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John_of_Patmos
Guest
I have looked into Rusyn spirituallity and am intrigued. Are there any Rusyn Monasteries that I could look into?
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C
CDB1718
Guest
You’re talking about joining a new jurisdiction every week and you’re simultaneously talking about discerning monastic or clerical celibacy or married life.
You can’t decide this stuff online. You need to be in a living community. Fr. Moses wrote you the other day. Did you write him back? Did you seek their guidance?
Get off the computer and go to a church. That’s where you start. This online reading is only hurting your discernment.
You can’t decide this stuff online. You need to be in a living community. Fr. Moses wrote you the other day. Did you write him back? Did you seek their guidance?
Get off the computer and go to a church. That’s where you start. This online reading is only hurting your discernment.
K
Kielbasi
Guest
There is a Byzantine Catholic monastery, Holy Trinity, over in Butler PA.
Their phone number is (724) 287-4461, I’m sure if you gave them a call, they’d give you information about their facility and program.
Their phone number is (724) 287-4461, I’m sure if you gave them a call, they’d give you information about their facility and program.
H
Hesychios
Guest
Yes, this used to be a Benedictine house in the American-Cassinese congregation. It was a daughter house to St Procopius Abbey in Lisle (where I was an oblate) and established especially for the Byzantine Catholic community.
It is now independent of the congregation and strictly under the Metropolitan of Pittsburgh for the Ruthenians, it is small and the monks are not all in the best of health but I hope it does well.
I believe (if memory serves) our brother Mickey was very familiar with them.
Anyone interested in a monastic vocation, or interested in supporting this important charism, should check out this little house of God.
Send them a support check, give them a fighting chance.
D
dvdjs
Guest
You may also be interested in Holy Dormition Byzantine Franciscan Friary
hdbfm.com/staff.htm
hdbfm.com/staff.htm
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ByzCathCantor
Guest
S
Splagchnizomai
Guest
Monasteries etc put their information online, so they must expect to be found online.
“Online reading” may hurt discernment (I’d suppose one could chastise for “book reading” too), but it may also foster it. It depends on the individual and what that individual’s spiritual director advises.
Still, I agree in general with what you’re saying – go to church, live in community, follow Fr Moses’ advice. Does Fr Moses communicate online?
C
CDB1718
Guest
Book reading and online reading when they are done in isolation from a community and without proper guidance are what is harmful. He can’t get community or proper guidance online.
Holy Resurrection has an associates program and they require face-to-face time which can be augmented with phone calls or web conversations, but those are secondary and discouraged. They can’t take the place of face-to-face relationships.
S
Splagchnizomai
Guest
In general, I agree with you.
Still, if online information in isolation etc is so harmful, why do you provide so much of it on your own parish’s website? Maybe you should post a warning about using it?
btw, I love your parish’s website! It is so fantastic!
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CDB1718
Guest
It’s an internal struggle I face and I constantly discern the Lord’s will. My goal for the website is to direct people to Christ and His Church. The purpose for the resources section of the site is catechesis and support for Ukrainian Catholics. They have communities and are looking for a little more knowledge on this or on that. I’m also working on a section for Roman Catholics who have communities and want more info. And I’m moving the welcome and visitor info out to its own page. The purpose of the visitor information is to introduce them to the parish, so I do not want it to be confused with the catechetics.
If you notice, many of the articles do have warnings. The ones on vestments, on fasting, anything that can be perceived as rules. They strongly direct people to parishes and their own priests for guidance. There are some topics that aren’t included at all.
I think we can see contemporary examples of the balanced use of media such as the Franciscans of the Immaculate and the unbalanced use like Fr. Corapi. The big difference is their grounding in a community. It isn’t education that is a problem, but self-guidance. To that aim, everything I do is with the knowledge and oversight of my clergy and I hope that is the same for the readers. If I fail and instead direct them astray, even if it is well-intentioned, I will be held accountable.
