www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Parish Life & Evangelization A vision for reaching inactive canonically Byzantine

Perhaps there is a way to check the baptismal records of parishes to find out where all the Byzantines went, especially in large cities where it is easy to stray to a Roman rite church. Many Byzantines around here just get used to going to mass and give up their Byzantine church....why they do I am not sure but it is certainly prevalent.

Regards,

Cyril

Cyril,

I must thank you again for fighting for the Theotokos way back in Ephesus in 431. Good for you!

I suspect that for many if not most the Church tended to stay in the "old" neighborhood and simply became irrelavent to many young adults as they moved out of the old neighborhoods. I think awareness of ones mission, and not just of ones past, is essential to both retaining people as they move into young adulthood and in recruiting new converts.

The more I investigate this issue the more I realize that people didn't leave out of anger, but out of a desire that whatever Church they attend would be vibrant and forward looking. They did not perceive the Church of their youth in that way so they drifted elsewhere. That is why our vision must be guided by our mission and not by the old neighborhood where few of the people live anymore. The mission must be based upon who we really are and not just the things we used to do back in the old neighborhood.

I've only seen pictures of the old neighborhood Churches that comprised our Church. It was vital in the forties, fifties and early sixties but most of the people active then have moved on. It wasn't until the late 1990s that the congregation caught up but it was too late then to retrieve most of those who had been active in the 1960s. It's difficult to make up for forty years. Now the grandchildren of those who were active in the old churches are now seeing great value in the ancient Church. That is good. Let's do it not by reproducing cliches from forty years ago. Let's do it by diving deep into the Church and seeing where we ought to be.

That will attract some back but it will also attract converts. We must be true to who we are at our deepest level. Not who thought we should be because we were told to be that.

Pope John Paul appealed to us to reclaim our Eastern Patrimony and shine it forth.

CDL

Dan,

An hour or so spent reading grave markers up at the old parish cemetery, Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Joliet...

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/f....+calvary&CScntry=4&CSst=16&

...will probably give you as good a starting point on your surname search as anything (Fr. Tom can tell you how to find it). This will certainly narrow your surname search to known parishioner family names.

I'll PM you later, time permitting, with other thoughts.

Al

Hi guys,
I can understand the interest in bringing the scattered Ruthenians back into the church. It is, after all, an issue all over the country.

I am sure many of these families have stories about great-grandma and the "Russian Christmas" and that sort of thing. Some people might be curious about it.

But I really think these people have moved on, some of them might not appreciate even being contacted. The reason I say this is because that is probably how I would feel. My ancestors were Anglo-American Baptists going back many generations opening up the frontiers from Virginia to Mississippi. I should be proud of them (and I am) but that is no reason for me to want to go to the Baptist church today.

I think that if these families have gone elsewhere they are probably satisfied with it, and may even feel uncomfortable about the whole Eastern thing. One could burn up a lot of energy trying to recover these people.

I think the main focus should be on introducing the Eastern church to the average 21st century rootless American, in the process a surprising number of Rusyns, Slovaks, Ukrainians and Croatians will start popping up like weeds.

+T+
Michael

Michael,

I was wondering when someone else was going to offer this obvious observation. I think many assume that people who wandered off and found roots elsewhere are going to flood back just because we invited them to do so. But they won't and for the very reasons you suggest. Nevertheless, we'll have a little homecoming reunion and see what happens.

I think if someone wishes to come back then they should. I think we should eagerly receive them as we would anyone else who comes.

Dan L

Oh, absolutely! I was not trying to discourage you, it's worth a shot.

Best of luck on the reunion function, can I come too?

Your friend in Christ,
Michael

Michael,

Please do come. I'm not easily discouraged. We will do the project, not because I expect large numbers of people to return and remain but because love and obedience are their own rewards. We love the people and we love and obey the Lord for His timely call.

Al,

How did you find those pictures. You're good at investigating. Good lead.

Dan L