www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Is Something Wrong With My Church?

Hi, my church has an icon screen or more correctly be getting one. It also has stations of the cross(down from every station they have icons), we also have a confessional, and a holy water font. Surely having these things are not bad it would help to ensure the survival of my church in the future?Especially when our church is located within a strong RC diocese. Would the individuals on this forum worship their if they lived in my city? Or would they prefer to go to an RC church instead?

church,

What you describe - Latin decor and furnishings - is still not uncommon among older of our temples. It is seen both in those which were originally Latin churches and some that were built to be Eastern at a time when Latin influence was heavy and burdensome. Thankfully, it's a loy less common that it once was.

You ask if forum members would worship in your parish if they lived there - or go to a Latin church. Remember that the majority here are Eastern and those who are not are usually here because of love for/interest in the East. So, we are always more likely to seek out an Eastern church, whether or not it yet looks the part of its tradition.

If you're wondering whether the presence of the Latin elements or the mixed appearance might help to grow your parish by attracting Latins, I think that's unlikely. There are probably plenty of Latin parishes to which they could go - and, a 'hybrid' or 'blended' church doesn't tend to attract people whom you necessarily will be thrilled to have on board in the long run. Those who seek out that kind of environment, often disaffected folk, find such churches are 'quaint' or 'nicer than our own because they have our stuff plus lots of incense and a prettier Mass'. Over time, you don't find that they positively add to the community.

But, reality is that the older parishes take time and leadership and vision to transition to the point where they not only are Eastern, but also look the part. Be patient. With the addition of an iconostasis, your church is on the way to getting there.

Many years,

Neil

Hi, well that is certainly different than what is happening here most members from church of Ascention would rather go to the RC church instead of our church.

hmm, maybe why Ascension closed in the first place? Or, they;re angry because their parish closed and yours remained open? Or, different villages and old loyalties? We can be our own worst enemies.

Many years,

Neil

I personnally, would certainly never go back to the RC Church, but it is my own opinion for what it is worth...

I am a Roman Catholic, however I attended a liturgy this morning at a nearby Ukrainian Catholic Church. It was suburban and rather more modern and I was surprised to find the Stations of the Cross, a framed print of a familiar Italian Madonna, and other elements of Western ecclesiastical art sprinkled in amongst the icons.

I didn't expect to see that, although I don't know why. One encounters icons in modern Roman Catholic churches all the time. I know of one nearby Roman Catholic church that displays a surprising number of icons, in fact. I was shocked, furthermore, by a nearby Lutheran church I recently made a delivery to that was positively drowning in icons!