www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Suggestions?

I have a good friend who is soon to be ordained a transitional deacon in Puerto Rico, he has expressed an interest in Eastern Christianity and would like to learn more. Any suggestions for information to give to him? I know about Raya, Way of the Pilgrim, Archbishop Kallistos Ware's book...anything else anyone can suggest? Thought I'd give him my copy of Byzantine Daily Worship too. Thanks. Don

Christ is Risen!
Truly He is Risen!

Dear Don,

May I suggest a one volume "Writings from the Philokalia on Prayer of the Heart" (translated by E. Kadloubovsky and G.E.H. Palmer? In addition to the woks you mentioned, it is an excellent way to read, in easily digestible bits, the way the Fathers felt about prayer, and sums up the Eastern viewpoint quite nicely in so doing...

Also, I would suggest a copy of the Divine Liturgy, possibly even Fr.Constantine Nasr's book "Journey Through the Divine Liturgy,the Bible in The Liturgy", which provides phrase by phrase breakdowns of the verses from Scripture that the Liturgy represents. A similar book is "The Divine Liturgy According to St. John Chrysostom" by Theodore Bobosh. (This tends toward the OCA/Slavic Rubrics, and uses the Beatitudes, where the Nasr book does not). It also provides brief commentary on the prayers and movements of the Liturgy. Of the two, I do prefer Nasr, but that is my personal preference.

Gaudior, in hopes that helps

Just as a thought, you might want to toss in a CD recorded copy of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. There are many versions available... I have the Old Slavonic version as offered by the Byzantine Seminary Press in Pittsburgh...

http://www.byzantines.net/byzantinepress/

...and find it to be a truly inspirational work - very appropriate background for reading and reflecting on some of the texts mentioned.

a pilgrim

As a gift for the ordination to the diaconate, give him a nice Byzantine thurible (bells and all), a box of charcoal, and a kilo of good Greek incense - and tell him he's supposed to use it! Then send him a telegram on the day itself, reading "how beautiful are the feet"!
Christ is Risen!
Incognitus

Christ is Risen!
Indeed, He is Risen!

May I also suggest a book written by Frederica Mathewes-Green entitled "Facing East: A Pilgrim's Journey into the Mysteries of Orthodoxy"?

The book does not go into theological depth but in my humble opinion, I felt that it describes well the spritual beauty of the Eastern Church and Tradition. I have yet to hear any complaints regarding it.

Take care,

Michael (a sinner)

Christ is Risen!

Dear Don, with your friend's deep spirituality I would also recommend Olivier Clement's book "The Roots of Christian Mysticism". It is a very balanced book and Clement takes the best of both Western and Eastern Christian spirituality.

Also "Year of Grace of Our Lord" by Lev Gillet (Monk of the Eastern Church) is a wonderful discourse on the Byzantine liturgical year, and since it looks at the liturgical year it is also a good introduction into the Byzantine spiritual and liturgical ethos.

Christos Voskrese!

Dear Father Don:

I would say it would be a nice gesture to send your friend who is moving towards priesthood in the Latin Church some Eastern literature or icons, however I would also encourage him in his own ritual tradition which is the Roman Rite. Buy him a traveling Mass kit or a stole or a Roman Missal.

Since he is moving toward priesthood in the Latin Church: focus on helping him pastorally in his own ritual community first. We have been accused too often of having a "convert syndrome" with people of the Latin Church, not to mention a complex of superiority. We must work to overcome such a mentality. Just send him something Latin, wish him well, and give him your witness as a Byzantine Christian by sending him support in his journey toward the Sacredotal Priesthood in the Latin Church.

I hope you understand my point.

In Christ,


Robert Horvath

Father, bless!

There's a little book that I'd love to see everybody have, but for a man on the road to orders, I think it would be especially lovely. It's a very small volume called "The Way of Repentance" by Irma Zaleski. I think it's put out by Madonna House publications, but don't quote me - it's at home, and I'm not. The theme derives from Orthodoxy, but it's not liturgical or pedagogical - I don't think an Anglican, a Methodist or an RC would have any problem with it.

It is clear to me that the deacon, priest or bishop who *succeeds* is the one who establishes, nourishes, guards and draws life from a reqular life of prayer. The "book larnin'" and theology is needful, but it's dry stuff without the Holy Spirit.

Oh - I'd also drop ten bucks in the mail to Holy Resurrection Monastery (or your favorite supercharged prayer machine) and sign your friend up for their prayers. They've got tremendous bandwidth......

