What draws you to the Eastern Church?

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Anathama_Sit said:
Greetings Babochka,

Another testimony of the Liturgy. I think it is interesting that infant baptism drew your husband to the Eastern Church. I understand they do this in the Latin Rite too. I know there’s differences in between administering the Sacraments to young little ones in both Rites, perhaps when I get bold enough, I may start a thread on here, but am trying to shy away from the issues that spark debates. For now, I am trying to see the similarities between both Traditions and work from there.

If the Liturgy is as beautiful as many in this thread have said it is, I expect I will be in tears for it, because Tridentine Mass is beautiful and mysterious to me. I hope and pray, and am very confident that I will feel very much at home in both Eastern and Western Churches. I have found in my short experiences with those in this forum that you guys have been so open and accomdating to my questions.

When I visit an Eastern Church later this spring, I shall have to write of my expereiences of it in this thread. Thank you so much for answering my question and again providing me with yet another facet of this brightness of the Eastern Churches.

God Bless You,
Anathama Sit
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I’m sorry if I wasn’t clear in my post. The Latin Rite church most definitely does baptize infants, but Confirmation and Holy Communion are given when they are quite a bit older. It was infant Communion that drew my husband to the Byzantine Church, not infant Baptism.
 
Greetings Hesychois and Babochka,

I now see I misread that. My apologies.

God Bless,
Anathama Sit
 
Anathama_Sit said:
I consider myself as a Traditional Catholic, it is sad that many are not open to the beauty and the richness of the Eastern Churches.
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Its really more about what fits one’s spirituality. Many have found great spirituality in the Eastern way of worship. Others in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. As beautiful as we see the Divine Liturgy, not everyone would choose it over either forms of the Roman Rite. Its just the way it is. We’re humans and we have preferences. God has blessed us with the different Liturgies so that even though we are different, we praise and worship Him just the same.
 
Phillip_Rolfes said:
The title “Major Archbishop” is a joke invented by Rome because it refuses to recognize the particular Church as a Patriarchate.
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… and even more so when one considers that it is permissible to call a Major Archbishop Patriarch and / or His Beatitude.

Virtually ever news article I read on His Beatitude Sviatoslav of the UGCC refers to him and his predecessor as Patriarch.

So why not make it " ‘official’ official "?
 
Anathama_Sit said:
Greetings to the Eastern Catholicism Forum,

I just wanted to say that I am starting out to embark upon learning about the Eastern Churches and am excited to do so. I have a wonderful friend who is answering all of my basic questions and any other questions.

I wanted to let you guys know, that I wanted to start reading a bit more in this forum, and I may be asking questions that you guys might seem to know that they are basic and all, but it is going to be done out of sincerity and a desire to learn.

Now the first question I would like to ask is this. If you are a member of the Easter Churches, those in communion with Rome, or even the Orthodox, what draws you to that particular Church? Can you share with me some of the beauty and the things that mean the most to you in your traditions?

NOTE: I wish for this thread to be sharing of experiences and not a debating thread. I am not interested in learning who is right or wrong, or who’s way is better. I want to find out what’s common between the two Traditions and to learn more about my brothers and sisters in the Eastern Church.

God Bless.
Anathama Sit
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I, too, am a lifelong Latin rite Catholic drawn to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Liturgy. I am in the process of learning to respond to the Divine Liturgy, learning the terminology, learning to use the Prayer Book properly, etc.
Why am I drawn to the UGCL? Many reasons: When I participate in the Divine Liturgy I feel like I am truly worshipping God. The prayers of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom are, in my opinion, more beautiful than the prayers of the Latin rite Mass. The faithful participate in the Divine Liturgy with the priest, they give the responses.
The cantor sings the responses without music, like chant. There is an air of profound spirituality accented by the use of incense. The beautifully colored icons, the iconostasis with its golden doors, the constant signing of the cross throughout with simultaneous bowing. And on almost every page of the Divine Liturgy an acknowledgment or prayer or honor to the holy Theotokos, Holy Mother of God. Finally, receiving the Eucharist, the Sacred Species with a golden spoon as the priest pronounces my given name before God. This is indeed profound worship. The faithful in the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church are more friendly than in my Latin Rite church. The Ukrainian priest is much more approachable than my Latin rite priest. Finally, the Ukrainian priest is married and his wife and infant daughter attend the Liturgy every Sunday. These things you cannot find in a Latin rite church.
I am a Latin rite Catholic from birth and will always be a Latin rite Catholic. To solve my dilemma on alternate Sundays I attend UGCL and the other Sundays I attend my Latin rite church.
“Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and always and forever and ever. Amen”
"Bless the Lord, Oh my soul! And all that is in my bless His holy Name!
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory to Him forever!
paglione
 
ByzCathCantor said:
… and even more so when one considers that it is permissible to call a Major Archbishop Patriarch and / or His Beatitude.

Virtually ever news article I read on His Beatitude Sviatoslav of the UGCC refers to him and his predecessor as Patriarch.

So why not make it " ‘official’ official "?
Click to expand...
 
Greetings Symeon,

Thank you so much I am passing these links to my friend. He will be pleased. I told him to join CAF so that he could also interact with you guys, but he says he just happy to get the links from me. [He’s shy I guess.]

