No eastern catholic churches

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I have been investigating Orthodoxy for nearly 3 yrs now. My husband and I were on the verge of fully converting, but pulled back as we cannot deny Catholicism as heretical. But I can’t go back to being a Latin, as I don’t believe that way anymore. I want to raise my boys Eastern, with the theology and praxis of the Eastern Church. The problem is, there are no Eastern Catholic churches within hundreds of miles of me. I’m so sad and I feel so lost now. Be patient with me, brothers and sisters.
 
You might be surprised to find an Eastern Rite mass at a Latin church, perhaps once a month. I went yesterday to a Latin Rite church I sometimes go to for weekday mass, picked up a newsletter and found they have a Syro-Malabar Rite Mass this Saturday (I’m thinking of attending out of interest). So try asking around, you might be surprised.
 
peter26 said:
You might be surprised to find an Eastern Rite mass at a Latin church, perhaps once a month. I went yesterday to a Latin Rite church I sometimes go to for weekday mass, picked up a newsletter and found they have a Syro-Malabar Rite Mass this Saturday (I’m thinking of attending out of interest). So try asking around, you might be surprised.
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Yes, apparently there was a mission in my area that used to do this but that ended some years ago.
 
Shame. Are there any other Eastern Catholics in your area? I understand the Latin Bishop has to make provision if there is a demand for Eastern Mass.
 
peter26 said:
Shame. Are there any other Eastern Catholics in your area? I understand the Latin Bishop has to make provision if there is a demand for Eastern Mass.
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Maybe, but I know of none personally. That’s interesting! I wonder if I can simply request one from the Bishop?
 
Its worth a shot, but to provide an Eastern Mass, the bishop will have to invest significant resources, so he would probably want to know a few folk will be attending. Best of luck! 🙂
 
Blenderx said:
I have been investigating Orthodoxy for nearly 3 yrs now. My husband and I were on the verge of fully converting, but pulled back as we cannot deny Catholicism as heretical. But I can’t go back to being a Latin, as I don’t believe that way anymore. I want to raise my boys Eastern, with the theology and praxis of the Eastern Church. The problem is, there are no Eastern Catholic churches within hundreds of miles of me. I’m so sad and I feel so lost now. Be patient with me, brothers and sisters.
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If you wouldn’t mind, could you tell us what state you are in if your in the U.S? We might be able to find an EC Church near you.
 
Blenderx said:
I’m in Idaho near Boise. 🙂
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Ah sadly Idaho and the North West U.S is not really an area where Indian Eastern Catholics and Orthodox are found. I did some searching and there are no churches in Idaho or the surrounding states. The closest results I found were in California, Colorado, and Minnesota.
 
That must be so spiritually painful. Are there any Orthodox churches or missions in the area? They can help fill the hole if you can at least attend regular Vespers and teach your children the prayers and theology of the church.

If there is nothing, then at least invest in a prayer book with the hours and make it a family habit to read the Byzantine prayers. It is said that the whole theology of our church is contained within its liturgies, so to help your children grow in true Eastern understanding, make sure they are familiar with the regular prayers and services, even if you are just doing reader versions at home.

Perhaps you might also, if it is within your means, make a regular family pilgrimage to a monastery. I believe there is a women’s monastery in Ohio under the Ruthenians and a men’s monastery in Wisconsin that is under the Romanians.

christthebridegroom.org/
hrmonline.org/
 
Thomas48 said:
Ah sadly Idaho and the North West U.S is not really an area where Indian Eastern Catholics and Orthodox are found. I did some searching and there are no churches in Idaho or the surrounding states. The closest results I found were in California, Colorado, and Minnesota.
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Thank you for looking. It is pretty sad. 😦
newlywed8 said:
That must be so spiritually painful. Are there any Orthodox churches or missions in the area? They can help fill the hole if you can at least attend regular Vespers and teach your children the prayers and theology of the church.

If there is nothing, then at least invest in a prayer book with the hours and make it a family habit to read the Byzantine prayers. It is said that the whole theology of our church is contained within its liturgies, so to help your children grow in true Eastern understanding, make sure they are familiar with the regular prayers and services, even if you are just doing reader versions at home.

Perhaps you might also, if it is within your means, make a regular family pilgrimage to a monastery. I believe there is a women’s monastery in Ohio under the Ruthenians and a men’s monastery in Wisconsin that is under the Romanians.

christthebridegroom.org/
hrmonline.org/
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Thank you for these great ideas! I will certainly use them, but I don’t know about attending an Orthodox church, as the temptation to convert is still there. I intend to teach the children Eastern Christianity, but the most difficult thing is that they are approaching first communion age and we are obliged to put them into religious ed classes where they will be taught contrary things. We are still technically Latins. I wish that we could change rites, so I could have a leg to stand on here, but that seems impossible without at least a priest of the Byzantine rite to back us.
 
