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Mar 25th, 2025
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Joined: Nov 2007
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You make some valid points and, since I can't recall where I read the statement about Latin Catholics in non-Latin parishes, I was only offering the idea for discussion. It is difficult to live with one's feet in two different churches. But I think the best thing to do is discuss conflicting obligations with one's confessor since we can't make dispensations for ourselves. But in general our obligation is to fast; how we fast varies from rite to rite and our own personal rule of prayer. If my personal rule of prayer was to fast more strictly than my obligation required, then I ought not to take the easier way for some frivolous reason. If my rule of prayer is too demanding then, again, I need to seek the advise of my confessor or spiritual director. And to be perfectly honest here: I my case, I should probably make my rule stricter. I don't want to imply I'm living at some super-holy level!! 
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Thanks for reply. Yeah, I think I am confused right now. It's...do I fast from Vespers to Vespers, or midnight to midnight. Do I go with Latin or East rules. If I go East, should I go fully Orthodox in discipline to be more authentic. Should I only do what is required of me because my motives are wrong? Anyway, this is why I will need to rely more on a good confessor or adviser and simply obey follow mty conscience and leave the rest of the worries behind.
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Not too stir the pot in an unhelpful way, but wouldn't the same problem raise itself in the question of whether an Eastern or Latin confessor would be the one to see?
Hmm, maybe a biritual priest is the answer here . . .
hawk
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Actually, I am pretty positive that one can always go to confession from any priest. As to which one is the best possible one for that person I could entertain that an Eastern priest is better for an Eastern Catholic or a Latin Rite Catholic attending an Eastern Church just because he may know you better or be more aware of the disciplines you are seeking guidance in and from what perspective. I would not for instance suggest someone going regularly to an Eastern priest if they wanted advice on something specifically Latin rite. But if one simply wanted to try out a confession with a different priest they could, or if one did not change rites offcially but was Eastern aty heart I am pretty sure it would be a good thing for them to choose an Eastern confessor. And those who are Eastern would probably prefer to have an Eastern confessor as well. But there isn't anything keeping anyone from seeing which priest he wants to confess to. It is just a matter of what works best for the person perhaps.
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Joined: Dec 2003
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Orthodox Christian Member
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Bless, Father David!
With respect to the exemption from fasting during Bright week - I take it this is not extended throughout the paschal season until Pentecost?
Your comment on how the EC's "authentic tradition mirrors that of the EO" was, in a word, quite gentlemanly and excellent all around.
Alex Dear Alex, May the Lord bless you! Historically, in the Orthodox Church, the fast free periods during the period of the Pentecostarion are limited to Bright Week (a.k.a. Renewal Week or Easter Week) and the week after Pentecost. The Greeks also include the Leave-taking ( Apodosis), the day before Ascension Day, as fast-free. For the Russians, this is merely a wine and oil day. The fast is mitigated on all Wednesdays and Fridays between Thomas Sunday and Pentecost. Wine and oil are permitted on all these days and we do not reduce the amount of meals taken. The Coptic Church, as I understand it, has the whole Fifty Days between Pascha and Pentecost as fast free. (But note: their Apostles' Fast begins the day after Pentecost. There is no fast-free Pentecost Week.) Recently, the Antiochian Patriarchate decided to break with the universal Eastern Orthodox practise and declared the whole Fifty Days to be fast-free. But that means that really it is fifty-seven fast free days, because Pentecost Week is added to the Fifty. Fr David Straut Oh, wow! After Bright Week, I look forward to the Wednesday and Friday fasts. I need them as a reminder of my sinful condition. The fast helps me to say "no" to sin and to guard all my senses. Also, I appreciate the guidance my own Bishop Benjamin (OCA) has given his parishes: the obligation of being an Orthodox Christian in good standing, of prayer and fasting, and of confessing at least once a month if one wishes to receive Holy Communion. The priest announces this before distributing Holy Communion and that really helps to remind the people that they must prepare for Holy Communion by prayer and fasting beforehand. This fast not only refers to the midnight Eucharistic fast, but also the Wednesday and Friday fasts. If we have any non-Orthodox guests, primarily Protestants, then this announcement prevents them from feeling singled out. It applies to all prospective communicants.
Last edited by Elizabeth Maria; 01/14/08 02:35 AM.
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Joined: Apr 2007
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Thanks for reply. Yeah, I think I am confused right now. It's...do I fast from Vespers to Vespers, or midnight to midnight. Do I go with Latin or East rules. If I go East, should I go fully Orthodox in discipline to be more authentic. Should I only do what is required of me because my motives are wrong? Anyway, this is why I will need to rely more on a good confessor or adviser and simply obey follow mty conscience and leave the rest of the worries behind. I think you should talk to your priest and have him work with you to hammer out guidelines for your fasting and abstinence. Some folks can get rather enthusiastic about the matter of fasting and abstinence and become rather worried about it... It is just my humble suggestion (my 2� is free!)but some folks like myself do very well to deal with these matters working with a confessor who can guide them. This is especially true with folks who are new to stricter fasting.
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That is so true. When I first began to fast, my confessor eased me into it because I became anemic and had blood sugar problems. Even now that I am a lacto-vegetarian (I have a very small piece of lamb only at Pascha and Christmas), I observe a modified fast in that I do have yogurt. Thanks for reply. Yeah, I think I am confused right now. It's...do I fast from Vespers to Vespers, or midnight to midnight. Do I go with Latin or East rules. If I go East, should I go fully Orthodox in discipline to be more authentic. Should I only do what is required of me because my motives are wrong? Anyway, this is why I will need to rely more on a good confessor or adviser and simply obey follow mty conscience and leave the rest of the worries behind. I think you should talk to your priest and have him work with you to hammer out guidelines for your fasting and abstinence. Some folks can get rather enthusiastic about the matter of fasting and abstinence and become rather worried about it... It is just my humble suggestion (my 2� is free!)but some folks like myself do very well to deal with these matters working with a confessor who can guide them. This is especially true with folks who are new to stricter fasting.
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"Also, I appreciate the guidance my own Bishop Benjamin (OCA) has given his parishes: the obligation of being an Orthodox Christian in good standing, of prayer and fasting, and of confessing at least once a month if one wishes to receive Holy Communion"
I was not aware that rthodox are supposed to go to confession once a month in order to receive the Eucharist. Is this something specific at your parish, or more common in the OCA, or all of them and I just did not know it?
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Joined: Dec 2003
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Orthodox Christian Member
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I can only say what I have heard in my own parish. Our pastor has informed us that Bishop Benjamin spoke to him and to our parish council in November 2007 about the obligatory practice of confession once a month. This has been mandated throughout the Diocese of San Francisco and the West in the OCA.
Typically, confession is mandated four times a year in most dioceses especially during the fasting seasons, but Bishop Benjamin determined that people were becoming lax.
Last edited by Elizabeth Maria; 01/14/08 04:12 AM.
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Joined: Aug 2004
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Grateful Member
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A couple observations:
(1) Many Latins are limiting their Wednesday foods to only bread and water following the requests of the Medjugoria messages. That's how I started fasting, several years ago: because of the Medjugorje. I never made it to just bread and water, but I did start small and work up: no meat, then no fish, etc. on Wednesdays and Fridays. Later, I found out about this thing called the Eastern Church . . .  -- John
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