God Bless,
Anathama Sit
 
Greetings Paglione,

When I read your post how I hunger for that as well. I know that it is easier to find the Mystery and the sacredness for me in the Tridentine Mass. How much easier it sounds like with the Eastern Divine Liturgy.

I read some more of the Face of God today with my SD. In it, it has excerpts from the Divine Liturgy, and they are so rich. I broached the idea of praying Morning and Evening prayers Daily Office and the less offices LOTH. He okayed it. I am so blessed, I told him I was hungry for more of that richness. The language resonates with me.

Now my big question is this, do they have Divine Liturgy in the vernacular or is it in Greek?
If it’s in Greek I am in big trouble. I’ll stand out like a sore thumb when doing the responses.

God Bless,
Anathama Sit
 
paglione said:
I, too, am a lifelong Latin rite Catholic drawn to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Liturgy. I am in the process of learning to respond to the Divine Liturgy, learning the terminology, learning to use the Prayer Book properly, etc.
Why am I drawn to the UGCL? Many reasons: When I participate in the Divine Liturgy I feel like I am truly worshipping God. The prayers of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom are, in my opinion, more beautiful than the prayers of the Latin rite Mass. The faithful participate in the Divine Liturgy with the priest, they give the responses.
The cantor sings the responses without music, like chant. There is an air of profound spirituality accented by the use of incense. The beautifully colored icons, the iconostasis with its golden doors, the constant signing of the cross throughout with simultaneous bowing. And on almost every page of the Divine Liturgy an acknowledgment or prayer or honor to the holy Theotokos, Holy Mother of God. Finally, receiving the Eucharist, the Sacred Species with a golden spoon as the priest pronounces my given name before God. This is indeed profound worship. The faithful in the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church are more friendly than in my Latin Rite church. The Ukrainian priest is much more approachable than my Latin rite priest. Finally, the Ukrainian priest is married and his wife and infant daughter attend the Liturgy every Sunday. These things you cannot find in a Latin rite church.
I am a Latin rite Catholic from birth and will always be a Latin rite Catholic. To solve my dilemma on alternate Sundays I attend UGCL and the other Sundays I attend my Latin rite church.
“Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and always and forever and ever. Amen”
"Bless the Lord, Oh my soul! And all that is in my bless His holy Name!
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory to Him forever!
paglione
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When I started in the UGCC, I said I’ll go there every first Sunday of the month. I couldn’t resist so I was back there after two weeks. After that I couldn’t resist, and I was there every Sunday 😃
 
Anathama_Sit said:
Greetings Paglione,

When I read your post how I hunger for that as well. I know that it is easier to find the Mystery and the sacredness for me in the Tridentine Mass. How much easier it sounds like with the Eastern Divine Liturgy.

I read some more of the Face of God today with my SD. In it, it has excerpts from the Divine Liturgy, and they are so rich. I broached the idea of praying Morning and Evening prayers Daily Office and the less offices LOTH. He okayed it. I am so blessed, I told him I was hungry for more of that richness. The language resonates with me.

Now my big question is this, do they have Divine Liturgy in the vernacular or is it in Greek?
If it’s in Greek I am in big trouble. I’ll stand out like a sore thumb when doing the responses.

God Bless,
Anathama Sit
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If its in Greek, all you need is Kyrie Eleison and you’re covered for much of the Divine Liturgy 👍

If its Ukrainian, then is Hospodi Pomilui.
 
Anathama_Sit said:
Greetings Andrewstx.

I remember vaguely about where that is. I have passed all this information to my friend. He thanks you.

God Bless,
Anathama Sit

p.s. Where is the Greek Church in San Angelo, Tx? What rite is it?
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I meant to say split of course doh, not spit. Tell your friend he is welcome.

The churches in San Angelo amd Lubbock are Greek Orthodox, GOA. The Greek church in SA is at the corner of Kenwood and Montecito in a residential area. Lubbock’s church is on 88th st on the edge of town.

Assumption in SA was the first Eastern church I was ever at,wayback when I was a sophomore in college.

There are no Eastern Rite Catholic churches for at least 400 miles in any direction, so I had to settle for Orthodox. :(. I was originally Latin Rite Catholic.
 
Greetings ConstantineTG,

So there are not a whole lot of responses like the Novus Ordae Missae of the Latin Rite?

God Bless,
Anathama Sit
 
Greetings Andrewstx,

Thank you so much for your last answer. Now here’s a probably stupid question, the Greek Orthodox, are they a part of the Catholic Church, or part of the Orthodox Church. Once we get into all of the Orthodox Church’s I get really confused.

God Bless,
Anathama Sit

NOTE: Does anyone have a list of all 22 rites that are Members of the Catholic Church. Is there a list with all the Orthodox Churches that are not in Communion with Rome. This would make things so much easier.

God Bless You if you can find this. Wikipedia is not pulling up on this computer and that is why I am asking.
 
As with others the reason Rite is the beauty and reverence, the icons and singing the incense that is always used.

This may sound odd, but I enjoy confession in the Orthodox church. It is more pastoral and less legalistic. I go to confession every time I go to DL and Holy Communion and I love it.

In the Latin rite I dreaded confession and never went unless I had commited a mortal sin.

You do not have to say how many times you have commited a particular sin and you have no fear.

When I was western latin rite, we had a mean Irish priest.
 
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