Life as an Eastern Catholic

[wjp984]

Without fixating on which tradition came from where, I can see where any kind of face to face confession (and this is not unknown among RC’s) would inhibit CERTAIN parishoners. To give an example, I was once in an Eastern Catholic Church during Lent, and the priest himself said that a visiting priest would be there to hear confession, and suggested something to the effect that they would have a chance to confess there sins to someone they would not see on a regular basis.

I am Byzantine Catholic but I prefer going to a Latin Rite priest in the confessional, or in a closed room. I don’t mind face to face and sometimes I’ll even choose this option, but I rather it be with a priest who I do not know and that does not know me. Byzantine priests generally know their parishoners very well due to the smaller parishes.

 

[wjp984]

To answer the question, as others have mentioned it really depends on the country, rite, and individual person.

I am Ruthenian Catholic in the United States and don’t really act any differently than Roman Rite Catholics. In fact, when I cannot make it to the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, I take advantage of the numerous Roman Rite Catholic Churches and mass times to fulfill my Sunday obligation.

There are a few different major feast days and fasting requirements, and of course the liturgy is chanted, although I don’t find it to be much longer than most Western Masses (1 hr 15 minutes), but in general, the lifesyle is the same

Go to church on Sunday and a handful of major feast days, abstain from meat on Fridays in Lent, etc.

Oh, there is also something called the Phillip’s Fast in preparation for Christmas. Roman Rite Catholics do not have this fast. This is kind of similar to Lent where one abstains from meat on Fridays. However, I’m not very good about following this fast.

 

[Aramis]

Oh, there is also something called the Phillip’s Fast in preparation for Christmas. Roman Rite Catholics do not have this fast. This is kind of similar to Lent where one abstains from meat on Fridays. However, I’m not very good about following this fast.

Actually, they do. It’s called the Advent Fast. It’s two weeks shorter than Phillipova. Starts tomorrow.

 

[wjp984]

I went to Catholic school for almost all my years of education and not once was an Advent fast mentioned as part of Advent. I’m not doubting that it exists but just surprised I never heard of it.

 

[Jakub]

I’m not surprised, most Latin/Roman Rite Catholics do not know nor care about Eastern Catholics and their traditions…a sad fact

 

[Vico]

I went to Catholic school for almost all my years of education and not once was an Advent fast mentioned as part of Advent. I’m not doubting that it exists but just surprised I never heard of it.

The ancient duty of Advent fast is mentioned here in the Old Catholic Encyclopedia under “Popular merry-making”:

newadvent.org/cathen/03724b.htm

 

[Augustus24]

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

The Liturgical Calendar is different. For example, “Advent” started on Nov 15 for the Byzantines. And Advent is a time of fasting. The feast days are different, and the seasons are different. I am somewhere in between Byzantine and Latin. I find the fasting practices of the Byzantine Rite more intense then the Latin Rite.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Actually, they do. It’s called the Advent Fast. It’s two weeks shorter than Phillipova. Starts tomorrow.

Isn’t it only on the third week of Advent? I know the third week of Advent is the penitential week for Roman Catholics. The 4 weeks of Advent are preparatory but not the entire Advent is for fasting.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I’m not surprised, most Latin/Roman Rite Catholics do not know nor care about Eastern Catholics and their traditions…a sad fact

Its mostly because of lack of exposure to Eastern Catholics. I grew up in a country with 80% Roman Catholics, and no Eastern Catholics nor Orthodox. Even here in North America, not all towns would have Eastern Catholic parishes. I’ve been aware of Eastern Christians for a while but I thought those in the East were only Orthodox.

 

[Aramis]

Isn’t it only on the third week of Advent? I know the third week of Advent is the penitential week for Roman Catholics. The 4 weeks of Advent are preparatory but not the entire Advent is for fasting.

You’ve got it backwards; the 3rd week is a less penetential week, but is still penetential. As also is one the middle of Lent. Those are the two weeks in the year the Romans use Rose vestments. The current rules for the Roman advent fast are on fridays, two meals reduced in size and no meat, and no substitution of other penitential practices for meatless.

 

[ciero]

To answer the question, as others have mentioned it really depends on the country, rite, and individual person.

I am Ruthenian Catholic in the United States and don’t really act any differently than Roman Rite Catholics. In fact, when I cannot make it to the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, I take advantage of the numerous Roman Rite Catholic Churches and mass times to fulfill my Sunday obligation.

