www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Is here anything wrong in learning from an Orthodox priest?

The latest stunt they pulled over the weekend only further confirms the direction they are heading.

Which one?


Oh, the converting to Orthodoxy thread got deleted?

I rec'd an infraction as well... for posting if threads had disappeared go figure.

I sent the mod a PM stating that I thought RC's trying to impose their beliefs on EC's were a bigger threat than the Orthodox that post on there.

Well, we have to recognize that even though they have given the ECs a subforum there, it is still a Roman Catholic forum.

Dave-

I can understand your opinion, but I would respectfully disagree. Had I not run across the Eastern Catholic forum on CAF, I might not have been aware of this forum. It is one way that non-Eastern Catholics can be exposed to the fact there are other Catholic Churches besides the Roman Catholic Church.

I think it should serve as a means to educate those folks who stumble across that forum and to provide information to a larger number of individuals that would be reached on this forum alone. True, they may be more restrictive on posts in some cases, but I would hope that would not be a deterrent to Eastern Catholics and those who are interested in Eastern Catholicism. There are many good people on that forum who have been very helpful in answering inquires. The eastern Catholic forum should be on there as well as any of the others. They are all part of the Catholic Church.

Going to different Churches may sometimes be good but if you rather go to an Eastern or Oriental Orthodox Priest than a Catholic Priest for spiritual direction you may actually have a problem. Wouldn't that be like saying I don't trust in God? I mean, shouldn't we rather trust in God than in the Priest?
We could even ask ourselves if it is ok for us to sometimes chose rock music instead of church music when we feel like listening to music. If that would be ok then visiting different Curches must be ok???

"Shouldn't we rather trust in God than in the Priest?" I ask you, why are you applying that question to Eastern or Orienal Orthodox priests, but not to Catholic priests?

I don't quite get what you are saying. I do trust in God but I need someone for spiritual direction as I often cannot tell if what I feel is from God or not. Can God not manifest himself to me through an Orthodox priest even though I am Catholic?

God can - and does - manifest Himself through all kinds of people, even the ones who seem to be unlikely conduits for His message. Some of the most profound but simple insights into the Gospel came to me through an unbaptised, drug-addicted prostitute I met through work at a social rehabilitation center.

So, I, a Greek Catholic, in need of spiritual advice, should not go to an Orthodox priest who shares my spirituality, modes of theological expression, disciplines and liturgical life--an entire mindset and orientation--but should instead go to a Roman Catholic priest who has a different spirituality, a different mode of theological expression, a different discipline and a different liturgical life--in other words, an entirely different mindset and orientation--simply because my Church is in full ecclesial communion with the Church of Rome, and not in full ecclesial communion with the Orthodox Churches.

What is wrong with this picture?

I whole-heartedly agree that on a good day CAF can be a benefit as you describe. On a typical day it can confuse a person and almost make someone want to convert to Orthodoxy -- NOT because of the EC & EO's on there but rather the RC's who don't understand and force their western spirituality upon Easterners or those inquiring about the East.

Or, you could find a Greek Catholic priest.

This Gordian Knot is officially cut.

I don't see any problem. I communicate with and learn from both Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic priests. Some Roman rite Catholic priests may say otherwise, but then again these same priests, have no problem having ecumenical events with liberal Protestants. Sometimes we have to make our own decisions. I tend to follow Orthodox, Eastern Catholic, and traditional Roman Catholic, including Ordinariate, news and blogs.

Hi Dave-

I don't know how long you have been associated with Eastern Catholicism, if you are new to the Eastern Churches or a former Roman Catholic(RC) and who is possibly seeking to switch to EC or EO. Perhaps, I should check back on your posts in other areas to make that determination.

I usually have limited time to spend on the forums, so I scan for those threads that most interest me, or feel I can offer something.This particuar thread and some of your comments caught my attention. I agree thatsome Roam catholicswant the Eastern Catholics to be a mirror image of themselves. However, I think that most, simply lack knowledge of what Eastern Catholicism (EC) and Eastern Orthodox (EO) really are. Most think that they are one and the same. I have had to explain to several educated people numerous times in detail what the differences are. I associate much of that misunderstanding of RCs to that with many fundamentalist churches view of Catholicism and Orthodoxy. They go on what someone else has told them and they don't try to learn things for themselves. They have little exposure to it too base their opinion.

In regard to this forum compared to the CAF there is a significant difference in volume of viewer. In many cases you have a more limited number of people who read this forum, and they tend to be more educated in EO and EC practices and traditions than those on the Eastern Catholic sub-forum of CAF. Many are cradle Byzanitnes or oriental Catholics or eastern Orthodox. Just look at the number of responses and the time between those responses on some of these threads. Also on this forum the topics very often are above the heads of many newbies to Eastern Catholicism. In my own case, I had some difficulty generating responses to many of my inquiries. I don't know of they were not interesting enough to generate a response or it could be attributed to lack of volume. In one case, a few years ago, I apparently made of few readers upset. It was not my intention, but more a matter of my not knowing certain things about the EC worshippers. It was not my intent to be offensive. But it did upset me a little bit that i was mis-understood and made me want to "pack my toys and go home", so to speak. I had a couple of private message exchanges with Bob, the moderator of this forum and he was very adept at helping me to understand the cross-section of participants on the forum and some of their views and why. With that said Bob does a wonderful job of walking the line and balancing both ends of the spectrum. So I sucked it up and covered my injured feelings and chose to continue reading and occasionally being a part of the forum and I have continued to learn over the years.

I would hope that all EC contributors to this forum and the Eastern CAF would please be patient with unknowledgeable inquiriers and help them to understad what EC and EO are really about. Having more than one forum to evangalize the faith is a wonderful opportunity to educate and expose RCs and other inquirers to a wonderful branch of the Church that has so much to offer with its mysticism, reverence and beauty of worship. Hopefully those who are blessed with being a part of the EC church or live near a church to attend can serve as a beacon to those that don't. There will always be rude, narrow-minded people on any forum, but let's not let that deter folks from speaking to the many, many folks who sincerly want to learn about Eastern Christianity and try to assit them.

Most Eastern Catholic Churches are small and sometimes in dwindling numbers. I feel these forums; be they the Byzantine fourm or the CAF forum can serve as a major freeway of information to future Eastern Catholics.

Assuming one is around, and assuming that if one is, he's actually got the time and inclination to help you. Most do, some most decidedly do NOT. But in any case, I took it as a given that if there was a Greek Catholic priest available and willing, I would go to him. But if one isn't, the next fall back for me would be an Orthodox priest. My Rolodex is full of them.