www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News The future of the Byzantine Catholic Church in America

I, a Roman Rite Catholic, have attended a Byzantine Catholic Church with my family for over a year and have begun speaking with my pastor about my discernment into changing rites. This is not a decision I will make any time soon; I have merely open the doors to the discussion. My discernment is constantly plagued by this question: would I join a church that is becoming extinct (at least in the United States)?

Right now, for me the biggest deterrent to becoming Byzantine Catholic is the apparent lack of growth in the Byzantine Church, so much so that I fear it may shut the door on my discernment. However, I have grown to love the Eastern traditions and the liturgy and I believe that my experience with in the Byzantine Church has been instrumental in many positive steps I have taken in my prayer life and path to greater holiness.

I do not want to close the door on my journey into the possibility of becoming a Byzantine Catholic. I would be greatly encouraged to continue my discernment if any of you could share with my your honest observations as to whether you see signs of a reversal of this trend.

Some additional related questions:
(1) How much do you think ordaining married men would help, if at all, with the decline in priests but also lay people remaining practicing Byzantine Catholics.
(2) Do the bishops of the American eparchies have any specific evangelization plans?
(3) I have heard that American Byzantine Catholics are recovering from an identity crisis that was caused partly by (a) Roman Catholics not being as open to Eastern traditions as they are today and (b) the ethnic ghetto mentality. Have these things been the main problems holding back Byzantine growth?
(4) Roman Catholics with a strong fidelity to the Magisterium often say, when referring to the priest "shortage", that "orthodoxy (small 'o') begets vocations". [I strongly believe this and would add that heterodoxy kills vocations.] Would any of you say this has been a problem with the Byzantine Church, not just with respect to men becoming priests but people staying Byzantine in general?

Your insights would be much appreciated.

Marc, I see you are in my old stomping ground at St. Basil's! My wife and I were married there. It is an easy place to fall in love with the Eastern churches.

I and others could try to answer your questions but these are issues that have been discussed and often hotly debated in this forum.

I think your best bet is to continue talking with Fr. Stephen about the questions you have. There are others there, who I'm sure you've met, who can help with your concerns.

Don't forget the mission in Austin. If the church isn't growing fast enough (or at all), help it grow. You are fortunate in that St. Basil's is an Eastern-minded parish that doesn't have some of the Latinization issues some older parishes are struggling with.

I would suggest reading as much as possible. Learn about the people (Ruthenians/Ukrainians/Eastern Slovaks), their struggles and persecutions by both East and West, and how their faith endured to come to be where you are. Learn about the faith, which consists mostly of books on Orthodoxy, but some on Eastern Catholicism. Try to get the whole picture of the Ruthenian Church. Read about the structure and meaning of the liturgy and the music in the liturgy. You will find references to a lot of (mostly) good books on this forum.

I'm assuming that you haven't done that already!

I could give you a lot more advice, but I think that your priest and some of the folks there can help you more because you are known to them and they can address your concerns properly.

I, too, have a heart for the BC church, and I feel the depth of your desire/pain for what enriches you spiritually. As a Roman Catholic, I ask myself the following questions when I really think I ought to be in the Byzantine church.
1) How will this affect my family relationships? Will I alienate someone?
2) How likely is it that I can guarantee being geographically close to a BC church from now on?
3) What about educational opportunities in parochial schools for the children?
4) It is a one-way street into Byzantium. No changing back. But you can still attend BC as an RC. You can still have icons, prayer the Jesus Prayer, etc. as an RC. Which is more practical for you?

I envy you being close to a BC in TX. I am not close to one where I live, which kind of closes the door for me. Perhaps all of these questions don't apply to you. The very real question as to why there isn't effective evangelization in BC churches is one that gives pause to anyone considering changing rites. The BC's don't seem to be on anyone's list of favorite people, in the East or in the West. Sometimes it must be like being an orphan. But I also think the narrow road leads to greater spiritual riches. God Bless you on your journey. Tammy

Yes, and you can attend RC mass as a BC. What�s the difference?

That is definitely the issue. Don�t consider becoming BC if you aren�t going to pick up the cross. I�m not sure how one would explain to Christ, �Gee, I went to a BC church and took everything from it I could and you really called me to that life, but when it came to carrying the hardships with my fellow parshioners it was just too hard. I figured I could take the good from both and ignore the hardships.�

Being Byzantine Catholic is a calling, even (or especially) for those born into it. One is called to really suffer the separation of the churches. If that is where God wants you to be, it is best not to ignore the BC Church in Her entirety. If you�re not, then visit occasionally. If you take, give back. If you go to a place that doesn�t have a BC jurisdiction, try to start a mission. It was done in Tulsa and Wichita by hard working people who love the EC churches. If there isn�t enough evangelizing, then evangelize.

Thank you Cizinec, for again saying it so well.

Michael

You may find it interesting that Metropolitan Basil is visiting East Tennessee in August to celebrate the 5th anniversary of Holy Resurrection Byzantine Catholic Mission. So much for a Church that isn't growing!

Whatever happened to the Nashville mission?

