How to know if a Church is Orthodox enough

[holdencaulfield]

Ordinarily you are expected to attend the parish that is closest to you home, so don’t be surprised if you are not only advised to do this, but possibly told that is your only option.

Find a church that was built before 1960, and then go inside and see if the communion rail is still there.

Here’s a couple of very traditional parishes in Houston, the first is my parish:

Holy Rosary

Annuciation

The art inside the church will tell you a lot about the parish. You’re really not going to know until you attend mass. I was told I could not become a registered parishioner at my church unless I had been attending there for three months, and even then I had to have permission from the pastor, because I did not live in the immediate vicinity of my parish. Speaking of the church in my neighborhood, they do still have their communion rail (I’ve never seen it used for communion though), it’s a stunningly beautiful church built more than 100 years ago. But the music is certainly not traditional, and the sign of peace is a free for all wander about the entire building. I hate to sit in judgment of them (I’m certain it’s a very loving community), but it’s just not what I would consider traditional, now that I’ve been spoiled by the very holy Dominican priests at Holy Rosary!

Keep in mind we are one church, and you might be told that when you call asking about how individual parishes celebrate the mass.

Yes, you are right.

 

[Brenda_V]

(sigh) then I can’t find any with EF around my area.

Just checked. Even the main parish of my Archdiocese doesn’t have any Traditional Latin Masses. Maybe I will send an email to my Archbishop. It seems a bit odd that none would have it.

Hmm, there might not be one yet, just give it time the Motu Proprio is relatively new and requires there to be at the very least a Priest who knows how to reverently say the EF and is willing to do so.

My Archdiocese has one Latin Mass or EF which is really kind of sad because it can easily be an hour+ drive for some who wish to attend but we at least have that much (and have had for quite some time so, as our young men become Ordained hopefully they will be learning how to say the EF and have the Latin for it so they can start saying this Mass in more and more places!)

As for not being able to find one, have you checked here in this forum (Traditional) for the thread about where the EF is being said? Maybe you can find one near you from there. If I find it soon I will post a link to it here for you. Here it is - it is now something like 4 pages long so you will have to slog through a lot to see if you can find your Archdiocese there but…
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=177324

Brenda V.

 

[bpbasilphx]

**I thought the Latin rite was not allowed any more? **

**Where did you get that idea?

Even the Typical Edition (official version)( of the Novus Ordo is in Latin.**

 

[catherineajt]

Some things that turn me right off of a parish:

Handholding during the Our Father. I grew up with that custom, but it never felt right to me. My mother in law always makes sure she has her hands clasped during the prayer, in case a nearby parishioner tries to grab her hand

The priest gets up there and says “Jesus didn’t really mean X when he said it” (Once a priest got up and said that Jesus didn’t mean to say divorce was wrong, that what he actually meant was that it was okay…)

Guitars, tambourines and drums in the choir section.

Electric guitars.

Girls serving at altar. (sorry, that’s just the way I roll.)

A nun preparing the Eucharist. (Yep–I’ve seen this.)

A nun giving the Homily.

Lay people getting up during the Homily to promote CRHP or other matters that are not central to the Mass.

 

[holdencaulfield]

A nun preparing the Eucharist. (Yep–I’ve seen this.)

How were they not excommunicated?