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Habibti
Guest
Does anyone know of any melkite catholic church “directories”? I’m trying to find one and haven’t had any luck.
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trophybearer
Guest
melkite.org/parishinfo.html
your info says Melkite/Orthodox… I’m assuming you mean you consider yourself “Orthodox in communion with Rome”?
your info says Melkite/Orthodox… I’m assuming you mean you consider yourself “Orthodox in communion with Rome”?
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Amadeus
Guest
Here’s a current directory of offices and parishes of the Melkites (Catholic) in the U.S. as published in their website at:
melkite.org/parishinfo.html
melkite.org/parishinfo.html
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Amadeus
Guest
Our new member, Habibti (who signs in as Rana), describes her Church affiliation as “Eastern Orthodox/Melkite.”
Until further explanation, we are unable to discern what she means.
In this forum and elsewhere, it is commonly understood that the Melkite designation refers to the Melkite Greek-Catholic Church, an Eastern Catholic Church and is, therefore, in communion with Rome.
Here in the U.S., the (Eastern) Orthodox counterpart of the (Catholic) Melkites is the Anthiochian Orthodox Church, which is the local representation of the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch based in Syria.
Until further explanation, we are unable to discern what she means.
In this forum and elsewhere, it is commonly understood that the Melkite designation refers to the Melkite Greek-Catholic Church, an Eastern Catholic Church and is, therefore, in communion with Rome.
Here in the U.S., the (Eastern) Orthodox counterpart of the (Catholic) Melkites is the Anthiochian Orthodox Church, which is the local representation of the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch based in Syria.
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Ghosty
Guest
About a third of our Melkite mission’s members are “Melkite and Orthodox”. 
Welcome to the forums, Rana!
Peace and God bless!
Welcome to the forums, Rana!
Peace and God bless!
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Amadeus
Guest
As you have observed in your host Melkite mission, there is now commingling (intercommunion and intermarriage) between the Melkites and the Antiochians here in the U.S., as it has been for a long time in the Middle East and elsewhere!
Perhaps the “daughter” Churches of the Church of Antioch might be the frist among the apostolic Eastern Churches to reunite!
I think the rest of us would just like to know the “original” Church of Rana!
Perhaps the “daughter” Churches of the Church of Antioch might be the frist among the apostolic Eastern Churches to reunite!
I think the rest of us would just like to know the “original” Church of Rana!
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Habibti
Guest
I’m not sure what you mean? My YiaYia is Assyrian and my Papou is Greek, she was raised in the Eastern Catholic religion and my Papou was raised in the Orthodox church. I don’t have a particular affiliation with any church I’m generally comfortable with any catholic or orthodox church but most of the catholic churches I’ve attended look at me funny. 
Is that what kind of what you were asking, if not forgive me I haven’t slept in 22 hours.
I’m like the living dead right now
Is that what kind of what you were asking, if not forgive me I haven’t slept in 22 hours.
I’m like the living dead right now
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trophybearer
Guest
No intercommunion in my parish. We commune Orthodox Christians and Orthodox only. We had a few instances when our new priest came in of a few people who either out of indifference or lack of knowledge had communed in Catholic Churches. Our priest made it a point to tactfully instruct all that only Orthodox Christians in good standing may approach the chalice, and listed actions which might cause one not to be in ‘good standing’, first of which was communing in non-Orthodox churches. I can only assume the appropriate pastoral attention was given to any who found themselves not in good standing.As you have observed in your host Melkite mission, there is now commingling (intercommunion and intermarriage) between the Melkites and the Antiochians here in the U.S., as it has been for a long time in the Middle East and elsewhere!
Perhaps the “daughter” Churches of the Church of Antioch might be the frist among the apostolic Eastern Churches to reunite!
I think the rest of us would just like to know the “original” Church of Rana!
Methinks the priests responsible for the Orthodox visitors at Ghosty’s mission should be doing a better job instructing and guiding their parishoners.
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trophybearer
Guest
Which Church were you Baptized in?I’m not sure what you mean? My YiaYia is Assyrian and my Papou is Greek, she was raised in the Eastern Catholic religion and my Papou was raised in the Orthodox church. I don’t have a particular affiliation with any church I’m generally comfortable with any catholic or orthodox church but most of the catholic churches I’ve attended look at me funny.
Is that what kind of what you were asking, if not forgive me I haven’t slept in 22 hours.