There are a few different major feast days and fasting requirements, and of course the liturgy is chanted, although I don’t find it to be much longer than most Western Masses (1 hr 15 minutes), but in general, the lifesyle is the same

Go to church on Sunday and a handful of major feast days, abstain from meat on Fridays in Lent, etc.

Oh, there is also something called the Phillip’s Fast in preparation for Christmas. Roman Rite Catholics do not have this fast. This is kind of similar to Lent where one abstains
from meat on Fridays. However, I’m not very good about following this fast.

What a shallow view of the faith! Lord have mercy!

 

[Matthew_Holford]

You’ve got it backwards; the 3rd week is a less penetential week, but is still penetential. As also is one the middle of Lent. Those are the two weeks in the year the Romans use Rose vestments. The current rules for the Roman advent fast are on fridays, two meals reduced in size and no meat, and no substitution of other penitential practices for meatless.

The rules are only relaxed for the Sundays - Third in Advent (Gaudete Sunday) and Fourth in Lent (Lætare Sunday) - not the rest of the week. These two Sundays are the only ones when Rose vestments can be worn - one reason I think many parishes don’t have them - too expensive to be worn on two occasions per annum (they’re not worn for the rest of the week).

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

The Fridays of Advent are not fast days in the Latin Church. The only obligatory days of fasting are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. We are exhorted to extend the Good Friday fast into Holy Saturday but it isn’t mandatory. Fridays are penitential days. The universal norm in the Latin Church is to abstain from meat but each episcopal conference can add or substitute other forms of penance. Fridays are not penitential days if a solemnity falls on them.

 

[Seamus_L]

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.

 

[Vico]

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.

A spiritual father may be one’s confessor, if they regularly go to the same one, of it may be any father that one frequently asks advice from.

 

[Alexander_Roman]

Dear Friends,

Since you asked . . .

To be an Eastern Catholic is to experience the Christian faith in a TOTALLY different way than Western Catholics.

The faith may be the same - but that is where the similarity ends. We differ on EVERY other point.

In terms of spirituality, the East focuses on the Resurrection and Glory of our Lord, on Him as the Giver of Light and Life, on Him Who bestows deification in Him through the Holy Spirit.

The devotional focus of the liturgical prayers is on the Holy Trinity, on all three Divine Persons Whose Names we here time and again throughout (as opposed to the Western "Through Jesus Christ our Lord etc. "). There is a marked “communal” spirituality in the Byzantine East and the focus on the Trinity in this way is a “social conception of the Deity” as one RC liturgist once wrote. Then there is the Communion of Saints with the Most Holy Mother of God at the apex. The iconography celebrates their Theosis, their transfiguration and how even their bodies radiate the Light of Christ. We glorify God in them.

The Byzantine Eastern Church is also the “Church of the Holy Spirit” Who is the source of our transformation and deification. It is the Spirit Who effects the sacraments, Who lives in the Saints, Who quickens the Body of Christ, leading it into all truth.

It is the Church as the Body of Christ, vivified by the Spirit, that is the guardian of Apostolic Doctrine through her Bishops and teachers.

This is why, when one reads on other threads here, about groups like the Mormons who will say that they refer to the Bible and not to the Church - this is a completely disordered view of the Church of Christ since it is only in the Church that we know about the Apostolic doctrine. To be cut off from the Church is to be cut off not only from that doctrine, but also from the Spirit Who grants understanding of what Christ taught etc.

To live as an Eastern Catholic (also Orthodox Christian) is to participate in the deifying Body of Christ through faith, prayer, the sacramental mysteries, the Divine Liturgy, by its every action. This is why private devotions aren’t as prevalent in the East. One prays largely with the prayers of the Church, the horologion, the psalter, the Jesus Prayer (which is also the prayer of the Church) and the various other liturgical prayers. The apparent chasm between private devotions and public liturgy just isn’t there in the Byzantine East.

Alex

 

[ConstantineTG]

Thank you so much Alex. You’re insights are always so helpful and informative. You’re like the Eastern Bro. JR :thumbsup:

 

[Alexander_Roman]

You da man!

Alex

 

[ThatOneGuy92]

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

 

[ConstantineTG]

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.

 

[ThatOneGuy92]

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.

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.