What an amazing parish!

[ByzCathCantor]

Talk about a derailment!

This started out as a compliment to and recognition of a truly wonderful parish, with which I am acquainted. They have a terrific website, evident of many active ministries, and you would think this is a parish of many hundreds of families if you didn’t know better.

The priest of this parish was very kind to me, a stranger, when I asked for some help a while back regarding Ukrainian wedding hymn (for an upcoming wedding anniversary at our parish, of an elderly Ukrainian couple who were married in the UGCC). I received not only assistance, but abudant kindness.

Those who are unfamiliar with this parish or the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) should check out the parish’s YouTube channel @ St. Elias UGC Church (tyshan). What they have done and do week after week in that little parish is extraordinary. They are a treasure of the UGCC and Eastern Christianity in general.

May God grant the Very Reverend Archpriest Galadza, his family and his blessed parish many happy, healthy and blessed years!

 

[John_of_Patmos]

Talk about a derailment!

This started out as a compliment to and recognition of a truly wonderful parish, with which I am acquainted. They have a terrific website, evident of many active ministries, and you would think this is a parish of many hundreds of families if you didn’t know better.

The priest of this parish was very kind to me, a stranger, when I asked for some help a while back regarding Ukrainian wedding hymn (for an upcoming wedding anniversary at our parish, of an elderly Ukrainian couple who were married in the UGCC). I received not only assistance, but abudant kindness.

Those who are unfamiliar with this parish or the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) should check out the parish’s YouTube channel @ St. Elias UGC Church (tyshan). What they have done and do week after week in that little parish is extraordinary. They are a treasure of the UGCC and Eastern Christianity in general.

May God grant the Very Reverend Archpriest Galadza, his family and his blessed parish many happy, healthy and blessed years!

You know Fr. Galadza? Lucky!

 

[ByzCathCantor]

You know Fr. Galadza? Lucky!

Only via email and snail mail exchange. I hope to visit his parish in the very near future.

 

[anp1215]

I think this thread reflects one of the differences between the West and the East (to the extend that these categories can be used). The Latin Church has a tendency to be very scrupulous and to explicitly state everything! Thus, all the extensive canons, councils, declarations etc… In the East, the idea of specifying the entirety of one’s faith, specifying all of one’s obligations is not present (at least to the same extent). Hence why Orthodox often have problems with explicit declarations of doctrines (even though they may admit to believing something similar). They simply do not see the need to ask such questions. In my own Church, there was not even an understanding of “the 7 sacraments” until the connection with Rome. The very concept of making a list of “the Mysteries” was foreign to our tradition and we had other “Mysteries” than just the 7. I do not think many Eastern Christians would ask the question “do I have to _____ ?” Such a question would be quite foreign to their traditional thinking. It is more typical for a Latin to worry about such things (possibly because disciplines change more in the West).

Furthermore, Orthodox are always sensitive to the decline of asceticism among Latins, since it is considered vital to Christian living in the East (every Christian is required to be an ascetic to some degree). I hope this clears up some stuff, though I may be wrong. I would like to see us all get along. Heyschios was being uncharitable, but I hope you will forgive him. In the little that I’ve interacted with him, he has been a very civil and welcoming poster. I trust this is uncharacteristic of him, and hope he will apologize (though Cecil Corn’s comments do not help the dialogue much either…).

Thanks for sharing these interesting thoughts.

 

[John_of_Patmos]

Only via email and snail mail exchange. I hope to visit his parish in the very near future.

St Elias is, hands down, the most traditional eastern catholic church I have ever seen. EVER.
If I am correct, they might have a Chinese Jesuit there:shrug:
Who is Bishop Fulop? Looks like a great bishop.

 

[rciadan]

Thanks for your thoughts. I honestly was just curious…and don’t have any plans to visit an Eastern Catholic Church in the near future.

I would highly encourage you to do exactly that; visit an Eastern Catholic Church in the near future!
I am Latin Rite; but I have visited many of the other Rites within the church; as many as possible. I think it very important to understand that the Catholic Church encompasses far more than most Catholics ever dream of! The Bzantine Divine Liturgy is just what it says…* Divine*! Heaven on Earth! A mere building* transfigured* into the Holy of Holies in which you can see and feel the angels and saints singing praise to God in all His glory…all you have to do is look around. It is something* every *Catholic should experience at least once, or perhaps ten times, in his/her life. I would especially advise every Latin Catholic to experience Holy Week and Easter in the Bzantine Church, at least once! None will ever consider it wasted time, I assure you!

 

[Hesychios]

Do you have some sort of problem with my Church’s fasting disciplines? Geez, I truly wish that I hadn’t even asked about it. I thought this forum was here to help others to understand Eastern Catholicism, not to be on the receiving end of snide remarks from Orthodox Christians about things that aren’t really of any concern to them.

I see that I have offended you a great deal.

I am sorry to have done so, it was very callous and rude of me, and you were right to call me on it.

There is no excuse, I accept your rebuke.

Sorry again …

 

[anp1215]

I would highly encourage you to do exactly that; visit an Eastern Catholic Church in the near future!
I am Latin Rite; but I have visited many of the other Rites within the church; as many as possible. I think it very important to understand that the Catholic Church encompasses far more than most Catholics ever dream of! The Bzantine Divine Liturgy is just what it says…* Divine*! Heaven on Earth! A mere building* transfigured* into the Holy of Holies in which you can see and feel the angels and saints singing praise to God in all His glory…all you have to do is look around. It is something* every *Catholic should experience at least once, or perhaps ten times, in his/her life. I would especially advise every Latin Catholic to experience Holy Week and Easter in the Bzantine Church, at least once! None will ever consider it wasted time, I assure you!

I know I really do need to visit one and I do think about it sometimes. I really think the main reason I haven’t is that I am really scared of standing out. I have slight social anxiety and I know that the Eastern Catholic Churches are usually pretty small and close knit. I’m sure they would notice me and I would feel very awkward, especially since I wouldn’t know what to do.

I see that I have offended you a great deal.

I am sorry to have done so, it was very callous and rude of me, and you were right to call me on it.

There is no excuse, I accept your rebuke.

Sorry again …

I appreciate and fully accept your apology. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve completely forgotten what you said. Please don’t feel bad. I probably am a little sensitive anyway.

 

[ByzCathCantor]

Who is Bishop Fulop? Looks like a great bishop.

Bishop Fülöp Koscis is the Bishop of the Eparchy of Hajdúdorog (Hungary). While the Hungarian Greek Catholics share more heritage with us Ruthenians, we are and remain close to the UGCC.

Bishop Koscis was in North America for the enthronement of Metropolitan Archbishop Skurla. Among the places he chose to visit before returning home to Hungary, he went to St. Elias!

That speaks volumes about Bishop Fülöp , Fr. Galadza and this blessed parish!

 

[rciadan]

I know I really do need to visit one and I do think about it sometimes. I really think the main reason I haven’t is that I am really scared of standing out. I have slight social anxiety and I know that the Eastern Catholic Churches are usually pretty small and close knit. I’m sure they would notice me and I would feel very awkward, especially since I wouldn’t know what to do.

My experience at all the other Rites I have attended is that they will welcome you graciously. Seeing that you are curious, they will be more than willing to help you and to make you feel as “at home” as possible.