Vocation Questions in relation to the Eastern Catholic Churches

[John_of_Patmos]

So Advent is longer?
I wish we in the west did that…
I a really am starting to like the eastern rites! Is the only difference between the Eastern Catholics and the Orthodox accepting the primacy of the Pope? Do Eastetrn Catholics venerate Orthodox saints?

 

[ConstantineTG]

So Advent is longer?
I wish we in the west did that…
I a really am starting to like the eastern rites! Is the only difference between the Eastern Catholics and the Orthodox accepting the primacy of the Pope? Do Eastetrn Catholics venerate Orthodox saints?

Most Orthodox saints are venerated. Of course there are those who are famous for their anti-Catholic stance. I don’t think you will see Catholic parishes venerating St. Mark of Ephesus or St. Alexis Toth.

 

[John_of_Patmos]

What about John Maximovitch? I really like him… is it sinful for a catholic to have an icon of him?

 

[ConstantineTG]

What about John Maximovitch? I really like him… is it sinful for a catholic to have an icon of him?

I don’t think so. I have an icon of him, a gift from Alexander Roman. I treasure it very much because its of a Saint who has visited my homeland (Philippines), and because it came from Alex.

I asked my priest about it and he didn’t even know about St. John. So it must be a good thing

 

[5Loaves]

Most Orthodox saints are venerated. Of course there are those who are famous for their anti-Catholic stance. I don’t think you will see Catholic parishes venerating St. Mark of Ephesus or St. Alexis Toth.

We have DL on first Saturdays. May 1st Sat. was the feast day for righteous Father Alexis and we sang the Troparion and Kontakion for him. When Eparch Nicholas Samra announced last month that he will be ordaining married men “…hopefully soon we can see the growth of properly formed married clergy. Of course there are also major financial issues to be looked at and we will embark on this also.” I thought about this request for his intercession…

What about John Maximovitch? I really like him… is it sinful for a catholic to have an icon of him?

On the Feast of All Saints of North America our priest preached on St. John the Miracle-worker of Shanghai and San Francisco. He reminded us that we have a saint of North America right up the street and we ought to visit. The relics of St. John are in the glorious [ROCOR cathedral](http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/sfsyezd2004/holyvirg(name removed by moderator)g2.htm) a few blocks from us, a cathedral he was very instrumental in building. We have his holy icon on the wall next to the front door and commemorate him on his feast day. There are two days of celebrations for his feast-day. I think most of our parishioners and some clergy were there at various times during that. If you ever visit San Francisco do plan to venerate his relics in this beautiful Cathedral to the Mother of God.

 

[ConstantineTG]

We have DL on first Saturdays. May 1st Sat. was the feast day for righteous Father Alexis and we sang the Troparion and Kontakion for him. When Eparch Nicholas Samra announced last month that he will be ordaining married men “…hopefully soon we can see the growth of properly formed married clergy. Of course there are also major financial issues to be looked at and we will embark on this also.” I thought about this request for his intercession…

Really? Or is it just because you follow the OCA calendar including the commemorated saints? I know many Catholic take issue with the fact that he brought Catholics into the Orthodox Church and see it as proselytism. I mean I totally understand his case and why he wanted to become Orthodox. But I don’t know why it has to be done for countless other people.

 

[5Loaves]

Really? Or is it just because you follow the OCA calendar including the commemorated saints? I know many Catholic take issue with the fact that he brought Catholics into the Orthodox Church and see it as proselytism. I mean I totally understand his case and why he wanted to become Orthodox. But I don’t know why it has to be done for countless other people.

I kind of laughed when I heard the choir sing the Troparion and Kontakion for him. I think not that many in my parish knew who it was we were commemorating. This is unfortunate. Righteous Father Alexis lived in a very challenging time here in the diaspora. He stood up for our venerable traditions, to protect them and us from what appear to have been grave insults to our priests and Churches by the Latin Church bishop, Bishop Ireland. It appears +Fr Alexis was also abandoned in this time of need by his Eastern Catholic bishop in Europe.

In any case, where will healing begin? Personally, the OCA has been very good to me and their people and clergy have greatly enriched me as an Eastern Catholic. I pray for a united Church.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I kind of laughed when I heard the choir sing the Troparion and Kontakion for him. I think not that many in my parish knew who it was we were commemorating. This is unfortunate. Righteous Father Alexis lived in a very challenging time here in the diaspora. He stood up for our venerable traditions, to protect them and us from what appear to have been grave insults to our priests and Churches by the Latin Church bishop, Bishop Ireland. It appears +Fr Alexis was also abandoned in this time of need by his Eastern Catholic bishop in Europe.

In any case, where will healing begin? Personally, the OCA has been very good to me and their people and clergy have greatly enriched me as an Eastern Catholic. I pray for a united Church.

True. My (maybe not so) humble opinion on the matter is its better if we life through the hardship and persecution while standing up for whats right. I mean, to this day many Eastern Catholics have been unjustly treated by our Latin brethren, but that doesn’t mean we should all jump ship. I always advice people who are considering moving from the Catholic Church to the Orthodox Church is to do that only because that is where they find the truth, and do it out of love, not out of contempt of the Church one is leaving. I’m not going to question if St. Alexis is truly a saint or not, no one is perfect and perfection only comes through communion with God. There might be more to the story than I know, but it is indeed misleading for Catholics to see as a hero of faith one who chose to leave the Church. I know self mortification is not a big thing in the East, but in this case the Latins have gotten it right when they say we should “offer it up to God” our pain and suffering. It would have been appropriate to just suffer through, for it is in suffering we see our weakness, and in our weakness we realize that true strength is in God.

