Life as an Eastern Catholic

[KathleenElsie]

We can confess face to face in a room or in the corner under the Icon of Christ.

There is a confessional booth in the church. Not used much LOL.

 

[ConstantineTG]

That sounds wonderful! While I understand the practical necessities for quick Confessions (sins, number of times, etc), I feel that there is definitely a place for a personal confessor (or spiritual father/director, or whatever term is in vougue these days) in a Christian’s life. And, it may not even be one’s parish priest. Also, I think it is important to talk some things out, that way the confessor can perhaps better understand and aid the penintent in dealing with sin (particularly habitual ones). Just my two cents, anyhow.

In any case again, good for you ConstantineTG! I’ve read the dialouge and prayers of the Byzantine confession; I find them to be very deep and beautiful.

Yes. You can really feel that the interest of the spirituality of the East is healing. Because the priest would find ways to help you to get better, and not merely absolve you of your sins. It has a better effect for me because now I know how to grow spiritually so that I will not fall back into the same sins again.

 

[Vico]

I had my first Byzantine confession last week. I must say, it was a very different experience. Was it because I was there alone and no lineup? The priest took his time, listened to everything I said, and carefully instructed me on how to be better in life. We must have spent at least 30 minutes. It was a great and wonderful experience.

The two Latin confessors that I frequent also give me this kind of attention. I am glad it is helpful for you.

 

[ConstantineTG]

The two Latin confessors that I frequent also give me this kind of attention. I am glad it is helpful for you.

I’ve also had a Latin confessor who gave great advice. But this priest really went through each sin and tackled each one.

 

[coco2]

This sounds so wonderful. If confession was like this the lines would be all the way down the street with people waiting to receive absolution. Can a Roman Catholic go to a Byzantine church for confession? How about an Orthodox church? Would an Orthodox priest hear a Roman Catholic’s confession?

 

[djrakowski]

I had my first Byzantine confession last week. I must say, it was a very different experience. Was it because I was there alone and no lineup? The priest took his time, listened to everything I said, and carefully instructed me on how to be better in life. We must have spent at least 30 minutes. It was a great and wonderful experience.

Yes. You can really feel that the interest of the spirituality of the East is healing. Because the priest would find ways to help you to get better, and not merely absolve you of your sins. It has a better effect for me because now I know how to grow spiritually so that I will not fall back into the same sins again.

This sounds exactly like my confession experiences, with only one exception I can remember in 5 years of monthly confessions as a Latin-Rite Catholic.

 

[ConstantineTG]

This sounds so wonderful. If confession was like this the lines would be all the way down the street with people waiting to receive absolution. Can a Roman Catholic go to a Byzantine church for confession? How about an Orthodox church? Would an Orthodox priest hear a Roman Catholic’s confession?

You can definitely go to a Byzantine parish for confession. Confession and Communion are the two Sacraments you can easily avail of in any Catholic rite without running into Canonical issues or questions.

 

[Alexander_Roman]

I’m not sure if this is exactly the place to bring this up, but among the differences I’ve noticed between Eastern Catholics online and the one’s I’ve met in person, is this re-occuring topic on various Eastern websites, where a good many people regularly refer to having a spiritual father. What I find really odd about it, is that I’ve never spoken to an Eastern Christian, Catholic or Orthodox, who mentioned having a spiritual father. So, I guess it seems pretty strange that a person who’s been Eastern for 70 years doesn’t have a spiritual father, but someone online who just converted does.

Actually, converts will do all kinds of things cradles won’t!

I knew one convert who wore a large Eastern Cross on his neck at all times with some icon buttons to boot. He also wore a prayer rope on his wrist and crossed himself at the drop of a hat.

I once travelled with him to university and on the way we stopped for a quick lunch. He made the Sign of the Cross over himself and his food. At this, the waitress, a Polish woman, yelled out, “Vat a vanderfool boy you are!!” I almost spilled my soup . . .

As we drove on, he made the Sign of the Cross again. I looked around to see if there was any church or other thing that I might have missed etc. He saw I was looking so he said, “Do you see that hill over there? There’s a cemetery behind it . . .”

How was I to know?

His zeal in this cooled, but he is now an Orthodox priest. And his bishop actually thanked me for “bringing him to us.”

Only to them . . .

But I’m getting used to converts. They can be decent people, you know . . .

Alex

 

[Alexander_Roman]

From what experience I have had of the East:

While I absolutely concur with what others here have said, I would also like to add that there is a difference in the way penance (and indeed, the whole of penitential spirituality) is lived out. Within the West, there is much more of a tendancy to view and explain things in juridical terms. One accuses themselves of sins committed and God, acting through the priest, pronounces forgiveness and administers a sentence (penance) that must be carried out in order to expiate the temporal consequences of sin.

Whereas in the East, there is a tendancy more to view and explain things in a more healing, medicinal terms. One confesses the wounds which have been self-inflicted (sin) and God, through the priest, pronounces absolution. However, the penance is more thought of as a medicine; something that is done to help cure and (hopefully) prevent a relapse into sin (particaularly if a penance is assigned especially for a specifc sin).

Of course, this is not to say that there is no knowledge of medicinal language in the West and juridical language in the East; rather, these are things that I have picked up on in my small experience. If I have mispoken, please correct me.

