Roman-to-Melkite Proselytism Acceptable?

[fmirenzi]

First of all, the Melkite church is in communion with Rome, so it’s not proselytism. Your question infers that the Melkites are not Catholic, or that they are trying to convert to a different religion. The Melkites are Byzantines, but they are Catholic.

In any case, it is permissible for Latins to change rites, but it is not permissible for easterners to change to Latin.

 

[babochka]

In any case, it is permissible for Latins to change rites, but it is not permissible for easterners to change to Latin.

It is less likely to be approved by the respective Bishops, but there is no prohibition against Easterners becoming Latin. Also, a common example in which an Easterner can become Latin, even without permission, is upon marriage to a member of the Latin Church.

 

[Casilda]

I was told that it was important in the event the Easterner may want to become a priest or deacon. He is always referred back to his roots. Our parish just received a deacon who had been a member of a Roman Catholic parish and whose children were raised there. He is now an Eastern Catholic deacon.

 

[dochawk]

In any case, it is permissible for Latins to change rites, but it is not permissible for easterners to change to Latin.

:headsmack: ,_ we need this emoji.

No, that is not correct.

Until a few decades ago, it was only possible to move from east to west, but now both directions are possible,

hawk

 

[babochka]

:headsmack: ,_ we need this emoji.

I miss some of the unique emojis from old site.

 

[LostSheep7]

Until a few decades ago, it was only possible to move from east to west, but now both directions are possible,

Besides marriage, do you know what reason moves people to make that change? Is it just a matter of personal preference?

 

[babochka]

Besides marriage, do you know what reason moves people to make that change? Is it just a matter of personal preference?

One example I can think of is when a cradle Orthodox, who may or may not have been raised in the Orthodox faith, converts to Catholicism, he or she is automatically received into an Eastern Church. This person might have come to the Church through Western spirituality and theology and desires to live out the faith in that way.

 

[dochawk]

Besides marriage, do you know what reason moves people to make that change? Is it just a matter of personal preference?

Not so much “preference” as Drawn to it.

While the faith is the same the spirituality is different.

As a lifetime RC, I was just plain Awed when I first met the Divine Liturgy.

I could recognize some structural roots that it shared and some parallel portions, but it was more a “whole” than a sequence of parts. It was also a more complete expression of the faith.

And there’s the sheer reverence. I have only seen the western liturgy offered a couple of times ever in a way to compare to the reverence that is the norm for the East.

The only real way to answer your question, though, is for you to find a Byzantine liturgy and attend it.

hawk

 

[fmirenzi]

And there’s the sheer reverence. I have only seen the western liturgy offered a couple of times ever in a way to compare to the reverence that is the norm for the East.

Okay, we get it. We all get it. You don’t like the west. But please spare us with these Orthodox apologetics and Romanophic generalization. The western liturgy is just as reverent, if not more, than the eastern. I have seen plenty of irreverent eastern liturgies compared to the western, so no, it’s not a norm in the east to be reverent. The east doesn’t have a monopoly on reverence.

 

[RyanBlack]

I have seen plenty of irreverent eastern liturgies compared to the western, so no, it’s not a norm in the east to be reverent. The east doesn’t have a monopoly on reverence.

I would certainly agree that the East holds no monopoly on reverence. I disagree entirely that reverence is not the norm.

 

[fmirenzi]

I disagree entirely that reverence is not the norm.

And I disagree that irreverence in the west is the norm. It’s certainly not.

 

[Casilda]

I see you just joined a day ago and may not be aware, it is a common misconception, but this ‘Eastern’ forum is actually a Catholic forum. Orthodox discussions are in the Non-Catholic forum.

There is no ‘Orthodox apologetics’ or ‘Romanophic generalization’ in dochawk’s comment.

As an Eastern Catholic now myself, once a cradle Roman Catholic, I fully agree with his comment. There is no West bashing here and it should be a place where Eastern Catholic’s should not be bashed either.

 

[RyanBlack]

And I disagree that irreverence in the west is the norm. It’s certainly not.

I never said that it is.

 

[LostSheep7]

The only real way to answer your question, though, is for you to find a Byzantine liturgy and attend it.

I’ve already attended a bizantine liturgy, I was amazed by the reverence and spiritual richness of it.

I have only seen the western liturgy offered a couple of times ever in a way to compare to the reverence that is the norm for the East.

Have you ever attended a Tridentine Mass? Despite having nothing against the ordinary form and liking the Byzantine liturgy, I believe nothing on earth compares to the beauty and reverence of the Tridentine Mass.
God bless you

 

[babochka]

Have you ever attended a Tridentine Mass? Despite having nothing against the ordinary form and liking the Byzantine liturgy, I believe nothing on earth compares to the beauty and reverence of the Tridentine Mass.
God bless you

This is where being drawn to Byzantine spirituality comes in and personal preference, I suppose. I’m a cradle Byzantine, but went to a Latin-Rite school, so I have plenty of well-rounded experience. I have been to a good number of Tridentine Masses. At first, I didn’t care for it at all. Over time, I have come to appreciate the Traditional Mass more, but of all of the liturgies in all of the Rites that I have attended, it is my least favorite.

 

[CorAdCorLoquitur]

learning about the other lung is good for the faithful

Yes, but not if it jeopardizes one’s sensus fidei fidelium. Milk before solid food. 1 Corinthians 3:2.

 

[JRS_831]

Sure, but not if it jeopardizes one’s sensus fidei fidelium

Jeopardizes??

 

[dochawk]

Okay, we get it. We all get it. You don’t like the west.

Where did that come from? It’s not just false, but flies in the face of everything I’ve written here in the last several years.

But please spare us with these Orthodox apologetics and Romanophic generalization.

Wow.

Just, wow.

hawk

 

[dochawk]

Have you ever attended a Tridentine Mass? Despite having nothing against the ordinary form and liking the Byzantine liturgy, I believe nothing on earth compares to the beauty and reverence of the Tridentine Mass.
God bless you

I did, long before I found the east.

It was beautiful, but didn’t have nearly the effect on me.

Perhaps that, even though I knew what was going on, it wasn’t in a language in which I’m fluent.

I was more drawn by an OF in Dutch in Amsterdam (but Dutch can be somewhat followed from English).

hawk

Particularly in the Ruthenian tradition (and more so than the other slavs), the congregation sings most of it.

As a separate note, even with eight years of Jesuit education and the ability to scholasticize with the best of them, the more mystical and less explanatory approach of the East is a strong draw.

 

[babochka]

dochawk:

learning about the other lung is good for the faithful

Yes, but not if it jeopardizes one’s sensus fidei fidelium. Milk before solid food. 1 Corinthians 3:2.

How would learning about the Church in its universality and fullness and jeopardize one’s faith?

And honestly, it sounds like you are implying that Latin Rite practice and theology is for new Catholics and Eastern Rite practices are for more mature Catholics.