pan-Orthodox church under the Antiochian Orthodox aegis and a Coptic Orthodox church being built in our area while our Ukrainian Greek Catholic parish is very small.
 
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@Margaret_Ann Having had very little contact with Eastern Catholicism, apart from reading and encountering the faithful here on Catholic Answers Forum, I would say I appreciate their unique position in Christianity by A.) witnessing to their fellow Catholics as to the ancient liturgical and theological treasures of the East and B.) living the way that shows how the Orthodox could someday be reunited to the Catholic Church.
 
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This is my first post here, so I figured this was a fitting thread to introduce myself.

I admire many things about your Church. What first comes to mind, apart from the things we have in common, is the strong tradition of running charities, starting up good schools in poor areas etc. I also like Gregorian chant and the way you recite the Psalter in certain monastic settings (I do not know how you say it in English).

Yours,
Lasse
 
In Slavic churches, confession is usually provided whenever there is Liturgy. In the Greek tradition, it is usually done less often. I confess every other week or so…
 
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