Cizinec is able to see this issue clearly! The effort starts with you on a grass roots level. Nothing will stop your effort once it is started. The biggest obstacles are complacency within the parish.

Here is an idea to start with to knock your efforts off center. Anthony Dragani wrote this article a couple years ago: http://www.east2west.org/discus/messages/43/44.html?1009653901

Pax tecum,

Scott

Cizinec said: "If the church isn't growing fast enough (or at all), help it grow."

Well put Cizinec! It all starts on a grassroots level with you. In the Eastern Catholic churches the culprits of complacency within are obstructing our future. We of course love these folks, but must work around them and the work must begin now!

The true Cyrils & Methodius' of our time just to name a few of my favorites are Father Loya at Annunciation in Homer Glen, Illinois and Anthony Dragani from Pittsburgh who answers question on EWTN.

At Annunciation, it took one man in October 1993 who is now a deacon to start the effort. Look at what they have built from scratch: http://www.byzantinecatholic.com/index.htm

Anthony wrote an article a couple years ago that could help you get things headed in the right direction: http://www.east2west.org/discus/messages/43/44.html?1009653901

Agere sequitur,

Scott

Your answer Mark can be said in one word!
EVANGELIZE and of course begin storming heaven with prayer.
We have weathered a rough time, people left because I am "too" strict" which actually translates I expect "committment", however we have begun to register about 75 to a 100 a week.
After the collections droping about $1000 a week they have now begun to increase about $4000 a week.
Trust in the Lord.
Stephanos I

It has been my experience as a nomad traveling and visiting parishes that those that are growing and robust are due in large part to the pastor.

It is the pastor who has the power to make a parish thrive or make it dry up.

I have visited Byzantine churches in my travels where the pastor invited me down to their coffee hour. Came over and chatted knew the pastor where i usual attend said say hello to.....

In other Byzantine churches at the end of Liturgy he disappeared behind the ICON screen and was not seen. didn't unlock the hall so people could have coffee hour.

If you want the Byzantine church to grow you have to schmooze.

Bishop Fulton Sheen of blessed memory once remarked that many converts were made through the coffee hours after Mass.

We can't neglect the social aspects which often, especially to families, are important. In most dying parishes you will generally see not much attention placed on this aspect at all.

Marc,

Thank you for starting this thread, as these are very important questions. I'll be brutally honest.

"would I join a church that is becoming extinct (at least in the United States)?"

There is no immediate danger of extinction. However, this largely depends on what part of the country you are in. In certain parts of the country we are doing very well, and are showing steady growth. In other parts, sadly, things aren't going well and there are serious problems that need to be faced. I think that it is fair to say that there are serious issues that need to be confronted in the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, in particular.

"How much do you think ordaining married men would help, if at all, with the decline in priests but also lay people remaining practicing Byzantine Catholics?"

I think that it would make a huge difference. No, it will not instantly solve all of our probelms. But it will help in a big way. Over the years I have watched a steady stream of our young men leave our Church and become Orthodox priests, primarily for this reason. Many more will continue to leave, unless this eventually changes. The restoration of the married priesthood would also help to bolster our identity as a true Eastern Church, and would help to restore our sense of dignity and pride.

"Do the bishops of the American eparchies have any specific evangelization plans?"

I am not aware of any. There should be a plan, but I haven't heard anything about one. As soon as I finish my doctoral dissertation, and have a steady teaching position, I do hope to initiate a wider dialogue on this important topic. Something needs to happen!

"I have heard that American Byzantine Catholics are recovering from an identity crisis that was caused partly by (a) Roman Catholics not being as open to Eastern traditions as they are today and (b) the ethnic ghetto mentality. Have these things been the main problems holding back Byzantine growth?"

Probably. It also hurt greatly that some of our past leaders were opposed to our own Eastern traditions, and tried to latinize our Church. This resulted in the loss of many members, who were raised to believe that "Catholic is Catholic" and that there is nothing special or important about our Eastern approach. These persons moved away and joined the nearest and most convenient Catholic Church, which was always Roman Catholic. As we continue to reclaim our Eastern identity, this will become less frequent.

"Roman Catholics with a strong fidelity to the Magisterium often say, when referring to the priest "shortage", that "orthodoxy (small 'o') begets vocations". [I strongly believe this and would add that heterodoxy kills vocations.] Would any of you say this has been a problem with the Byzantine Church, not just with respect to men becoming priests but people staying Byzantine in general?"

We never really had an outbreak of liberal "heterodoxy," as was apparently the case in some of the RC parishes. As a group, we've remained solidly orthodox, with a small "o." But we HAVE demonstrated a lack of faithfulness to the Magisterium, in as much as we neglected repeated orders for us to fully recover our Eastern identity. For us, reclaiming our Eastern identity is essential to our orthodoxy. Once this identity is fully recovered, we will experience more growth.

God Bless,
Anthony

Does anyone know of any BC deacons or wannabe deacons in the Shenandoah Valley/Blue Ridge Mntn. area? I would sure like to talk up the idea of a Mission in this area.