Fr. Alexander Schmemann (+memory eternal!) suggested that one may include the Pre-Communion prayers spread out in a week in one's daily prayers as a way to "always be ready."
What a wonderful idea! As one who struggles to pray the pre-communion prayers this could help me.
I used to work for a Carpatho-Rusyn Orthodox fellow . . .
he had been to confession that morning but that his confessor refused to absolve him. He had told him that the sin he was confessing was something he had confessed a few weeks before and still no improvement?
As he got up to leave, the priest asked him, "And did you read the Canon of St Andrew before you came here today?"
Christ is in our midst!!
This sounds a bit harsh, don't you think?
Isn't the priest supposed to forget the substance of a confession once it's over? Seems that bringing up the man's previous confession violates that. Or is this RC practice? I've been told that a RC priest prays for the grace of forgetfulness so that he does not break the confidentiality of confession by accidentally saying or doing something that would cause the person who had confessed embarrassment of any kind.
Fr. Alexander Schmemann (+memory eternal!) suggested that one may include the Pre-Communion prayers spread out in a week in one's daily prayers as a way to "always be ready."
What a wonderful idea! As one who struggles to pray the pre-communion prayers this could help me.
It has helped me - doing the pre-Communion office can be very difficult the night before - next to impossible, I would say.
Ukrainian Catholics see themselves as being "Orthodox" in their rites etc.
But I've met Ukrainian Orthodox who attend UGCC parishes in Canada who tell me they miss the "spirit of piety" that they have always found in their Orthodox parishes and which isn't nearly the same in the UGCC parishes.
They must have went to our parishes that are still sans Iconostasis and with organ music...
In the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, an EC simply goes to confession (if he or she wishes to join that Church) and recites the Creed without the Filioque.
I also found this not only painful to watch, but this is also reprehensible and goes against the spirit of every single Catholic-Orthodox ecumenical commission to date.
The question put to that misguided former Jesuit priest that Christ is the Head of the Church and not the pope - that is a complete misrepresentation of the Catholic teaching, as if Catholicism denies Christ is the actual Head of the Church!
It also shows what that church thinks of Catholics, RC and EC, and why we should stay as far away from it as possible. It would just be spiritually unhealthy to be in a place where one is regarded as a heretic.
It also begs the question as to why Rome still wishes to continue "ecumenical relations" with such Orthodox churches.
Rome is seriously deluded if it thinks ... what, that such Orthodox will one day come into union with it?
This would happen only if Rome ceases to be . . . Rome. Also, when that priest recited out the names of the patriarchates, he refused to name the Patriarchate of Contantinople.
Such sectors of Orthodoxy would do well not to misrepresent Catholic teaching for starters . . .
Alex
Last edited by Orthodox Catholic; 10/12/1503:44 PM.
In the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, an EC simply goes to confession (if he or she wishes to join that Church) and recites the Creed without the Filioque.
I also found this not only painful to watch, but this is also reprehensible and goes against the spirit of every single Catholic-Orthodox ecumenical commission to date.
The question put to that misguided former Jesuit priest that Christ is the Head of the Church and not the pope - that is a complete misrepresentation of the Catholic teaching, as if Catholicism denies Christ is the actual Head of the Church!
It also shows what that church thinks of Catholics, RC and EC, and why we should stay as far away from it as possible. It would just be spiritually unhealthy to be in a place where one is regarded as a heretic.
It also begs the question as to why Rome still wishes to continue "ecumenical relations" with such Orthodox churches.
Rome is seriously deluded if it thinks ... what, that such Orthodox will one day come into union with it?
This would happen only if Rome ceases to be . . . Rome. Also, when that priest recited out the names of the patriarchates, he refused to name the Patriarchate of Contantinople.
Such sectors of Orthodoxy would do well not to misrepresent Catholic teaching for starters . . .
Alex
Agreed. I just had to seal my membership in the church, via chrismation on the head, not anywhere else. This is standard OCA practice.
In the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, an EC simply goes to confession (if he or she wishes to join that Church) and recites the Creed without the Filioque.
I also found this not only painful to watch, but this is also reprehensible and goes against the spirit of every single Catholic-Orthodox ecumenical commission to date.
The question put to that misguided former Jesuit priest that Christ is the Head of the Church and not the pope - that is a complete misrepresentation of the Catholic teaching, as if Catholicism denies Christ is the actual Head of the Church!
It also shows what that church thinks of Catholics, RC and EC, and why we should stay as far away from it as possible. It would just be spiritually unhealthy to be in a place where one is regarded as a heretic.