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Ghosty
Guest
Is your parish primarily “old country” Antiochians, or American converts? It makes a huge difference, believe me. There is an Antiochian Orthodox parish nearby, closer to the homes of some of our Orthodox members than our own mission is, but it’s a “convert parish”, and therefore is of little to no interest to the Antiochian Orthodox from the Middle East. They even tried setting up their own Middle-Eastern Orthodox mission, but it fell apart and the members came to our Melkite mission rather than go to the other Antiochian community.No intercommunion in my parish. We commune Orthodox Christians and Orthodox only. We had a few instances when our new priest came in of a few people who either out of indifference or lack of knowledge had communed in Catholic Churches. Our priest made it a point to tactfully instruct all that only Orthodox Christians in good standing may approach the chalice, and listed actions which might cause one not to be in ‘good standing’, first of which was communing in non-Orthodox churches. I can only assume the appropriate pastoral attention was given to any who found themselves not in good standing.
Methinks the priests responsible for the Orthodox visitors at Ghosty’s mission should be doing a better job instructing and guiding their parishoners.
The Orthodox are welcome in our community, and those Orthodox who attend do so regularily, and are even members of the parish Council, so our priest is their regular priest.
Peace and God bless!
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trophybearer
Guest
Mostly “old country” Antiochians… the parish is mostly Lebanese with a handful of Greeks, our priest is Egyptian. We have a few (3 or 4) converts.Is your parish primarily “old country” Antiochians, or American converts? It makes a huge difference, believe me. There is an Antiochian Orthodox parish nearby, closer to the homes of some of our Orthodox members than our own mission is, but it’s a “convert parish”, and therefore is of little to no interest to the Antiochian Orthodox from the Middle East. They even tried setting up their own Middle-Eastern Orthodox mission, but it fell apart and the members came to our Melkite mission rather than go to the other Antiochian community.
The Orthodox are welcome in our community, and those Orthodox who attend do so regularily, and are even members of the parish Council, so our priest is their regular priest.
Peace and God bless!
So if they regularly worship at a Melkite Church, commune there and are on the parish council aren’t they basically Melkite? They’re practicing as if they are and are and are not in good standing as Orthodox.
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Ghosty
Guest
I can’t speak for their standing, but they still consider themselves Orthodox, and we refer to them as such.Mostly “old country” Antiochians… the parish is mostly Lebanese with a handful of Greeks, our priest is Egyptian. We have a few (3 or 4) converts.
So if they regularly worship at a Melkite Church, commune there and are on the parish council aren’t they basically Melkite? They’re practicing as if they are and are and are not in good standing as Orthodox.
Peace and God bless!
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trophybearer
Guest
I guess if they really believe it then fine. If they’re more interested in worshiping with other middle-easterners than being Orthodox that’s their decision to make.I can’t speak for their standing, but they still consider themselves Orthodox, and we refer to them as such.
Peace and God bless!
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bpbasilphx
Guest
The line between Orthodox and Melkite (or between Syrian Orthodox and Syrian Catholic or between Assyrian Church of the East and Chaldean Catholic) is very blurry in the Middle East, much more so than in the USA, though it seems to be fuzzing up here, too.
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trophybearer
Guest
The wrong-minded decisions of some priests do not reflect correct or acceptable practice. There’s no excuse for it, especially in this country. The Orthodox and Catholic Churches are not in communion, therefore no intercommunion should exist. An Orthodox Christian can in all probability get to an Orthodox Church. If distance causes it to be infrequently then communion may be available less frequently. In that case, do the best you can do. Recieving communion elsewhere is neither acceptable nor an option, despite what may or may not go on in places where Christian communities are persecuted.
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trophybearer
Guest
I guess it depends where you are and who you talk to. It happens, but it has not, in my experience, become the norm, nor have I even seen it.
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Habibti
Guest
I never was officially baptized by my maternal mother’s request.
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bpbasilphx
Guest
You need to get baptized if you’ve not been–and soon!
You can’t really claim to be either Orthodox or Melkite if you’re not baptized.
You can’t really claim to be either Orthodox or Melkite if you’re not baptized.
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Ghosty
Guest
I would recommend approaching Baptism as soon as possible, whether in a Catholic or Orthodox church. Know that even if you are Baptised in an Orthodox Church, you will be welcome (from the Catholic perspective, at least) at the Eucharist in Catholic parishes. The Orthodox side may or may not be supportive of such actions, as you can see from this thread.
They still are Orthodox, and that’s the point. They would just rather have the liturgy in a language they fully understand, and in a community they are connected with. They haven’t abandoned Orthodoxy at all, especially not in worshipping with Melkites. They just believe that our communities really have no reason to be seperate, beyond the absurd ecclesial politics of the hierarchs on both sides. I happen to agree with them, which is why I would do the same thing they do if the circumstances were reversed.
Obviously there are those who view our differences as a hard-line that can’t be bridged, but many of us do not think that way. FWIW, we’ve even had an Oriental Orthodox (Syriac, to be exact) priest concelebrate with our priest and our Bishop, so it’s not about sheep-stealing, it’s about realizing the unity that Christ Himself demands.
Peace and God bless!
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eichenb2
Guest
Are the Melkite Greek Catholic churches as ethnocentric as the Orthodox churches?
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