Best,

Sharon

Good morning, Robert!

I believe your advice to Don is sound and well thought out. Clearly you have the best interests of Don's friend and his impending spiritual journey in mind.

Don's case, I think, is a little unique, though. His friend has specifically expressed an interest in Eastern Christianity and a desire to learn more. Who better to ask for this information than an Eastern Christian like Don? In this case, I believe that Don would be doing his friend a disservice by ignoring the opportunity to enrich his friend's spirituality with Eastern-oriented information and/or gift.

You may be right with regard to your comment about the "convert syndrome" that may exist among many folks of the East. I think, however, that when an individual specifically asks to be educated on matters of Eastern Christianity, we are obligated to spread the word! One needs look no further than the census numbers and trends posted on a different thread here at the forum to understand the importance of taking advantage of any opportunity to evangelize - especially in cases where we are approached first!

We've seen countless instances on this board where folks have lamented the fact that this or that Latin priest hasn't got a clue with regard to matters relating to the Eastern Church - if, in fact, Don's friend is truly on a journey toward the Latin priesthood (may God bless his journey!), how nice to know that, thanks to Don's input and his own sense of inquiry, he can carry with him some degree of understanding of the beauty, richness and tradition of the Christian East!

Voistinu voskrese!

a pilgrim

I can sympathise with Don here.

I's not easy thinking of an Ordination present at any time.

My former pupil, Gerald , will, God Willing , be ordained to the transitional Diaconate in Rome in 2005 - and if God wills it , to the Priesthood in 2006.

His family are already thinking about this - and so am I.
I have had lots of thoughts - books vestments etc - at one time I was even thinking about maybe being able to give him a Ciborium [ his parents will be giving him Ordination Chalice and Paten ] but sadly this is totally our of my reach financially.

I then started to think about Icons - [ well his special area of study is patristics and maybe this will lead him to investigate Eastern Spirituality rather more deeply ]

If all goes well - and I have had to discuss this with Gerald - I will be giving him an Icon of the Theotokos for his Diaconate Gift - which I know will be written with many prayers for him.

The following year it is my intention that he should receive an Icon of Christ - hopefully the High Priest.

Gerald was actually responsible for my first Icon

I do understand the last part of A Pilgrim's response

This was why I finally and very sadly had to break with my Spiritual Director - though a wonderful person and he had been a terrific guide - he could not understand my longing to learn more about the East.

I'm sure that with Don's help his friend will grow in his appreciation of all the East has to offer .

Anhelyna

Robert, my friend and I have discussed Eastern spirituality many times and he is wanting to learn more about all of the Churches that make up the Catholic Church. I think all Eastern Christians have an obligation to inform our Latin brothers and sisters about our Eastern traditions, especially so for Latin clergy and religious. My friend has attended Maronite and Byzantine Catholic Divine Liturgy and expressed a desire to learn more about our rites and traditions, so it isn't as if I'm to proselytize him. He has a firm grounding in the theology and spirituality of the western tradition...he is currently working on a dissertation on St. Ignatius Loyola's Spiritual Exercises, of which he is a great devote. And by the way, the information isn't an ordination gift, it is just to be nice and help answer his questions. For his diaconal ordination I'me giving him a very ornate pyx that a Mexican priest friend gave me while I was still in the active ministry. It is a large one, maybe holding 30-40 hosts, so he can use it for sick calls. I had never used it and know he would. Don

On the subject of Latin-rite priests, I would like to ask for input on how to very kindly, put in a simple word to a Roman priest re: Eastern Catholics. I for one do not want to criticize him at all, for he is a very devout, loyal priest, who oversees a busy parish. But I really believe he is as was mentioned above, one of the Roman priests who have forgotten about the East. Printed material in the church refers to the restriction of Communion to "Roman Catholics" in the state of grace, etc. Homilies and lectures frequently address the fullness of faith in the "Roman" Catholic church. While I do not in any way infer that he is disrespectful of other rites or traditions, it is really not his intention to do so, I honestly do believe that like many Latin-rite priests, he has forgotten that there is anything other than the Roman Church. It is as if the word Catholic cannot stand without Roman in front of it. How could one gently remind a priest that his own rite is not the one and only? Surely we do not want to insult Eastern Catholics, and most certainly those in the pews should also realize they are part of a universal Church which includes Eastern traditions.

Christos Voskrese!

Dear Don:

I am sure that your friend will love and need that pyx. What a great support you must be to him. Well, it looks like you have everything covered. Many years to you and your family.

In Christ,

Robert