Ukranian Catholic Questions

[Ukrforever]

Hi, I am pretty knowledgable on my rite. However, ive never been able to figure out these two questions: 1. Whats the proper way for a Ukranian Catholic to cross himself?
Is it the same as RC?
2. How do Ukranian Catholics say the rosery? Is it the same as RC?

Please provide explanations below as to how if they are not the same. Thanks

 

[Hesychios]

Hi, I am pretty knowledgable on my rite. However, ive never been able to figure out these two questions: 1. Whats the proper way for a Ukranian Catholic to cross himself?
Is it the same as RC?
2. How do Ukranian Catholics say the rosery? Is it the same as RC?

Please provide explanations below as to how if they are not the same. Thanks

I suppose it is not appropriate any of us to declare what is proper practice, but I can share an opinion.

I believe that Ukrainian Greek Catholics normally follow the tradition of their forebears and cross themselves from right to left. One popular UGCC parish website explains this.

The rosary is primarily a Latin traditional private devotion which some eastern Christians have taken up for themselves. If it is also your practice then you would do it all just the same as has been standard for Latin rite Catholics.

Here is an interesting article from an Orthodox website on the subject of the rosary.

Keep in mind that the rosary is just one of many chaplets, as over the many years people got creative with their prayer rules, and you are free to modify the rosary to suit your needs, start your own tradition if you want, and call it something else. I think the modern rosary took it’s final form under the influence of indulgences granted by the Papacy (IOW, to get the indulgence one must follow the form established). If that is not important to you, you can say it another way.

:twocents:

 

[Ukrforever]

What is the Cenacle of the Mother of God? Is that basically just the rosery. This is something my church does can anyone shed some light on what it is on here?

 

[Ukrforever]

What are some other eastern catholic prayers that people use? Provide links or text

 

[ciero]

What are some other eastern catholic prayers that people use? Provide links or text

A Ukrainian Catholic crosses himself as the Orthodox do…and doesn’t say the rosary…that my dear friend is a Latin custom.

 

[Hesychios]

What are some other eastern catholic prayers that people use? Provide links or text

I would suggest the Prayer of the Heart: the Jesus Prayer.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

You may repeat this as often as you feel capable. If you make a discipline of it, and feel the need to count, a prayer rope is one of the customary ways to do that.
*‘Indeed, our true task is always the same and is always accomplished in the same way: to call upon our Lord Jesus Christ with a burning heart so that His holy name intercedes for us.’ *

St Hesychios the Priest - Watchfulness, 97.

‘The soul’s true peace lies in the gentle name of Jesus and in its emptying itself of impassioned thoughts.’
St Hesychios the Priest *- *Watchfulness, 122.

One could attend Vespers at the parish or local monastery as often as possible, and otherwise also pray Akathists [standing prayers].

Another devotion I would recommend is to read the “Ladder of Divine Ascent” by St John Climacus during Lent.

Best wishes to you …

 

[Diak]

There are also various rules of prayer to the Mother of God such as the “rule of the Mother of God”, the “Rule of Pachomius”, etc.

 

[Halyna]

1. re crossing ourselves: Sorry to say I believe the RC got it wrong. When a priest is at the altar, turns to bless the congregation,he is blessing THEM, so they should have followed with right to left. I think there is an innocent misconception there that the priest was not blessing himself but them, and that’s how they did left to right. At least the Easterns could say that Our Lord promised Paradise to the thief on his RIGHT and as crossing ourselves may we also be promised paradise.
2. Rosary: Here is a real bone of contention for me. OK, I understand that the Rosary is MOSTLY RC (though our Lady did appear in many Eastern Rite sites asking for the Rosary to be prayed for the conversion of Russia=an** immediate** need for Ukrainian Catholics) but the church is universal. In my home parish, the priest ELIMINATED the rosary before mass/Divine Liturgy because he said: It is Roman Catholic! I cannot understand why ANYONE ESPECIALLY A PRIEST would discourage **any **kind of prayer. If he thinks the Rosary is only RC (I would really wonder what our Pope’s opinion would be here) then instead of eliminating it, REPLACE it with what might be more appropriate (like prayers to Our Lady of Perpetual Help).
   Even certain sites I find that discourages certain Marian apparitions and the like, why would anyone at all discourage a prayer or devotion of any kind in relation to Jesus and His Holy Mother. After all, the rosary is not a prayer of a saint what may or may not be recognized by the catholic church (e.g. an orthodox saint as oppose to an eastern rite saint).

We are a UNIVERSAL CHURCH, we have differences but we have the basic thread of devotion to Our Lord, Father/Son/Holy Spirit, and His wife, mother and daughter, Our Lady.

 

[ConstantineTG]

The Rosary is a Latin devotion. While Ukrainian Catholics certainly can pray the Rosary at any time, its not something that we should do as a public practice (ie. praying together in church like the Latins) because its not how our spirituality is practiced. But most certainly we can do so on our own, even in church if we have some private prayer time.