 

[Aramis]

Just curious, but are Eastern Catholic Churches open to secular clergy? Like those with daytime jobs? I’ve read about Orthodox priests being IT guys and such, but haven’t encountered anyone Catholic in such a situation. I know with the growing of the “Permanent Deacon” program in many RC diocese, there will be plenty of deacons who are secular. Just wondering if in the ECs this is an option.

Rev. Fr. James Barrand is a school teacher.
Rev. Fr. Michael Artim was a Pharmacist for many years.

Both while pastor at St. Nicholas.

 

[John_of_Patmos]

So… I love the Russian Catholic Church. How do I become involved with them as a priest (Eastern Rite, not biritual Jesuit)?

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

So… I love the Russian Catholic Church. How do I become involved with them as a priest (Eastern Rite, not biritual Jesuit)?

In the United States? If yes, there are only two Russian Catholic parishes that I am aware of and they are both under the jurisdiction of the local Latin bishop.

 

[John_of_Patmos]

In the United States? If yes, there are only two Russian Catholic parishes that I am aware of and they are both under the jurisdiction of the local Latin bishop.

I am more than willing to go to Russia:thumbsup:

Also, Byzcath: How are you a Carmelite and Byzantine Rite?

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

I am more than willing to go to Russia:thumbsup:

I do not know how many Russian Catholics are of the Byzantine Rite.

Also, Byzcath: How are you a Carmelite and Byzantine Rite?

I am a Byzantine (Ruthenian) Catholic. I felt called to religious life and in my discernment I felt called to the active life. There really is no active religious life in the Byzantine Churches so I went for the Latin Church Order that I felt called to.

There were canonical issues that we had to resolve but things are going well in my formation.

 

[5Loaves]

So… I love the Russian Catholic Church. How do I become involved with them as a priest (Eastern Rite, not biritual Jesuit)?

I like your enthusiasm but I’m not sure how you can love us if you’ve not been to a Russian Greek Catholic Church.

There are four of our parishes in the US: San Francisco, New York, El Segundo, Denver.

Discerning a vocation in any Church is a long process. You should talk with your priest about your interest in the priesthood.

I am more than willing to go to Russia:thumbsup:

The Russian Greek Catholics in Russia are in a very precarious position. Better to be a Latin Catholic in Russia.

 

[5Loaves]

I am a Byzantine (Ruthenian) Catholic. I felt called to religious life and in my discernment I felt called to the active life. There really is no active religious life in the Byzantine Churches so I went for the Latin Church Order that I felt called to.

Off topic… what is “active religious life”? Is that something different from what the monks of Holy Resurrection Monastery are doing?

There were canonical issues that we had to resolve but things are going well in my formation.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Off topic… what is “active religious life”? Is that something different from what the monks of Holy Resurrection Monastery are doing?

Yes it is different. Holy Resurrection Monastery are monastics. They stay within the monastery and the public comes to them.

An active religious Order, such as the Carmelites (we are mendicant friars) live in community (we call our houses priories) but we go out to the public.

In my province we run parishes, retreat centers, and high schools as well as have men working in universities, seminaries, hospital chaplaincies and other ministries.

 

[5Loaves]

Yes it is different. Holy Resurrection Monastery are monastics. They stay within the monastery and the public comes to them.

An active religious Order, such as the Carmelites (we are mendicant friars) live in community (we call our houses priories) but we go out to the public.

In my province we run parishes, retreat centers, and high schools as well as have men working in universities, seminaries, hospital chaplaincies and other ministries.

The HRM monks do go out into the community but they don’t run facilities such as you mention. They mainly go out and spread the good news. So would Dominicans who are for example are professors here be “active”?

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

The HRM monks do go out into the community but they don’t run facilities such as you mention. They mainly go out and spread the good news. So would Dominicans who are for example are professors here be “active”?

Dominicans are mendicant friars as well so yes they are considered an active order.

 

[John_of_Patmos]

I like your enthusiasm but I’m not sure how you can love us if you’ve not been to a Russian Greek Catholic Church.

There are four of our parishes in the US: San Francisco, New York, El Segundo, Denver.

Discerning a vocation in any Church is a long process. You should talk with your priest about your interest in the priesthood.

The Russian Greek Catholics in Russia are in a very precarious position. Better to be a Latin Catholic in Russia.

I love the Russian Language, and my favorite orthodox group are the Russians. I must say that their Patriarch is very active with the Catholic Church (and by that, I mean more active than many Russian Orthodox would like)
If its not viable, I settle for HR Monastery (Romanian), or the UGCC Redemptorists in Canada.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

I love the Russian Language, and my favorite orthodox group are the Russians. I must say that their Patriarch is very active with the Catholic Church (and by that, I mean more active than many Russian Orthodox would like)
If its not viable, I settle for HR Monastery (Romanian), or the UGCC Redemptorists in Canada.

I think you need to work with a spiritual father and nail down your spirituality.

The monks at HR Monastery and the UGCC Redemptorists have a very different charism.