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If one views missionary efforts at the national level, most all groups can safely say they have done better than in the past, except perhaps mainstream protestants. Regarding effective or ineffective Eastern mission work, there are variations depending on what area of the country you examine. For some reason, the southwest, along with its increased overall population in the past 20 years, has seen uneven development within Orthodoxy and Eastern Catholicism. For example, within Orthodoxy the Greek Orthodox have done very well in the Phoenix area, as have the Byzantine Catholics and Chaldean Catholics. Other groups have lower numbers despite a variety of programs, etc., and have not been able to expand beyond one church with or without a satellite mission despite years of efforts. Meanwhile, Phoenix is about to pass Philadelphia, to become the fifth largest city in the U.S. Some of the parish growth is due to the movement of people from other parts of the country, but some jurisdictions appear to be more successful than others when it comes to growth.

Dear Jim:

In the USCCB partial report containing the more than 150,000 converts to the Catholic Church on Easter Vigil this year, the Latin Diocese of Phoenix alone contributed more than 3,500 candidates and catechumens, which forced the Diocese to do 2 Rites of Election, one in February and one in March.

The Phoenix Diocese has now more than 480,000 faithful within its jurisdiction and growing steadily.

Another growth area is the Archdiocese of Seattle, which recorded also thousands of candidates and catechumens this Easter Vigil. Their RCIA was featured in a 1-hour special on ABC-TV here in Chicago and elsewhere in the U.S. Easter Sunday to address the convert "phenomenon" in American contemporary society.

Why do you think the Latins seem to be "more" successful than the BCs and other Eastern Churches?

Amado

Dear Amado,

From my perspective, it is because Latins are part of the cultural mainstream.

Alex

Father Antony:

Do you consider the MP's actions during the Orange Revolution in Ukraine as "displaying nothing but love?"

hal

Dear Alex:

I thought that in the U.S. protestantism has the "cultural inroad" rather than Catholicism?

Another thing, there are more protestants, combined, than the estimated 65 million Catholics in the U.S.

Amado

Dear Hal,

Have you heard the latest news?

The Ecumenical Patriarchate is now saying that it recognizes the previous boundaries of the Church of Moscow's jurisdiction from the 17th century and THOSE only.

In effect, it is saying it does NOT recognize the taking over of the Kyivan Church by Moscow.

It is creating quite the stir over there right now . . . as we can see on www.pravoslavie.ru [pravoslavie.ru]

The Russian press refers to Ukrainians out of communion with Moscow as the "uniates, filaretites and autocephalists."

"UFA" for short, I guess . . .

Alex

Dear Alex:

At least they are not indentifying you as "UFO," or, worse, "USU": Unrepentant Schismatic Unkrainians!

Amado

Dear Amado,

You mean you can actually tell the difference between the liturgical culture of Protestantism and the Latin Church in the U.S. today?

O.K., sorry . . . that was uncalled for . . .

Alex

Yes, missionary efforts and results in the U.S. are different. I think those efforts need to be carefully monitored and supervised. The RCs are growing numerically. But I have noticed, depending on the RCIA program in a particular parish, some disturbing results. Oh, they are getting the numbers, but often converts coming through that RCIA process are still whatever brand of Protestant they were beforehand, in terms of beliefs and practices. In other words, they are Catholic in affiliation, only. However, in other parishes, the RCIA programs actually do teach Catholic doctrine and are effective. I hope you folks are controlling the learning process and doing some screening of your converts, so you don't end up with crowds of hostile, former Protestants - another phenomenon I have noticed in some Orthodox Churches. [/QUOTE]

byzanTN,

Happy Easter!

Yes, programs like religious ed and RCIA need to be monitored by the clergy.

I wouldn't worry about residual Protestantism in converts. Conversion doesn't happen overnight. St Paul says, one plants, another waters, but God makes it grow.

My thoughts.

Paul

Amadeus asked me about Phoenix's success in the Roman Catholic diocese. I am not a good source for the answer. They are very strongly Hispanic for starters, but the evangelical side has pulled in people as well, not to mention migration from other parts of the country. When it comes to the ECs growing slower, it may have to do with having gotten here later, without a strong ethnic base locally, and with limited funds. The same could hold true for other Orthodox. 30 years ago, there was one GOA church in Phoenix- now there are 4 in the valley. The other jurisdictions outside Rome have not fared as well as the GOA. The culture/church symbiotic relationship between Hispanics and Catholicism may be the single most important factor, but I bet Father Deacon Montalvo might have a better answer than I do.

Dearest brother Alex,

You said:

But, that is why you are so cherished on this forum! Ofcourse, you know that I agree with you totally--we have too many lost souls these days to worry about which particular Apostolic tradition they will go to! The bottom line is that they go, and find salvation! And I say, 'glory to God' with every conversion of a former non believer to Orthodoxy, or any form of Catholicism!

I disagree with you on just one little point, however---

I would love it if everyone were good, souvlaki-eating Greek Orthodox!

(just kidding ofcourse...hehehehe)

With love in Christ,
and wishing you a very Happy Birthday,
Alice

Dear Jim:

I was referring to converts, not migration or immigration of Hispanics, who are on the average already Catholics.

Another fitting example would be the apparent success of Catholic evangelization (or re-evangelization) in the deep South, the so-called bible belt, like in the Carolinas, Alabama, and Florida and, on a lesser degree, in Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Nebraska.

As apostolic Christians, what seems to be hindering the efforts of ECs and EOs?

Amado

Dear Alex,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I gave some thought to your comment. I would refine it to say, because Latins are part of the religious cultural mainstream.

All the EC and EO's I've met, look like, dress like, talk like, educate themselves like Americans.

As for me, I follow certain Byzantine traditions to boost my spirituality. Eastern spirituality is the draw for me.

God give you peace.

Paul

Paul,

Here are some photos [holy-trinity.org] of part of his '93 visit. I saw him at an OCA parish in S FL that same year.

T

Dear Alice and Alex,
Given the choice, I will gladly take souvlaki over pirohi!

Incognitus