Visiting the local Maronite Church

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Tis_Bearself

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So, there is a Maronite Church near me and I’d kind of like to check it out next Sunday, as it is close by, and I have read a little bit about St. Sharbel (whom the church is named after).

I found this helpful thread from a couple years ago
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Maronite Church visit-what do I need to know? Eastern Catholicism
Hello there I am from South Carolina and I am going to the Upstate of South Carolina over the weekend now I will be near the city of Greer South Carolina actually I will be in it staying at a motel, I know that there is a Maronite Church up there. Could one of y’all tell me what exactly the proper protocol is? Like for instance how do they do the Sign of the Cross? Because I know how to do it the Byzantine way I know how to do it the Latin but I don’t know how to do it the Maronite Way. What is…
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Is there anything else I need to know?

Also, if I go to the Maronite Church on Sunday, does that fulfill my Mass obligation, or do I still have to go to a Latin Mass? I may go to a Latin Mass anyway, as sometimes I go to two Masses or go to the Saturday Vigil and then one on Sunday. I note that this is also in an area where there are many, many RC churches so it is not a matter of not being able to find a Latin Mass.
 
I can’t tell you if you about anything special you might need or want to know… But I do know you can fulfill your Sunday obligation at a Catholic Mass/Divine Liturgy of ANY rite.

(This naturally assumes that the particular Church is in good standing with Rome, etc., etc.)
 
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I just wasn’t sure if one was only supposed to rely on it to fulfill Sunday obligation if one couldn’t easily get to a Mass of one’s own Catholic rite.
 
No need to worry. As far as concerns meeting your obligation, going to a Maronite Church is just like going to a parish in the next diocese. It counts even if you can easily attend Mass at your own parish.
 
Tis_Bearself said:
Is there anything else I need to know?
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Pittsburgh has a Maronite community, they are certainly friendly enough folks. If you go to this church in Greer and get their a little bit earlier, I’m sure they will be glad to give you the 411 on anything you need to know.
 
It absolutely fulfill your obligation.

There is nothing particular you need to know. Depending upon the congregation, parts may be in Arabic and/or French.

The anaphora (parallel to Eucharistic Prayer) will be in Aramaic.
SammyRose said:
My Maronite Catholic Church is called Saint Sharbel’s too.
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I think that’s every second or third Maronite church 🙂 Kind of like Jesuits with Ignatius/Loyola and Bellarmine. Poor Xavier rarely gets a church in 🙂

hawk
 
I am a Latin Rite Catholic, but I visited our Maronite parish a few times. The people were very friendly. The deacon had a very different role in liturgy than I was familiar with in my usual parish. It was very prayerful, reminds me of the times I go to the diocesan TLM.

Unlike my usual suburban parish which has several Masses on the weekend, and most people do not know most of the other people, in the Maronite parish I think they have one liturgy for the weekend, and I think everyone knows each other. They are less casual in clothing than the average parish, and less chatty in church. But social afterwards.

There is a book in the pews you can follow during the liturgy. The liturgy lasts longer than in my Latin Rite OF parish. You are blessed to have this opportunity.
 
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commenter said:
I am a Latin Rite Catholic, but I visited our Maronite parish a few times. The people were very friendly. The deacon had a very different role in liturgy than I was familiar with in my usual parish.
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The deacon is also busy in the byzantine liturgy, possibly moreso than the priest.

After serving the first time at the other parish with a Deacon, our priest quipped that he could stand there “like a potted plant.” 🤣

More seriously, though, in the byzantine, the deacon is all over the place (almost all of the censing, several times leaving through the north door and re-entering the holy place through the south door, positioning before icons, changing his stole partway through, and so forth).

hawk
 
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Tis_Bearself said:
Is there anything else I need to know?
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I read the first response to that post, which is excellent. Except, do the sign of the cross as normal and do not do the metanias mentioned.

It may also be beneficial to go a little early and just introduce yourself to the pastor, deacon or a subdeacon and let them know you are visiting and a latin Catholic, just as a courtesy. If it is a smaller parish the clergy will tend to be familiar with all the parishioners and this will alleviate any confusion over you going up for communion. If not, expect them to want to speak to you after liturgy, just to see who you are.

The other thing is, some Maronite parishes have a large number of native Arabic speakers and so the pastor will do one of the Sunday liturgies with many of the hymns and responses in Arabic, and things like the readings read in English and then Arabic. If that’s the case, Liturgy will take much longer than a normal liturgy which is typically just over an hour.

If you have any specific questions, I’d be happy to help.
 
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A couple of photos from the Shrine.
 
XXI_4 said:
. Except, do the sign of the cross as normal and do not do the metanias mentioned.
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but . . . but . . . she’s a latin, so she probably does it backwards!

🤣

hawk, who couldn’t help himself
 
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