On a related note- I agree with what has been spoken of here and elsewhere. Alex, your responses are so knowledgable and deep. For these, and your friendly tone, I salute you

I salue you right back sir! I have your Daily Office which I find to be most inspiring and take it with me everywhere. There is a vitality to the Lutheran tradition that surely belongs to the entire Church (or should).

Here we stand!

Alex

 

[ThatOneGuy92]

I salue you right back sir! I have your Daily Office which I find to be most inspiring and take it with me everywhere. There is a vitality to the Lutheran tradition that surely belongs to the entire Church (or should).

Here we stand!

Alex

You honor me with your words, brother.
And, at the expense of sounding silly, I must ask- which Daily Office are you referring to?

“Here we stand!”
So help us God! Amen!

 

[bkovacs]

What is life like as a Eastern Catholic? How does it differ from living as a Latin Catholic? How are the fasts, devotions, etc.?

Depends on what type of Latin Catholic you are referring to. Mainstream Latin Catholic or traditional Latin Catholic?.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Depends on what type of Latin Catholic you are referring to. Mainstream Latin Catholic or traditional Latin Catholic?.

Also depends what kind of Eastern Catholic. There are many lukewarm Eastern Catholics, similar to those who are lukewarm in the faith in the West.

 

[Padraig1972]

I really enjoyed reading this thread and when reading how devout you are, i just feel like a silly, unworthy western catholic.

We have no eastern catholic or byzantine catholic parishes over here. The closest thing is Russian Orthodox and i dare not think about how they would regard a western catholic like me…

Well, i like to learn more though.

 

[OrdinaryMelkite]

It varies from one Ritual Church Sui Iuris to another.

However, the big generalizations:

More fasts, fasts rule out more, but don’t involve by rule eating less.

More emphasis on frequent confession. Confession done in public view.

More singing.

Longer liturgies. Usually no vigil liturgies.

Smaller parishes.

For Byzantines and Copts: communion by intinction is normal… more than 2/3 of Eastern Catholics, and over half the Ritual Churches Sui Iuris, commune using leavened bread for the gifts, then after consecration, the body is immersed in the blood, and distributed with a spoon.

This sounds about right here in Augusta with my Melkite Church. You forgot you can also confess in an RC Church as well if you like the “privacy.”
You also forgot LOTS of standing up and sitting down. And mostly, no kneeling in the pews.Bowing instead of kneeling. And occasional prostration during pre-sanctification during Lent.

 

[jasos2011]

I like it.

 

[5Loaves]

And mostly, no kneeling in the pews…And occasional prostration during pre-sanctification during Lent. :thumbsup

Pews?! We don’t need no stinkin’ pews! Occasional prostrations? Great Lent is filled with prostrations, especially during Compline and Great Canon. We have 3 prostrations during each of the three recitations of the Prayer of Saint Ephraim in all the services.

 

[5Loaves]

Christ is Risen!

The closest thing is Russian Orthodox and i dare not think about how they would regard a western catholic like me…

Johannes-
I’ve had very good experiences in Russian Orthodox parishes local to me, tho I do know there is a great deal of variation. If there is a daily or Sat. evening Vespers/Matins you could try that, no Eucharist involved. (I think many Orthodox are more comfortable with Catholics from the Latin “Roman” Church than they are with us Eastern Catholic…)

 

[Cecilianus]

Does this mean that other people know what you’re confessing or is it still just you and the priest, albeit out in the open?

The priest will sometimes have you confess at the icon farthest away from the nearest earshot.

For example, though confession is properly done at the icon of Christ, at the parish near my parents’ house the cantor stands right behind that icon (facing east rather than north). The cantor would overhear my confession if I confessed there, so Father will usually take me to the icon of the Theotokos instead.

On the other hand, on occasion (at a different parish) I will have been in the middle of my confession in an empty church in a low speaking voice rather than a whisper when the subdeacon emerges from the north door of the iconostas and begins chanting Matins. I rather suspect when that happens that the privacy of the confession might have been somewhat mitigated. Frankly, I don’t really care - confession used to be public.

 

[Cecilianus]

In general, Advent is not a penitential season in the west as much as Lent.

I was taught in Roman Catholic catechesis before I became Byzantine that Advent was a fasting season just as strong as Lent.

 

[Cecilianus]

Setting aside the faith and theology, the rest of the lifestyle is a bit different, because it is centered more around the fasts and feasts. When we “fast” we do not set quantitative restrictions on the amount we eat (we are supposed to eat less - how much less depends on how much your body needs), but rather on what kinds of food we eat. The strict fast is basically a vegan and alcohol-free diet (mitigated fast is vegan, but wine and oil are permitted). Since we fast for four extended periods through the year (Great Lent starting the Monday before Ash Wednesday when Pascha coincides with the Western East, with a meatless preparation period the week before that, the Philipovka or Philip’s Fast, the Dormition Fast for two weeks, and the Apostle’s Fast for three weeks in June), every Wednesday and Friday, and some pre-festal preparation days (like before the Triumph of the Life-Giving Cross), we have to modify our diet from the standard American diet quite a bit. So lots of ethnic foods following the fasting calendar are eaten.

And then we celebrate like crazy right after Christmas and Pascha. Pascha dinner is usually the Easter basket blessed after Liturgy on Pascha morning.

Homes are also adorned with icons, most of them on a table or “icon corner” which is always venerated when entering or leaving a room.

Clerical celibacy is not a part of our tradition, so the priest’s wife or “matushka” is in some ways like the mother of the parish. They are usually sweet people.