www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall 20 people at Icon Blessing

If anyone has time- I am writing a series on the decline of the Byzantine rite What got me started (usually I try to keep my blog cheerful) was last Saturday's Divine Liturgy where 4 life-sized icons were blessed, had a dinner, etc, etc and 20 people (including my family of 6) were there.

http://remnantofremnant.blogspot.com/2011/03/what-difference-day-makes.html

Tamiian:

Christ is in our midst!!

I was once at a Saturday Vespers for the Blessing of Palms prior to Palm Sunday where there were four of us, including the priest. Needless to say he was upset.

Bob

Glory to Jesus Christ!

I read that blog post this morning - I follow your blog in my reader (I'm MommyMagpie)and quite enjoy it. I am interested to read your follow-up posts.

At my parish there are usually about 12-15 for weeknight Liturgies, consisting of me and my 3 children, my friend's family of 8, and the cantor and a couple of other ladies who live close enough to walk to Church. On Sundays we average in the low 40s.

I at times feel discouraged and mildly irked when there is what I consider to be an important liturgical function in our parish but few people show up for it.

What helps me is to remember that MY definition of what's important may be mistaken (after all, who appointed ME to judge anyone's motives?) and also as expensive as gas has become; and given that a lot of people live too far away to walk, people who would like to come may unable to justify the expense.

There can always be some very good reasons people do not show up for this or that event.

I see where you are coming from- but the Church does obligate Catholics to go to Mass/Liturgy on Sundays (or a Saturday vigil)- there are many reasons not to make the effort to go to a Divine Liturgy- going to the Roman-rite is faster, easier, and no one is bothering you, inviting you to go to the fellowship hall for dinner.
The icon blessing and dinner was something special in addition to 'normal' Divine Liturgy.
For faithful Eastern Catholics, we are usually comfortable with our small family community (as am I), but we have to realize that an average of less than 50 believers per Sunday makes for a dying church. There are small pockets where it is more dynamic, but in general...

I am also greatly disappointed because this weekend a very involved parishioner decided to leave the Church and go SSPX.

Tamiian:

Dont' be discouraged. The Lord called us His "little flock." He didn't call us His "big herd."

When you are together, every believer who ever lived stands there with you, even if you're small in physical numbers. I'll give you a nudge next time.

Bob

Two years ago I attended a Julian Calendar Easter Sunday, and we had 25 people. Still it was quite memorable.

The Eastern Churches are shrinking the same way the Roman Catholic ones are. The only difference is that the RC's are going from 5000 members to 1000 members, while the EC's are going from 500 to 100.

I have learned (most of the time, I still occasionally lapse into frustration) not to judge so much by the actual number of folks participating in a weekday or other-than-Sunday-morning liturgy, but by that number as a percentage of our average Sunday attendance.

So the thirty-some folks assembled on Ash Wednesday evening was indeed small; but when considering that they were about 75% of our Sunday attendance--not bad at all. I've come to expect that the Triduum will be about 50% of Sundays; Epiphany and Ascension about 30%; and other festivals such as Apostles' Days about 10-15%.

I take comfort in Fr. Luther's words "I believe that there is a holy little flock of pure saints in the Gospel and that I am one of them".

Having attended a small mission for a while, I found it rather claustrophobic.

I have to explain to people (Muslims) even from Lebanon what Greek Catholics are, we are not well known and our rituals are so complex is has a tendency not scare but intimidate people, but dont give up! Remember what happens when 2 or 3 are gathered in His name.. and 2 or 3 are not that many!

In America demographics and fluidity of movement is extremely disadvantageous for us

AMM- I understand where you are coming from- there can be a lot of pressure when the group is small- in a big Roman-rite liturgy, the priest doesn't even need to know if you show up and you can just leave after the Mass- but mission can't grow unless some people are willing to support the mission in its first struggling years

I hear what you're saying, and there were other factors at work that I had a problem with. The small size just amplified those issues. I don't think everyone is cut out for life in a mission though.

Even my current parish probably only has around 100 people at a regular liturgy. Not many Orthodox parishes are all that large as a rule relatively speaking. A priest at a normal parish will know when someone is there who isn't a regular member. So you can't remain all that anonymous.

I think listening to this series by Fr. Gabriel Rochelle on starting a mission is good for anyone in the mission mode. It is very insightful and addresses a lot of the issues discussed here.

Musings on Mission [ancientfaith.com]

We are just starting there so say a prayer for us.

Jim