It also begs the question as to why Rome still wishes to continue "ecumenical relations" with such Orthodox churches.
Rome is seriously deluded if it thinks ... what, that such Orthodox will one day come into union with it?
This would happen only if Rome ceases to be . . . Rome. Also, when that priest recited out the names of the patriarchates, he refused to name the Patriarchate of Contantinople.
Such sectors of Orthodoxy would do well not to misrepresent Catholic teaching for starters . . .
Alex
Agreed. I just had to seal my membership in the church, via chrismation on the head, not anywhere else. This is standard OCA practice.
Such is the same practice in the ACROD under the Ecumenical Throne's omophorion.
The Russian Orthodox Church is forcing a decision within Orthodoxy which we do not want to confront. It has chosen a path that will no doubt lead many non Russian faithful in the west to question remaining in communion with said body. http://www.firstthings.com/article/2015/11/a-church-of-empire
Such is the same practice in the ACROD under the Ecumenical Throne's omophorion.
The Russian Orthodox Church is forcing a decision within Orthodoxy which we do not want to confront. It has chosen a path that will no doubt lead many non Russian faithful in the west to question remaining in communion with said body. http://www.firstthings.com/article/2015/11/a-church-of-empire
A most enlightening and insightful article. Thank you.
In particular, I am disturbed by the false representation of Catholic teaching that "instead of our Lord Jesus Christ, [the Roman] pope is head of the Universal Church" and that "the authoirty [sic] of Rome's pope is above Ecumenical Councils" (the original language of course uses the otherwise unobjectionable term "Papa Rimsky" to descripe the Roman Pontiff). I would challenge anyone to search Denzinger's Enchiridion Symbolorum or another credible source for support for these claims.
Also, I am disturbed by the phraseology "that Apostle Peter of Rome is above Apostles of Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, Russia" with no mention of Constantinople. Is it the intention that Russia should supplant Constantinople? This points to an internal Orthodox division which does not bode well for next year's supposed "Holy and Great Council." (True, Rome was quite rightly slow to accept Constantinople on a par with Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem, but Russia is clearly a newcomer to this group.)
Furthermore, it is well worth pointing out that St. Peter is also the Apostle of Antioch and St. Mark (a disciple of St. Peter) is the Apostle of Alexandria. So, how can St. Peter be greater than himself, and how can he not be greater than his own disciple?
The video shows clearly that it is hard to do any real ecumenism with the Russian Orthodox Church at the present time, given the unfortunate Muscovite tendency to historical and doctrinal distortions.
I think there are indeed some strawman assertions in there. However, I don't know if it's really a stretch to say that the Pope is above ecumenical councils. According to Vatican I, "[ex cathedra] definitions by the same pontiff are by their very nature, and not because of the consent of the Church, irreformable." Historically Rome inserted and dogmatized the filioque without any authorization of an ecumenical council.
The Russians surely love melodrama. Here is the text of the reception of converts used by those of us Orthodox under the omophorion of the Ecumenical Throne. A bit more 'civil' to say the least.
The relevant part is here:Standard introductory prayers are offered and then:
Candidate's Affirmation of Orthodox Faith
Turning toward the Candidate the Priest asks: Do you wish to unite yourself to the Orthodox Church?
The Candidate: Yes, Father, I do, with all my heart.
The Priest: Do you renounce previously held erroneous beliefs and all heretical dogmas and teachings, both ancient and modern?
The Candidate: Yes, Father, I renounce all false doctrines and erroneous teachings. Today, by the grace of God and of my own free will, having received proper instruction, I wish to be accepted into the Orthodox Church by the seal of the Gift of the Holy Spirit. The Priest: Do you accept the dogmas, teachings, liturgy, canons, discipline, and moral principles of the Orthodox Church? The Candidate: Yes, Father, I do. I worship the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and I confess, agree with, and accept the Ecumenical Synods and their dogmas and decrees, the holy canons, and all the teachings and traditions of the Orthodox Church.
The Priest: Do you promise, by God’s grace, to remain firm in the Orthodox Faith, and to live your life in accordance with the teachings of the Orthodox Church?
The Candidate: Yes, Father. By God’s grace, I do so solemnly promise.
Symbol of the Faith The Priest: Confess, now, the Sacred Symbol of our Faith? (the creed is recited.)
It would seem to my un-seminary educated eyes and mind, that this service is not significantly different than that utilized in reverse when a baptized, professed Christian is received into the Catholic faith. Granted, the Orthodox will christmate a convert, but that is based not as on offense to those 'confirmed' as Catholic, but rather on account of a different sacramental theology between east and west on the meaning of chrismation.
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