www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Following Eastern in a Western Parish?

I have been blown away (in a positive way) by some of the podcasts I have been listening to on Ancient Faith Radio (Pilgrims from Paradise and Healing).
The emphasis on loving one another as a way to theosis really rings true for me.
The unification with God as the goal of Orthodoxy also speaks to my heart and gives purpose to "religion".
Having prefaced with that is it possible to be Eastern in thought and spirituality and yet attend a Western (Roman) parish -- or is that just schizophrenic?
There are some practical considerations to staying at the Roman Church -- the closest EC parish is 30 minutes away and is mostly in Ukrainian, the next closest is 1 hr away and is English but is 1 hr away -- it will be difficult or get wife and family to join in this journey.

Dave

It is quite possible to live out an Eastern spirituality within a Latin parish. This is what hundreds if not thousands of Eastern Catholics who are in areas where there are not Easter Catholic parishes are forced to do. Probably not ideal but certainly possible.

From what I read on some forums it seems a bigger problem might be people who pursue a Latin spirituality while attending an Eastern parish because they are attracted more to the sensual elements of the Liturgy than the Eastern Christian spirituality.

Dave,

Glory to Jesus Christ!
Glory Forever!
I too live in the same situation. It is a two hour drive to the nearest Byzantine Catholic churh. My family and I do make the drive at least four times a year. Otherwise we too belong to a Latin parish.

What has helped us remain connected to our Eastern spirituality
is listening to Divine Liturgy on the internet, WEDO AM 810, Sunday's at 9 AM Eastern time. I hve also found that praying the daily offices (Matins and Vespers) from a Byzantine Catholic prayer book. Praying the Jesus Prayer is also a daily part of my life. The Byzantine Forum is also a great way to stay connected.
Indeed Ancient Faith Radio is great to listen to.

Jeff

No need to feel schizophrenic at all, Dave, if you keep in mind that the Church is Catholic before she is eastern or western. Given the dominance of Latins, I admit it's not an easy task. Our UGCC parish is over an hour away and we get there only occasionally. Fortunately, there are two Greek Orthodox churches not too far from us where we have been graciously received and go there quite often. Unfortunately, we cannot approach the chalice. For that we go to a local Latin rite parish, and carry there, deep within us, our eastern way. Far from making me feel schizophrenic, it makes me feel more catholic, and is, I hope, a witness to those who have not such exposure.

Utroque,

I think you hit the nail on the head. We are Catholic. There is no East and West. Unfortunately, we have been raised to see East or West as other. We have ALL grown up this way for centuries now. It is ingrained in us, but it was really never meant to be that way.

Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Neither is there Greek or Latin. Maybe when we, as a people, start to see each other as God sees us, there can be change. And on that day, we will probably then see the folly of erecting such walls that separated us for so long.

Given that a good portion of the Mass is biblical, it shouldn't make you too schizo...One of the biggest diffences is that some feasts are different, though most of the Great Feasts are the same (the biggest exception is Theophany). Two of the more annoying things is that dioceses here transfer Epiphany and Ascension to a Sunday. Since most liturgical life in a RC parish is strictly the Mass, I find it's pretty easy to fill in the voids with our way.

Danman,

Are you advocating ritual and liturgical uniformity? Such a thing has never existed, even in the early Church. One of the marvels of the Catholic Church is the fact that even though all the particular churches share the same data of faith, they can be viewed, understood, and expressed in a multitude of ways. God is not one dimensional, and neither should the Church be so.

In Christ,
Adam