www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Allowed to recieve Divine Mysterys?

Hi we are roman catholic but are going to attend a Divine Liturgy tomorrow for the first time (in a Russian Greek Catholic church) so are we allowed to receive the eucharist? This church is in union w/ the bishop of Rome, so can we take communion or do we have to officially change rites? I figure someone might be able to let me know before tomorrow morning my time

You may indeed receive Communion there - that is absolutely no problem - provided of course that you would have been able to receive in your local RC Church

There is no need for a change of canonical enrolment for this

You will note that everyone [ well normally that is ] receives from a standing position and we do not Receive in the hand. You will be given the Holy Mysteries from a golden spoon - just tilt your head back slightly and open your mouth wide - oh and we don't say anything after receiving Communion - just return to your place giving thanks in your heart.


Hope that helps and you enjoy the experience of the Liturgy

As you're from LA, I suspect that you're going to attend the Divine Liturgy at St Andrew's in El Segundo. It's a lovely temple and Father Archimandrite Alexei is a very spiritual priest and a very personable individual. I think you'll find the congregation very welcoming and pleased to answer any questions you might have.

Many years,

Neil

Thanks! Yes it is St. Andrew's, and I am looking forward to going. Thanks again to you both.

What about the fast that a Latin shall observe to receive Communion in a Eastern Catholic Church?
Does it works the Latin rule (1 hour) or the Eastern Catholic Church (3 days of mild fast for Italian Eastern Catholics) ?

As far as I know [ and of course I could be wrong - but I don't think so ] a Latin Catholic attending an Eastern Catholic Liturgy and wishing to receive the Holy Mysteries, is bound by Latin Catholic guidelines -ie a 1 hour fast before reception of Communion

well, apparantly a 2 year old son is an impossible addition to any liturgical event, eastern or western and we left during the gospel, so I didn't get to experiance much but confusion.
Thank you for your helpful comments though, and Irish Melkite you're right, it is very beautiful church, I wish I could have stayed.

If you go to Holy Cross in Placentia they have a cry room where you can see and hear everything. Call and find out which Sundays they use English. I hear you. We have a 4year old, 2 year old, and a 5 month old baby! We sometimes go out there but one of us spend a lot of time outside with our two year old! :)A Melkite priest I know says the East is alot more understanding of kids being loud in Church.

I recall several occasions on which Fr. Nils calmed parents, a couple of times in which they were horrified about "baby breaks"

hawk, who has also spent his share of time in the vestibule, crying rooms, on the church steps, etc.

Jesus loves the little ones. They can be trying, of course. But, remember to ask God sometimes about what he thinks of your own actions, lol.

Sure, children can be an impossible addition, but it is impossible for a Church to grow with out them.

I strongly dislike cry rooms. In fact, hate would probably be a better word. We should always be in the nave...
Unless of course there is a reason for us to be in the narthex.

This is an old protestant church that they bought. They have plans to someday build a real Eastern church. I don't like them either. The problem is that sometimes a baby just won't settle down. It can frazzle a parent.

Just today my priest took a moment to thank parents for bringing their small children to the Liturgy--adding that he personally knows (he and his presvytera have four children) how hard it is to get squirming, active children ready for church, and that he knows how hard it is to actually concentrate at the service with the little ones in tow, many times acting up, but that it was very important that the children feel at home in the church environment.

Fortunately for the parents (and a I know that there are alot of posters who will disagree with this), when the children are of nursery age and older, they do have the option of Sunday catechism classes during the services.

Alice

I've only seen catechism during Mass once, and it was a wonderful idea (at first, I had to take Sarah down, as she didn't handle separation from her mother well. After a week or two, though, she immediately closed the door with "Daddy, you go now!").

Anyway, one of the things that helps with children, which I've seen both at our parish and the pro-Cathedral, is that they are called forth to stand at the front during the Gospel, and they each kiss it before returning to their seats.

hawk

In the Greek Orthodox Church it is called Sunday School--I think that its concept is borrowed from the Protestants...but it works, and it forces parents who may have otherwise been lazy about attending Sunday services, to attend!

Alice