www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Maronite Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity

Really nice site:
http://www.maronitemonks.org/Mhtm.htm

"Nice site"? That is a stunning site! WHEW! Thank you for posting that link! I would love to go on a retreat there someday. I love Massachussetts and I love the Maronites so I'd be in heaven there.

Indeed, it's a very nice site, and I'd love to visit there sometime.

I found this a bit curious though (on the Vocations page [maronitemonks.org] ):

It seems odd that none of the monks are Maronites.

Jason

Beautiful website but it is odd that none of th emonks are currently Maronite. Also I was surprised to see an Eastern Rite monastery centered on Eucharistic devotion; I thought extra-liturgical Adoration wasn't part of the Eastern tradition.

I think the Maronites on this forum would offer better insight than myself but I think that since they have been in communion with Rome the entire time, there are more things they have in common with the Roman Church than the other Eastern Churches. I sometimes attend the local Maronite Church here and it is very similar to the Roman Church but with a lovely Middle Eastern flavour. I don't think the Eucharistic Adoration is unusual for Maronites. I could be wrong but that is just my somewhat educated guess.

As for none of the Maronite monks being Maronites ... it would be nice if those who have taken their final vows would make the official switch to Maronite. I just think that community is more for those of us who love the Maronite Church but are not Lebanese or another neighbouring culture. So long as they stay true to the Maronite traditions, I say "More power to them!"

In Christ, Michelle

Dear Michelle,

Actually, before we EC's got off on our "Orthodox in communion with Rome" bit, Eucharistic Adoration was all the rage, especially with our New Martyrs.

St Pavel Gojdic spent hours before the Blessed Sacrament, as did the other heroes of our Church.

Patriarch Joseph Slipyj went to the Church of St Neilos in Rome for an hour's worth of Eucharistic Adoration each day.

Interestingly, St Basil Velichkovsky, whose relics are in Winnipeg, Canada, related how when he received Orthodox converts to Eastern Catholicism they would do things that to us seem "Politically Incorrect" such as kneel for Communion and practice Eucharistic Adoration.

He even spent entire sermons telling them not to do this as it was against the Eastern traditions and the like.

"But did they listen to me? Absolutely not! There was nothing I could do . . ." said the holy New Hieromartyr.

There's just no getting through to some people!

Alex

I'm glad that they don't seem to follow the pedantic rules for changing rites. If you worship with a particular community for a while, and come to identify yourself with it, then you're that rite, period. Saying stuff like you're not really a BC, even though you've worshipped most of your life with them, just because you were baptised an RC, is so asinine and counterintuitive that only
hierarchs and bureaucrats could come up with such an idea.

Actually I do agree with you. I don't see the point of making the "contractual" change except that there are some folks who may question the sincerity and/or credibility of the monks for not making that switch on paper when they have made their final vows. I don't see that it makes any difference, personally, but there are those who do. That's why I just said that "it would be nice" for them to do it rather than saying that they "should" do it.

Only for a scenario: I don't like it that if I ended up joining a Carmelite convent, I would have to change my rite to Roman. Then if I decided before taking final vows that I miss my Byzantine Divine Liturgy, traditions, and spirituality too much so I decide to join a Byzantine community, I won't be able to switch my rite back if that is a requirement to join.

I don't understand the necessity of making such rules when going to different Churches within the One Church.

Perhaps someone can enlighten me on the need? I haven't yet read/heard a reasonable explanation for such a rule.

In Christ, Michelle

Michelle,

There is Convent in Sugarloaf, PA which is both Carmelite and Byzantine.

Discalced Byzantine Carmelite Nuns
Annunciation Monastery
RD 1 Box 1336
Sugarloaf, PA 18249
Phone: 570-788-5310


There is also one in France and another in Romania.
http://praiseofglory.com/byzcarmel.htm

Fr. Deacon Lance

Michelle,

Although I've seen it repeated often, I don't know where the idea that once you switch particular Churches you can't switch again comes from, because it is not found in the current Canons. One could switch as many times as the involved hierarchs are willing to oblige. Certainly jumping back and forth is not advisable but there is nothing other than the hierarchs involved that could prevent the switch.

Fr. Deacon Lance

To be honest, I have not looked it up in the current Canons. The switching of rites has been discussed on EWTN by priests and others, plus I've read it on a few discussion boards. All of them have said that it can only be done once, precisely for the reason that they don't want hop-scotching between the Churches. :rolleyes: It probably is not written in stone so perhaps under some circumstances, they might grant a second switch if really necessary.

Thank you for the Byzantine Carmelite link. I actually visited them before and found the idea interesting. I'd like to see how they have managed to incorporate the Carmelite spirituality into the Byzantine spirituality. I have a tendency to be a bit of a purist (though a reasonable one, I reckon) so I would probably go either Byzantine monastic or Discalced Carmelite, rather than Byzantine Carmelite.

Your sister in Christ,
Michelle

I have heard that for a Latin switching to any Eastern church one could not expect to be permitted to go back later, as if it really mattered! :rolleyes:

In addition to that I have heard that switching between Eastern churches is a non-issue as it only requires the consent of the involved hierarchs, which is basically what Father Deacon lance has just posted. If so there is not technical limit to switching churches, except for that one crossover for Romans between the Latin and Eastern church.

I agree though, the whole thing is pointless for most people. Now if one should wish to pursue Holy Orders I would think it would be important that the candidate was fully adapted and accepting of the theology/spirituality of the church, and not inclined to hop around chasing each new spiritual high.

But as pointless as it may seem for the individual layperson to want to formally switch. I fully understand the desire to do so. It is a confirming act, a feeling of belonging that some cradle members may never appreciate. It can be like being wedded to the parish and Eparchy.

People who join religious communities will have the commitment formalized and solemn ceremonies that signify the profound act, they desire that greatly. Oblates merely make a promise and sign a document and it fills them with joy. Laypeople joining a new liturgical tradition can feel that way too! Even if it is nothing more than getting your name in the book.

It's like getting engaged! I am not kidding.

In Christ,
Michael

What really makes this situation ludicrous is that I know of no such restrictions among Orthodox, at least among the SCOBA jurisdictions and the Antiochian Orthodox Western Rite Vicariate.
I've been members of several different SCOBA affiliated Orthodox parishes, (for geographical reasons-its not like where I live there's an Orthodox church on every block). I've never experienced any riduculous writing of letters to various bishops begging them for pemission to switch
jurisdictions-usually notifying your previous priest and talking to your new priest is all is needed-even for AWRV laymen. For priests, obviously its different, but this just seems like a lot of trouble for laymen.