B
ByzCathCantor
Guest
JofP - I did post earlier a webpage with links, in good faith, knowing how seriously the source (that is, the Byzantine-Ruthenian Catholic Eparchy of Parma) takes its obligation to promote vocations. In this regard, the references to monastic communities are to those which are aligned with the traditions of the particular Catholic Church of Rusyn lineage and custom (Byzantine-Ruthenian).
That said, I do agree with the comments made here, but would like to offer such in a way that hopefully provides you with appropriately-bounded encouragement to seek a vocation.
Your stated religion has you pointed toward the Romanian Church. While we have similarities, the Ruthenian (Rusyn) Church also has its own unique characteristics. This in and of itself shows that you likely have some exploration to do before your spiritual path is clear to you.
Especially if you are serious about vocation, it is imperative that you are securely comfortable in the tradition in which you will live. I know priests for example that have switched jurisdictions and allegiances (Catholic - Orthodox, and back in some cases), and it does have an impact on the communities they have served and on the faithful with whom they have bonded in the past. So, this is not a decision that should be undertaken lightly IMO, as both the vocation and the tradition should be permanent decisions.
We would offer the same general advice (and the particular Church should require as much) to potential converts or transferees between canonical rites. The decision is a permanent one and should not be undertaken without an appropriate level of knowledge, appreciation and understanding.
That said, I would also point out that you question is a bit “loaded” in that there isn’t really a separate Rusyn monastic tradition per se, but certainly there are monastic orders and communities that are well affiliated with the Ruthenian Church and mutually supportive of the Byzantine tradition.
Our current Archbishop-elect, for example, was ordained a Franciscan. While the Franciscans aren’t readily associated by many with Eastern Catholicism, the Order does have a Friary that is affiliated with the Eparchy of Passaic and follows Byzantine tradition (Holy Dormition in Sybertsville, PA - great place to visit!). All this should be understood by potential candidates, as it will impact both their formation and ultimate ministry.
May God bless you and may the Holy Spirit give you the strength and wisdom to discern your vocation!
That said, I do agree with the comments made here, but would like to offer such in a way that hopefully provides you with appropriately-bounded encouragement to seek a vocation.
Your stated religion has you pointed toward the Romanian Church. While we have similarities, the Ruthenian (Rusyn) Church also has its own unique characteristics. This in and of itself shows that you likely have some exploration to do before your spiritual path is clear to you.
Especially if you are serious about vocation, it is imperative that you are securely comfortable in the tradition in which you will live. I know priests for example that have switched jurisdictions and allegiances (Catholic - Orthodox, and back in some cases), and it does have an impact on the communities they have served and on the faithful with whom they have bonded in the past. So, this is not a decision that should be undertaken lightly IMO, as both the vocation and the tradition should be permanent decisions.
We would offer the same general advice (and the particular Church should require as much) to potential converts or transferees between canonical rites. The decision is a permanent one and should not be undertaken without an appropriate level of knowledge, appreciation and understanding.
That said, I would also point out that you question is a bit “loaded” in that there isn’t really a separate Rusyn monastic tradition per se, but certainly there are monastic orders and communities that are well affiliated with the Ruthenian Church and mutually supportive of the Byzantine tradition.
Our current Archbishop-elect, for example, was ordained a Franciscan. While the Franciscans aren’t readily associated by many with Eastern Catholicism, the Order does have a Friary that is affiliated with the Eparchy of Passaic and follows Byzantine tradition (Holy Dormition in Sybertsville, PA - great place to visit!). All this should be understood by potential candidates, as it will impact both their formation and ultimate ministry.
May God bless you and may the Holy Spirit give you the strength and wisdom to discern your vocation!
S
Splagchnizomai
Guest
Thanks for such a humble and thorough response. Prayers for you, your church’s website, and your church, St Sophia UGCC! :byzsoc:
V
Volodymyr
Guest
You might enjoy the pictures in this article. It is from Russian-language journal but about Ruthyn monasteries. Beautiful pictures of paysages of countryside. At least pictures should be understandable to all!! Ok?
foma.ru/article/index.php?news=5703
foma.ru/article/index.php?news=5703
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ByzCathCantor
Guest
Ah, home! Many thanks, Volodymyr!
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