If Your Particular Church Didn't Exist?

[Jerry-Jet]

If I couldn’t be part of the Western Catholic church I’d choose Maronite because in my opinion it is the westernmost of the Eastern Catholic churches.

If I couldn’t be Latin rite but could still be part of the western liturgical tradition I’d choose the Ambrosian Rite.

They may not be a separate church but their liturgy is great and they even have Ambrosian chant.

 

[malphono]

The Syro-Malabar Churches in India from the Archdiocese of Changanacherry still use Eastern Syriac both completely and interspersed with Malayalam.

Thank you for that interesting piece of information. I had heard that the Syro-Malabars had embraced the “Novus Ordo philosophy” and totally abandoned Syriac. Believe me, I am absolutely thrilled to hear that’s not the case. It’s wonderful news! Blessings on the Archbishop of Changanacherry!

The Maronites, too, use Western Syriac for the Trisagion, Our Father, the Consecration, and more (depending on the celebrating priest).

Among the Maronites, the amount of Syriac used does depend, to a degree anyway, on the celebrant, but in main, it’s use is limited for a number of reasons which I’m not going into here. In the US, the bishops more-or-less require that the Institution Narrative be done in Syriac. Oddly enough, they make no such provision for the Epiklesis or, for that matter, any other part of the Anaphora. As for aboun d-bashmayo, since the introduction of the neo-Maronite (read: Novus Ordo-inspired) service in 1992, I’ve heard it precisely once in a Sunday liturgy.

 

[malphono]

I’ve not voted in this poll for a few reasons, one of which is I’m not sure which option I’d choose. If Syriac Orthodox were an option in the poll, the matter would be settled. Since it’s limited to CC Churches, though, I guess I would have to choose either Syriac or Chaldean. And since I can’t vote for two, I won’t vote at all.

 

[SyroMalankara]

Malphono,

Which church do you currently attend in NYC?

 

[malphono]

Malphono,

Which church do you currently attend in NYC?

How many Maronite churches do you think there are in NYC?

BTW, the closest Syriac churches (both CC and OC) are in New Jersey. The nearest outpost of the Eparchy of St Peter for the Chaldeans (Western Eparchy) is at least 1500 miles (some 2400 kms) distant.

 

[SyroMalankara]

There are over a dozen Syro-Malankara Catholic, Indian Orthodox, or Malankara Syriac Orthodox Churches in NYC!

 

[malphono]

There are over a dozen Syro-Malankara Catholic, Indian Orthodox, or Malankara Syriac Orthodox Churches in NYC!

Interesting. Thank you.

The only Syro-Malankara church in NYC that I’ve ever heard of was 20+ years ago. At the time, it was an incipient community which used the facilities of a Latin church. (I believe it was somewhere on the lower West Side of NYC. The one time I visited was when the Syriac CC Archbishop of Damascus was in the US on a pastoral visit and was invited to offer the Qourobo there.) I haven’t been able to find a listing for it since. Perhaps they established a permanent home outside the city.

But I may visit the Malankara Orthodox: actually there’s only one that is even reasonably accessible (and even that will take at least one hour each way). It would take about the same time for me to access either of the Syriac churches (CC and OC) in New Jersey.

 

[gthever]

Adding to what SyroMalankara stated, there’s about 25 or so Malankara Orthodox, about a dozen Malankara Syriac Orthodox and a half-dozen Malankara Catholic Churches in the NYC area. I would think most are in Queens and the suburbs. So finding one shouldn’t be a problem but getting to one might be if you don’t have a car.

However, the Malankara Orthodox established a mission parish in Manhattan called Holy Cross. I believe they have the liturgy at Union Theological Seminary, not sure about the frequency though. I would imagine it’s monthly at the very least and even possibly weekly.

malankaraorthodoxchurch.in/index.php?option=com_parish&task=more&pv=32&dv=1

 

[Hesychios]

I’m just curious about finding a Catholic Church that celebrates Mass in Aramaic​

The Syriac Catholic church should use Aramaic, since the faithful still speak it.

It is very small.

 

[malphono]

I’m just curious about finding a Catholic Church that celebrates Mass in Aramaic​

The Syriac Catholic church should use Aramaic, since the faithful still speak it.

It is very small.

Yes, but whether it’s vernacular not is not the real criterion.

In any case, the Syro-Malankara continue to hold to some Syriac (western dialect). (I should include the Maronites, but see the earlier posts in this thread.) The Chaldeans and, apparently, some Syro-Malabars also maintain the use of Syriac (both eastern dialect).