www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Catholics using an Orthodox prayerbook?

Are there any official rules about Catholic faithful using Orthodox prayerbooks? For example, I really like the Jordanville prayerbook. The only thing that is in there that might be controversial is a prayer for the Monks of Athos. When I get to that prayer I just prayer for all Catholic religious or for the union of the Mount Athos monks to the See of Rome.

Are there any Canons dealing with this in Canon Law? Any prohibitions against it?

It seems to me that what St. Pope Pius X told Blessed Leonid Feodorov's community would apply, no?: "Nec Plus, Nec Minus, Nec Aliter".

Just wanted to know if there were any official rulings on this. The Jordanville book is the best I have found, but if it is prohibited to use it, I will stop.

I am a Catholic of the Roman Rite, and there are times when I use the Jordanville prayer book with the knowlege and approval of my local parish priest. He is quite in favour of us using good sound Orthodox prayer books. Hopefully this will help to ease your mind. I also use a Ukrainian Byzantine Catholic prayer book!

Khrystos Vosskrese!

John Doucette

Christ is Risen!! Indeed He is Risen!!

What is controversial about praying for the monks of Mt. Athos? There are men of genuine holiness living there and living out the spiritual heritage they have received. What can be controversial is to view the eventual re-estalbishment of communion as being "union . . . to the See of Rome."

There are some threads on the forum, specifically one with entries that link to Fr. Robert Taft, a Catholic priest of the Byzantine tradition who argues that the best we can hope for is communion--something very different from "union witht he See of Rome."

I, too, am a Latin Catholic who has used an Orthodox prayerbook for 40 years this month. It has enriched my spiritual life in ways I cannot describe. It is something that has been one of the biggest blessings of my life. It speaks to me deep in here where I live. I hope that in 40 years you can say the same thing.

In Christ,

Bob

I think in this case canon law deals with rite, which controls what one does liturgically, in church.

Home prayer life is much freer.

As there's nothing heretical according to Rome about Orthodox liturgical and devotional prayer (which is why St Pius X said what he did), no problem!

Jordanville is probably the most popular Russian prayer book in English.

I like the canons: to the Mother of God and to one's guardian angel, the one before Communion and the one of repentance I read during Lent.

I actually found a version of the Jordanville online on an Orthodox website and I am currently formating it for my e-book reader. I will post it online when I am done!

I used the single-volume version of the Liturgy of the Hours about eleven years.

In 1994 I began to use the four volume For All the Saints [alpb.org] which contains the full texts of the Daily Lectionary (Old Testament, Epistle, and Gospel) as used by the Episcopal Church and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (1978 Lutheran Book of Worship).

There is a fourth reading, often drawn from the Patristics, which relates to one or more of the Biblical texts.

There are also opening and closing prayers for each day, again, frequently drawing on themes found in the Biblical texts. Also the full texts of Matins, Vespers, and Compline, and the full Psalter including Psalm Prayers.

There is nothing wrong with using an Orthodox prayer book, I do myself, however with others outside the Orthodox/Catholic faith you then run the risk of being infected by heresy.
Stephanos I

Father Stephanos:

Christ is Risen!! Indeed He is Risen!!

How so? Each of my spiritual fathers has blessed me to use an Orthodox prayerbook for the past 40 years. When I wanted to begin a disciplined prayer life in a way that other members of the Church were doing, I was told that the breviary was "out" and that no one was publishing prayerbooks anymore. So in that vacuum, there I was.

On the other hand, the depth found in the Orthodox prayerbook has carried me through plenty of tough spots and provided a platform for study of many areas of Church history, doctrine, and liturgy.

Asking for your blessing,

BOb

Bob, I think you misinterpreted Fr. Stephanos. I believe he intended the meaning to be that if you use PRAYERBOOKS outside the Orthodox/Catholic faith you then run the risk of heresy.

Not only do we use Orthodox prayer books, but we also use Orthodox catechetical materials. In my own catechesis, I was instructed in the Holy Mysteries using an excellent book published by the GOA, and another set of books on the festal cycle by the OCA. We should use whatever materials are best, regardless of origin. Truth is no respecter of confessional boundaries, nor is pedagogical competence a monopoly of the Catholic communion.

What specific heresies are present in Orthodox prayer books?

Alleuia! Christ is Risen!

Perhaps I am somewhat responsible for the direction this discussion has taken through my posting of the link to the "For All the Saints" books. My only purpose was to present another resource for those wishing to deepen their devotional life and walk more closely with our Risen Lord; certainly not to increase the disunity of His body.

I beg your forgiveness for such poor judgement.

Yes, I noticed this too and messaged Bob about it yesterday hoping he would see my message before the thread veered off track, but alas--that seems to have already happened!

My apologies to Father Stephen who was misread and also to Father Thomas who sought our forgiveness for creating disunity.

Christ is Risen!!!
Alice

To all my brethren here:

Christ is Risen!! Indeed He is Risen!!

Forgive me if I have misread Father Stephanos' post. With the sentence linked as it was I thought his message was that one must critique Orthodox prayerbooks for heresy and that was the reason for my post.

I think it would have been more clear if he had separated his thought.

So to one and all, please forgive me for the stirring up I've caused.

I'd like to note that there are perfectly good prayerbooks in the Western tradition, coming from Anglican and Lutheran sources that may also present no theological problems. I'd like to say we ought to be careful of painting with a broad brush until we've seen what the Holy Spirit has done in moving the hearts of others to pray.

Bob

Bob makes an excellent point in his last paragraph.

I might also add that the advice and blessing of one's spiritual father or mother is also to be heeded.