I intend to teach the children Eastern Christianity, but the most difficult thing is that they are approaching first communion age and we are obliged to put them into religious ed classes where they will be taught contrary things. We are still technically Latins.
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Could you perhaps homeschool the boys for religious ed? If your priest wants to see a curriculum, God With Us is supposed to be good. I have not yet used it myself, but have heard good things from others.

store.godwithusbooks.org/catechetical-series/

If your priest will not approve it, then honestly I would do the bare minimum required at the parish and homeschool it anyway. In other words, attend on occasion and do most of the instruction at home.

I would also recommend checking out ByzCath.org a bit. I browsed the current missions/outreaches and do not see any in your area. You might be able to contact administrators or use the forums over there to see if there are any other Byzantines in your area, however. They could be a great resource or you might be able to start organizing something if there are several of you.

byzcath.org/index.php/find-a-parish-mainmenu-111/start-a-parish-mainmenu-113
 
newlywed8 said:
Could you perhaps homeschool the boys for religious ed? If your priest wants to see a curriculum, God With Us is supposed to be good. I have not yet used it myself, but have heard good things from others.

store.godwithusbooks.org/catechetical-series/

If your priest will not approve it, then honestly I would do the bare minimum required at the parish and homeschool it anyway. In other words, attend on occasion and do most of the instruction at home.

I would also recommend checking out ByzCath.org a bit. I browsed the current missions/outreaches and do not see any in your area. You might be able to contact administrators or use the forums over there to see if there are any other Byzantines in your area, however. They could be a great resource or you might be able to start organizing something if there are several of you.

byzcath.org/index.php/find-a-parish-mainmenu-111/start-a-parish-mainmenu-113
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Thank you, that catechetical series looks great. I’ll have a talk with the religious ed director at our parish.

I’ve sent a message to the contact on byzcath, hopefully another Eastern outreach can be started up. 🙂
 
Blenderx said:
Maybe, but I know of none personally. That’s interesting! I wonder if I can simply request one from the Bishop?
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If you are canonically a member of an eastern Catholic church sui iuris, then you may receive some help with this, but a Catholic ascribed to the Latin sui iuris church does not have a right to the eastern liturgy.

CCEO17 The Christian faithful have the right to worship God according to the prescriptions of their own Church sui iuris, and to follow their own form of spiritual life consonant with the teaching of the Church.
 
The Popes of the Roman Catholic Church have celebrated liturgies with Orthodox patriarchs. I think it is quite alright for Roman Catholics to participate as well.

Thankfully, Pope Francis is not in the business of labeling people “heretics” or other divisive terms.

God bless you.
 
outremer said:
The Popes of the Roman Catholic Church have celebrated liturgies with Orthodox patriarchs. I think it is quite alright for Roman Catholics to participate as well.

Thankfully, Pope Francis is not in the business of labeling people “heretics” or other divisive terms.

God bless you.
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Canon 844 (c.671 in the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches)
  1. Catholic ministers may licitly administer the sacraments to Catholic members of the Christian faithful only and, likewise, the latter may licitly receive the sacraments only from Catholic ministers with due regard for parts 2, 3, and 4 of this canon, and can. 861, part 2.
    2. Whenever necessity requires or genuine spiritual advantage suggests, and provided that the danger of error or indifferentism is avoided, it is lawful for the faithful for whom it is physically or morally impossible to approach a Catholic minister, to receive the sacraments of penance, Eucharist, and anointing of the sick from non-Catholic ministers in whose churches these sacraments are valid.
  2. Catholic ministers may licitly administer the sacraments of penance, Eucharist and anointing of the sick to members of the oriental churches which do not have full communion with the Catholic Church, if they ask on their own for the sacraments and are properly disposed. This holds also for members of other churches, which in the judgment of the Apostolic See are in the same condition as the oriental churches as far as these sacraments are concerned.
    4. If the danger of death is present or other grave necessity, in the judgment of the diocesan bishop or the conference of bishops, Catholic ministers may licitly administer these sacraments to other Christians who do not have full communion with the Catholic Church, who cannot approach a minister of their own community and on their own ask for it, provided they manifest Catholic faith in these sacraments and are properly disposed.
    5. For the cases in parts 2, 3, and 4, neither the diocesan bishop nor the conference of bishops is to enact general norms except after consultation with at least the local competent authority of the interested non- Catholic Church or community.
 
outremer said:
The Popes of the Roman Catholic Church have celebrated liturgies with Orthodox patriarchs. I think it is quite alright for Roman Catholics to participate as well.

Thankfully, Pope Francis is not in the business of labeling people “heretics” or other divisive terms.

God bless you.
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The fact is, the Orthodox churches do not let Catholics receive Holy Communion (although we allow Orthodox to receive in Catholic Churches…), and we must respect the decision of the See in question.
 
just go to an orthodox church. you dont have to convert if you dont want to–follow your conscience.
 
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