Should Eastern Catholics incorporate western devotions like Divine Mercy?

[CatholicZ09]

This is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says in regards to private revelation:

66 “The Christian economy, therefore, since it is the new and definitive Covenant, will never pass away; and no new public revelation is to be expected before the glorious manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Yet even if Revelation is already complete, it has not been made completely explicit; it remains for Christian faith gradually to grasp its full significance over the course of the centuries.

67 Throughout the ages, there have been so-called “private” revelations, some of which have been recognized by the authority of the Church. They do not belong, however, to the deposit of faith. It is not their role to improve or complete Christ’s definitive Revelation, but to help live more fully by it in a certain period of history. Guided by the Magisterium of the Church, the sensus fidelium knows how to discern and welcome in these revelations whatever constitutes an authentic call of Christ or his saints to the Church.

Christian faith cannot accept “revelations” that claim to surpass or correct the Revelation of which Christ is the fulfillment, as is the case in certain non-Christian religions and also in certain recent sects which base themselves on such “revelations.”

 

[Angel_Gabriel]

For those Roman Catholics who are saying the Eastern Catholics (and/or Orthodox for that matter) are missing out by not having any specific (be it public or private) devotion to the Divine Mercy, I would challenge you to look deeply into Eastern spirituality. A central aspect of Eastern spirituality - particularly in the Byzantine tradition - is devotion to the “Jesus Prayer:” Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me (a sinner). With such a prayer there really is no need for a devotion like the Divine Mercy Chaplet. In fact I would venture to say that growing up praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet predisposed me as a Roman Catholic to embrace the Jesus Prayer later on in life.

not to mention all the Fasts that the East has…plenty of opportunity to grow in spirituality then as well.

Honestly though, re-reading this thread I have to wonder, how would Roman Catholics like it if we came over and said “look how much you are missing out b/c you don’t have these 4 Fasts as well as the Weds and Fri fasts, or the Jesus Prayer, or XYZ…”.

The East is very spiritual and so is the West, each in their own way.

 

[theistgal]

In fact, I remember when Divine Mercy Sunday was first officially added back in 2000 (I was 15 at the time).

Yes, and I also note with amusement that some version of this exact same thread has been posted at CAF every year around this time, asking whether the ECs observe Divine Mercy Sunday and if not, why not?

(Great post by the way!* )

(*yours, not mine!! )

 

[aemcpa]

not to mention all the Fasts that the East has…plenty of opportunity to grow in spirituality then as well.

Honestly though, re-reading this thread I have to wonder, how would Roman Catholics like it if we came over and said “look how much you are missing out b/c you don’t have these 4 Fasts as well as the Weds and Fri fasts, or the Jesus Prayer, or XYZ…”.

The East is very spiritual and so is the West, each in their own way.

At least with regard to fasting, you would be entirely justified and correct. The Western abandonment of fasting is scandalous.

 

[aemcpa]

All of this being said, I do remember Fr. Thomas Loya giving a wonderful talk on the similarities between the two feasts of Divine Mercy and Thomas Sunday. I believe at least a part of the talk is available for free on oltv.tv.

As was noted above, “Divine Mercy” is not a feast per se. The West has never wavered from the use of the Thomas Gospel.

 

[twf]

No, I’m sorry, but I think the misunderstanding is on the Western side.

Again, while any individual may certainly practice the Divine Mercy devotion on their own (or any other devotion), the spirituality of the Eastern Church just does not normally include practices such as this. It is very much a part of the Western Church.

You misunderstood me. My point was that this discussion is somewhat unnecessary as even in the West the Divine Mercy devotion is just that…a Church sanctioned devotion…strictly paraliturgical. The liturgy proper to the Second Sunday of Easter focusses on the resurrection and the appearance of the risen Christ to the apostles and to Thomas. Of course, the Lord’s infinite mercy has always been an important part of the Easter Octave - but as far as I know, Blessed John Paul didn’t touch the propers of the day when he declared this Sunday to also be known as the feast of divine mercy. So whether you follow the liturgical traditions of the West or of the East or of the Orient, you will only participate in the Divine Mercy devotions if you choose to do so outside of the liturgy.

That being said, many Latin parishes will display the Divine Mercy icon in a special way during masses on this day - but that is strictly optional.

 

[SVP]

The ones who did not Eastern Orthodox or Roman Catholic missed out on an ocean of graces that’s for sure; they might consider today what they traded this incredibly great feast in return for, some smug self assurance that they don’t need this feast of mercy or ethnic, and liturgical traditions are somehow preferrable to the outpouring of God’s Mercy?
Can’t comprehend this at all.

I don’t even know where to start with this diatribe. “some smug self assurance that they don’t need this feast of mercy”. The mis-comprehension is mutual. That was quite a ‘hit’ at Eastern Catholics on the Eastern Catholic subforum (including labeling as Eastern Orthodox) to say that they have somehow missed out on a “ocean of graces”. Is that meant to suggest that unless everyone believe the Divine Mercy revelations they are condemned because of your insistence that it must be believed?

 

[SyroMalankara]

Brumano, where’s that apology for dismissing our various Eastern Traditions and Churches while unjustly elevating your preferred Latin Tradition over and above each of our Churches and their Sacred Traditions in violation of all the Sacred Councils teachings, as well as the teachings of the Holy Fathers throughout the ages?

In essence, you’ve dismantled the catholicity of the Church with your uncatholic position.

