www.byzcath.org Forums Mysteries: The Life of Worship Vespers, Matins & the Divine Liturgy The Revised Divine Liturgy Revised Divine Liturgy

Does every parish in the USA celebrate the Revised Divine Liturgy ?

It only pertains to the "Ruthenian" Byzantine Catholics. The Ukrainians, Romanians, Melkites, etc. all have their own translations.

Dn Robert

Well, I can see this doesn't pertain to the Ruthenian (Carpatho-Russian) Orthodox, supposedly. I was listening to a few YouTube clips from the St. George's Prostopinije Essemble, and they do have different wordings for a lot of their hymns and responses again. Although I do admit that there are some things I listened to from them that are quite similar to the Byzantine Catholic wordings and melodies. Ugh, how I wish that the Ruthenian Catholics and the Carpatho-Russian Orthodox could become one again... Although time will tell if Pope Benedict can make that union happen.

It's not up to Pope Benedict to "make it happen". Popes have tried and failed, and "union" just isn't in the cards. But reestablishment of "communion" is something towards which the Bishop of Rome and all men of good will should strive--even if it means setting aside the pretensions and perquisites of their office.

Thinking about "union" sometimes like when I watched Pope Paul and Patriarch Bartholomew praying side by side in Constantinople there is no doubt in my own mind that these two hierarchs have probably shared in the Eucharist in private. Probably countless other hierarchs in other places also. What the people don't know will not hurt them!

That would be the same as if the Pope would have made friends with both Patriarch of Kyiv, Moscow (which he obviously did visit Moscow), and brought along Metropolitan Sviatoslav with him to unite the UGCC and UOC back together, and make Ukraine whole again.

The schism began from the top down, and it seems logical that it can only end from the bottom up.

That's a really nice sentiment. But it's not possible. Look what Bishop John and the other bishops did to the Liturgy. They simply didn't care how many people they hurt and drove away. Go look at Saint John's Cathedral parking lot. Empty.

Yeah, this is probably why the Ukrainian Church is really thriving, since they haven't changed their translation in quite some time, from what I'm hearing. Although I've been to St. Joseph's in Brecksville, which is a Ruthenian BCC, and they still seem to have a successful parish (of course, that was during SlavtoberFest, who knows what a regular weekend there is like?).

Friends,
Sounds like the "grass is always greener on the other side" sentiment. The RC's are losing people by the tens of thousands every year, so if what you say about the UGCC and what others say about the Antiochians growth they should both be bigger than the Roman Catholic Church in the USA in about 20 years.

Well, I dunno, I plan to help out my local RC and Ruthenian Byzantine Parishes as long as I can, but if they turn out being deserted ghost towns, guess then it would be time to talk with Fr. Bohdan down at St. Josaphat, and join up with them, if that's what it takes.

Interesting the UGCC is seen as growing somewhere. Not so in the Melbourne Eparchy. Commonwealth of Australia census results for: 2011 - 3055, 2006 - 3621, 2001 - 4607, 1996 - 4302. It does seem odd to have a diocese for 3055 people and so many clergy to look after them. Mind you an example of odd is the 21 Melkites in my vast state of Western Australia and the 3 priests and a deacon for them and they are also counted as part of the 21 souls on the census. Growth can be very strange in eastern Catholic Church term.

Well, that might be true of St. John the Baptist Cathedral, but at the same time, just down the street at Holy Spirit Parish (on W. 54th, about a half a mile away), they still seem to hold a fairly vibrant congregation, the way I see it. Fr. Batcha seems to be a fairly decent homilist on top of that. Sure, it might not have been the same parish as it was under Fr. Dennis' tenure, or Msgr. Vaida, but at least it's a strong Ruthenian parish nearby, although the congregation is aging/elderly for the most part. There are a few younger people there, but not what there was 10 - 20 years ago.