www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Byzantines and Rome

Do you think it is Rome's plan to just let us die off slowly?

When we look back over our history we really have had a poor appointment of new Bishops in the last 20 years. Although our Metroploitan Basil is a nice man, he appears incapable of leading us forward. Did he do anything for the Franciscans?

I feel like our people are like sheep being led to the slaughter house. Is there anything we can do?

Of course there's something you can do. Be holy. Pray. Fast. Have Byzantine babies. Promote vocations. Pray. Repeat as necessary.

Don't wait for bishops to lead you to the promised land. They rarely do. They are, after all, episcopoi, overseers. Let them oversee the wondrous renewal.

I believe if we actually SEE the mission of our Church we will keep moving forward. I do wish for bishops who will lead, but until we get some we must do as the other Athanasius suggests.

Dan L

Rome, a plan? Are you serious?



Nick

And unfortunately, where will that get us. The faithful in Bridgeport, CT did that (very well I might add) How can you promote vocations when the way that our priests are treated is clearly evident. The priests of the Eparchy of Passaic must be terrified. They all see and know what is going on yet they are afraid to act. Holy Trinity, although they will say we never produced a priest, did produce at least two "however" one returned and was ordained in Hungary (I don't recall his name but he was listed as a parish vocation in the ECL back in the 1980's when the series on each parish was being run.) Also, As I understood it, Fr. Idryani in CA was "of our parish" and stated so when he switched rites back to the BCC. My understanding of this, forgive me if its not exact since it is going off of memory from 20 years ago, is his Father(?)I believe is listed as one of the Founders of Holy Trinity Byzantine Catholic Church. The third vocation, from the parish left and never started major seminary back in the early 1990's. Is STILL active with the Holy Trinity Community, (was instrumental in keeping the parishioners together while this whole issue was and continues to occur). Two men ordained, none of them for Passaic. One man who left, and does more for the spiritual good of Holy Trinity's parishioners than Malitz, Hospodar, or Pataki every did combined. What is wrong with this picture? Apparently the nurturing had been occuring.

Heaven. With our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Recently, I skimmed Eusebius of Caesarea's history of "The Martyrs of Palestine." They were tortured and killed under Diocletian's persecutions. I'll spare you most of the details, except this: most of the martyrs were tortured so horribly that they were physically unrecognizable as to their former appearance. One man was turned into a living torch, slowly. Et cetera. Things must have looked pretty grim for the Church back then. Just as it must have looked pretty grim for the Slavic Church under the Communists: when Fr. Abbot Joachim of the Ukraine was boiled alive and his remains served as soup to his fellow prisoners, et cetera.

Yet, all of these martyrs did not whine; the whiners either fled or gave in. The real martyrs held fast to the Faith and the Church, because they believed in Him: Jesus Christ.

At the risk of sounding a bit strong in my opinion, I think we of the Catholic Church in this era --in which martyrdom is the daily minor crucifixion of keeping the Gospel in this increasingly pagan world-- we must do likewise. We must believe in Him: Jesus Christ. The Church does not depend on us for its existence; it depends on Jesus Christ. And remember: the blood of martyrs is the seed for new conversions.

So: as we keep the faith now, with peace and joy, so we shall help Him lay the ground for the new springtime of the Church.

As St. Paul said, "While we have time, let us do good."

By the prayers of the Theotokos, save us Oh Savor.

Byzantine babies?

That anything like Byzantine pyrohy?

If each is done with the same care and prayerful devotion, yes. But please, don't eat the babies.

Dan L

Good One!!!
Thanks.

One would expect persecution of the church by Diocletian or the modern secular world. One would not expect Christian bishops to suppress and forcibly close their own churches. Assuming what is being talked about is accurate, I think Job is justified in voicing his complaints.

Andrew

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Basil:
[QB] Do you think it is Rome's plan to just let us die off slowly?

you know, Basil, that dark thought has made a couple visits at my house,too. when I reflect about the now closed topic of the looming crisis in the Byzantine Catholic Church where Rome seems to say "oh, well, it's your problem you got your Church, and so........" (how convenient). no, we are part of the greater Catholic Church, and it is the Christ commanded duty of the Holy See to ensure that our spiritual welfare is not neglected, period. since when does the shepherd have the right to abandon his flock? while I agree with you, I would like to think that we are wrong.
Much Love,
Jonn

Oh yes, it is a big Roman plot... :rolleyes:
Even if Rome was hostile, which to me is far from evident, they wouldn't have to do much; we are doing a fine job of it all on our own, thank you.
It is said that Orthodoxy will shrink immensely in the next generation, because of massive contraception, and the Byzantine Catholics only echo this phenomenon.
The same is occurring in the Western Catholic Church, but it is evened out by the vitality of the recently evangelized peoples of the world.
-Daniel

How true!

With a twist, these newly evangelized peoples of the Southern hemisphere are not only compensating for the loss in the Northern hemisphere, they are producing more and more!

Amado