 

[Vico]

You misunderstood me. My point was that this discussion is somewhat unnecessary as even in the West the Divine Mercy devotion is just that…a Church sanctioned devotion…strictly paraliturgical. The liturgy proper to the Second Sunday of Easter focusses on the resurrection and the appearance of the risen Christ to the apostles and to Thomas. Of course, the Lord’s infinite mercy has always been an important part of the Easter Octave - but as far as I know, Blessed John Paul didn’t touch the propers of the day when he declared this Sunday to also be known as the feast of divine mercy. So whether you follow the liturgical traditions of the West or of the East or of the Orient, you will only participate in the Divine Mercy devotions if you choose to do so outside of the liturgy.

That being said, many Latin parishes will display the Divine Mercy icon in a special way during masses on this day - but that is strictly optional.

The wording from H.H. Blessed John Paul II (30 April 2000), is:4. It is important then that we accept the whole message that comes to us from the word of God on this Second Sunday of Easter, which from now on throughout the Church *will be called “Divine Mercy Sunday”. *
vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/homilies/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_20000430_faustina_en.html

 

[SyroMalankara]

So it seems to me, Blessed JP2 was acting as Head and father of the Latin Church.

Why should Easterners abandon what their heads and fathers handed to them?

 

[aemcpa]

So it seems to me, Blessed JP2 was acting as Head and father of the Latin Church.

Why should Easterners abandon what their heads and fathers handed to them?

You guys have a serious inferiority complex.

The Pope was certainly acting as the head of the universal Church - indulgences are not restricted only to the Latin Church. And nobody has asked anybody to abandon anything, but you might want to accept something that the Church has promulgated within the last 1,000 years once in a while - it might be good for you.

 

[wynd]

I don’t even know where to start with this diatribe. “some smug self assurance that they don’t need this feast of mercy”. The mis-comprehension is mutual. That was quite a ‘hit’ at Eastern Catholics on the Eastern Catholic subforum (including labeling as Eastern Orthodox) to say that they have somehow missed out on a “ocean of graces”. Is that meant to suggest that unless everyone believe the Divine Mercy revelations they are condemned because of your insistence that it must be believed?

What I find amusing about this whole conversation is that one of the key prayers of the Divine Mercy chaplet is “Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world,” said 3 times. Hmm, where have I heard that before…

 

[dzheremi]

Wow…some of these posts, I dunno…a few bad Latins spoil the whole bunch?

 

[MorEphrem]

You guys have a serious inferiority complex.

The Pope was certainly acting as the head of the universal Church - indulgences are not restricted only to the Latin Church. And nobody has asked anybody to abandon anything, but you might want to accept something that the Church has promulgated within the last 1,000 years once in a while - it might be good for you.

Way to make sweeping comments, and equating [false] age with somehow decrepitness. And you wonder why the Eastern Churches feel the Latin Church thinks itself superior when its faithful say things like that.

I feel when reading many of these posts from Latins, although perhaps not with malicious intent, are made from the perspective that our theologies and liturgies are as deprived from the concept of Divine Mercy as the NO liturgy. I encourage you to do something as simple as attend one eastern divine liturgy of choice and count how many times you hear “Lord, have mercy” or perhaps read something by Mor Ephrem. Divine Mercy is good in the fact it responded to a Western theological need; it is orthodox and good in the Latin Church. That being said, it is redundant and superficially imposed in the East. It is not an inherent “inferiority complex,” as aemcpa put it, but its seen as an unnecessary intrusion. It’s like if you’re preparing something you’ve done many times and you have a friend over your shoulder giving you instructions how to do it; while they perhaps are correct and have no malicious intent, one must also be sensitive to their brother’s sensibilities and know communion does not equate to a pretext to act “holier than thou.” All the churches have equal dignity and one does not have any right to say the others are deficient for lacking one of their own rituals.

 

[Lester_S]

What I find amusing about this whole conversation is that one of the key prayers of the Divine Mercy chaplet is “Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world,” said 3 times. Hmm, where have I heard that before…

The Divine Liturgy, The Hours, Vespers, Matins, etc.

 

[Lester_S]

You guys have a serious inferiority complex.

The Pope was certainly acting as the head of the universal Church - indulgences are not restricted only to the Latin Church. And nobody has asked anybody to abandon anything, but you might want to accept something that the Church has promulgated within the last 1,000 years once in a while - it might be good for you.

I’m looking at my parish calendar, given by the eparchy, Thomas Sunday. I don’t mind BJPII designation of Divine Mercy Sunday. But, I can see, based on what’s written on my calendar, I don’t think he was making an official stance, throughout.

 

[Lester_S]

At least with regard to fasting, you would be entirely justified and correct. The Western abandonment of fasting is scandalous.

It’s never too late to adopt the fasting norms, gradually

 

[SVP]

What I find amusing about this whole conversation is that one of the key prayers of the Divine Mercy chaplet is “Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world,” said 3 times. Hmm, where have I heard that before…

It wasn’t the content of the prayer, but the way in which Brumano put the context of missing out on grace because the Eastern Church didn’t follow the Latin practice on the Eastern Catholicism subforum.

Yes, the trisagion prayers are common to both East and West, though few in the West hear it said by only attending Mass where in the East it is in almost every liturgical service.

 

[vames]

What I find amusing about this whole conversation is that one of the key prayers of the Divine Mercy chaplet is “Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world,” said 3 times. Hmm, where have I heard that before…

Exactly!!
As a Roman Catholic who didn’t grow up with the Divine Mercy devotion (because it is very recent), when I found out about the chaplet I simply thought it was an Orthodox import - and I was glad And I know so well that the very emphasis on mercy is an Orthodox thing, which can only enrich the Roman Catholic spirituality,** like all things Orthodox**!

 

[vames]

I encourage you to do something as simple as attend one eastern divine liturgy of choice and count how many times you hear “Lord, have mercy” or perhaps read something by Mor Ephrem. Divine Mercy is good in the fact it responded to a Western theological need; it is orthodox and good in the Latin Church.

This