www.byzcath.org Forums Mysteries: The Life of Worship Vespers, Matins & the Divine Liturgy The Revised Divine Liturgy A Letter to Rome

How about we actually do something about what we're having so much trouble with? How about we draft up a letter to Rome itself, circulate it amongst the willing parishes, get the signatures, and send it off?

Don't get me wrong, what's going on here is great and all, but it's only on the internet so far. Let's make this real!

Peace of Christ,
Nathan Augustine

IF anything were to be done immediately, like a letter and systematic series of concerns, it should be sent first to our own hierarchs with copies going to appropriate curial offices. Then take the next step depending on the response of the Byzantine bishops.

It appears however that real interest lies in planning and holding a conference at a later date to discuss liturgy, in general, or so it seems. I guess there will be panels of experts and book-sale stalls and the like.

Eli

I have written to our bishops but only responses have been a mere an acknowledgment of receipt of the letter.

Has anyone written letters to our bishops or to Rome and received any meaningful responses?

Elitoft, when your house is burning you don't go to the person who set it on fire and ask them to put it out. You go to the firefighters. Same thing here, the bishops are the problem, so you go to someone higher than them. Since every single Ruthenian Bishop in America is guilty you go to their superiors. What a coincidence, their superiors are in Rome! Therefore a letter to Rome needs to be written up, and signed by as many people as possible.

Nathan, I would like to know, sincerely, where and from whom are you getting this idea?

Dear djs,

Who do you think is responsible?

Nick

Responsible for what, Nick?

Common sense, SOMEONE has to have approved this Liturgy, and who else but the bishops? A priest can't approve the new Liturgy, so I can't go blame any priests for its approval.

Nathan,

God bless you for your efforts!

I think you are correct. If our bishops were listening our priests would not have asked Father Keleher to do a scholarly review of the new translation.

I think our bishops and the priests on the liturgical commission are intelligent and smart. They just don�t know our tradition well enough to understand it.

Blessed Theodore

Djs,

Did I loose the train of thought?

Nathan said that the bishops were responsible for the revised Liturgy. "The bishops are the problem".

You asked him where he got that idea.... suggesting that the bishops are not responsible for the revised Liturgy.

So, I'm asking, if you don't think that the bishops are reaponsible, who is responsible?

Nick

Dear Nicholas,

We are not fighting fires here.

We are petitioning our Church for an audience, for a hearing. We need to have a specific action plan that outlines what we seek and how we plan to achieve that goal.

There are canons that do not allow one bishop to interfere in the jurisdiction of another, so there are canonical protocols for taking any action such as the one suggested here.

If you DON'T begin with the Byzantine Metropolia, Rome is going to simply ignore anything sent its way, or, by law, send any letter or petition back to Metropolitan Basil. Do you really think Rome acts contrary to her bishops? Do you think all those Vatican II documents are full of empty words? How about the Code of Canons? There are reasons and regulations for everything in the Church. Abide by them or get lost in the paper shuffle, or rightfully ignored.

One follows the chain of command. You didn't know this?

Eli

Dear Eli,

You're absolutely right, of course.

I wrote to the Archbishop. He didn't answer or even acknowledge my letter. So, I tried that.

If the Archbishop had written back (or even sent a form letter like Congressman do) thanking me for my letter, and saying something, anything....

If he had written a letter which said, "I'm the Archbishop, and I can revise the Liturgy, and I'm gonna revise the Liturgy, just get over it." ...then, I think I would know what to do.

Whatyado when the Archbishop doesn't even answer?

Nick

Thanks Nathan. Now, what is it that you claim they are guilty of?

Nick, I simply wasn't sure whether you were asking about responsibility for setting the house on fire, or for planting and nurturing Nathan's idea that the house has been set on fire, by his bishops.

Yes, that is why I made this post. I want a plan of action made.

Fine, there will be two letters then. One to the Bishops, and when they ignore us we will write one to Rome. Whatever it takes to get rid of this problem is what I'd like to see.

Of course I know this. I also know that people have written and have gotten nothing back. The chain of command has already been addressed, the next rung needs to be hit. Now I'm all for trying to start at the bottom again if it's PRODUCTIVE.

They are guilty of coming up with a draft that is heretical and setting up to approve it. It's the equivalent of them saying they want to approve fantasy icons.

DJS, with all due respect are you thinking that I do not know how to think for myself, or that I am some easily brain-washed child? I will admit that I do not know everything, but I do sometimes know a heresy when I see it. I was not always against the new liturgy, ask any of the teenagers who verbally came after me and they will tell you that I for a very long time supported the bishops, and asked for respect because of their office. However, if you try to change the intent of the words of the Liturgy you are messing around with dogma, warping it beyond what it naturally should be. That's all that heresy is, a warping of doctrine, and as far as I can tell the bishops are condoning it. There is no good in writing to them, because they will not respond.

The only way that I know of is to make enough noise at Rome to force a reaction, since reason will not work as far as I'm aware. Sometimes you need to break down somebody else's door (i.e. Rome's) to get the water to put out the fire that's in your house.


If I am wrong, how am I wrong? I want to see right done in the end, not evil.