www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Some help for a Westerner moving Eastern?

Hello Everyone!

This is my first post here on the forum. I am a Roman Catholic who was received into the Catholic Church (Latin Rite) this past Easter. Ever since joining the Church I have begun to realize a lack of tradition, consistency and focus in the Roman Catholic Church. I am interested in learning more about some of the Eastern Catholic rites, can anyone list them or provide me with some links? I truly love Eastern Christianity however, where I currently live, there are no Eastern Catholic Churches of any rite. Does anyone have any advice on this matter? I hope to assemble an icon corner in my room soon and begin to pray using Eastern Catholic prayers. However, I will continue to attend the Roman Catholic Latin rite mass. I am also considering Holy Orthodoxy, however my family would be strongly against it as they are mostly Roman Catholic. I hope someone on here can give me some advice, there is also no Orthodox Church near my home either, well one that is in within reasonable driving distance that is. Thank you so much for your advice and replies!

One year (or less) is not very much time to have absorbed the depth of any Church Tradition. Unless your parish is bordering on heresy, I think most people here would say to grow where you are planted. You can always learn more about the various Churches of the East while still in the Latin Church.

Hi John, and welcome to the forum.

It sounds like you have a very bad case of Buyer's Remorse. Might I ask how long your catechumenate was?

Also, you mentioned that most of your family is Catholic ... did they become Catholic at (or around) the same time you did?

(Don't feel obliged to answer either of those. I'm not trying to pry.)

John,

Would it be possible to find a different Roman parish nearby? I really don't mean to discourage you but if there isn't an Eastern parish, attending one won't solve your trouble. The other thing I'd suggest is trying to connect with some people outside of the parish who might help and support you. Is there a religious or monastic community within striking distance where you might find comfort or guidance? I guess what I'm trying to get at is that the tradition of the Latin church is there, whether or not you find a great love of it celebrated or not in this or that parish. You just need guides to it. I will pray that the Lord makes a way for you,
Caleb

John,

I feel your pain. While it is vital NOT to allow eternals become the major focus of your faith, they do help guide us in our faith path. Beauty tremendously compliments truth, but it can not outweigh truth. Beauty must be a subset of truth.

Modern Roman Catholicism is plagued by a lack of reverence and mysticism, and that is why you see hoards of people seeking out mystical alternatives elsewhere. Sadly, they are nto aware of the profound spiritual traditions of the East, whether Eastern Catholic or Orthodox.

I would encourage you, due to the lack of EC parishes nearby, to form a group of itnerested folks that can revive beautiful chant and polyphony of the traditional Roman Rite. perhaps you can form a diocesan group to do such. Traditional Western chant and evensong are profound patrimonies that have largely been ignored.

Have you hear of the Ordinariates and the Anglican Use? God bless you and yours in 2014.

Learning Gregorian chant on your own might be a tall order. What about learning to pray the office?

What about some holy reading? It can be helpful to have a guide, but remember, many of the texts of classic Christianity, whether eastern or western, are readily available in cheap translations. The internet also can give you access to other people for guidance and company, if you don't have people handy on the ground.

Still praying for you, John,

Caleb

John,

Don't listen to any advice stating that you should stay in the Roman rite. That is the worst advice during this current pontificate. Why!!. Most Byzantine Catholics have never heard of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate. It was a religious order established by Pope John Paul II, and nurtured by Benedict XVI. This current Pope has sent a watch dog. Fr. Volpi to disestablish the FFI. Why, because they want to live a "traditional" Roman Catholic life. That's it!. Also notice that Rome focuses more on finding heresy in the SSPX, another traditional Catholic order, rather than dealing with the real heresies that are plaguing the church right now. Pope Francis is continuing what the post Vatican II disenters failed to accomplish in the Roman Rite. That is erase any memory of what the Roman Catholic Church was like before Vatican II. He talks about mercy and a field hospital. But this is NOT for those who value tradition in the West. For them, their is no place in the Inn. Vatican II , may have been a God send for Eastern Catholics. But is was a plain disaster for Roman Catholics. The Pope is disestablishing Papal authority, which may please the Orthodox, but it could mean compromising the faith, unlike in the Orthodox East. I will not go on to further debate this issue. Francis is far from Benedict XVI in a love for traditional and liturgy. But I send a warning!!. If you want a traditional Church. The East is where you need to find a home. I no longer trust the Western Church with this Papacy. I'll never understand what the Major Archbishop of Ukraine sees in Pope Francis. I see someone who doesn't think much about tradition, which is what we all love in the Byzantine East, and is just winging what he says in the Chair of St. Peter. He has sparked so much controversey in what he says and does, that I do not think he was meant for the position. No matter how nice he seems. I think certain liberal heirarches (hipsters) in the "Western Church" got their way. And this is their last stand to destroy the traditions of the Western Church. Like I said I do not want to debate this!!. Lets all face it. The Western clergy want a "Protestant like" Church. In faith and worship!!. Why do certain Protestants seek out the Byzantine East, as well as some Roman Catholics. They don't want to be "Protestant", like the western clergy want to be!.

Okay. A little confused here. You state that you are a Roman Catholic and then say that you were "recently received into the Roman Catholic Church." You further state that your family is Roman Catholic, which makes me think that you may be a revert?

So are you revert or convert?

I don't know what exactly to say other than I feel your pain. I did not want to become Roman Rite when I was converting from Protestantism to the ancient faith of Christianity. I was very blessed to have St. Ann parish right across the river from me, but even now, we have had some problems even in that parish with a loss of Holy Tradition.

The ancient faith, practiced correctly, is like heaven on earth. There is simply nothing like it, not even Roman Traddie Rites. Only in the East do you, as a lay person, actually get to be part of the "litourgia" -- the work of the people. In the West, the priest does it all, you come and receive Jesus and go home. Boooooooring!!!

In the East, we offer our prayers, uniting them with the priest and deacon, and it is a piece of heaven on earth.

I hope you can find that for which your heart is longing!

I'm sorry you see it that way, but I'm glad that you've found a good home in the East.

I'm also sorry that you feel this way and I believe you are misinformed. Traditionalist Catholics tend to use the term "assist at Holy Mass" rather than "attend Mass". There must be a reason for this.

Can I suggest that you read Mystici Corporus and Mediator Dei, both encyclicals of Pius XII to gain an understanding of the Latin perspective on the participation of the people in the Mass?

I greatly prefer the Byzantine rite, but have great respect for the Latin rite and hate to see it misrepresented in this way.

Quote: "Only in the East do you, as a lay person, actually get to be part of the "litourgia" -- the work of the people. In the West, the priest does it all, you come and receive Jesus and go home. Boooooooring!!!"

First of all there is way more physical lay involvement in the OF Mass of the Roman rite than in any Divine Liturgy. That's the main problem with the Roman rite!!. It is the priests job to perform certain functions like, hand out communion, give the homily, etccc. Not the laity!!. Not to mention he is to face God during the Mass, except blessings, homily, etc!. Rather than face the people ALL the time!!. You never read in history about the laity rushing into the Jewish Temple to assist the Rabbi during the sacrifice. This is how the Roman rite has turned from "Catholic" to "Protestant" in worship. Thankfully Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI gave "traditional" Roman rite Catholics back their beautiful Liturgy. the EF Mass or Tridentine Mass. As a lay person I go to the Divine Liturgy or Mass to worship God, through prayer, and not perform the duties of a priest!!!. Hence why I cannot stand the current Of Mass in the Roman rite, thanks to post Vatican II misinterpretation, as so many traditionalists do. Hence why many Catholics, and even Protestants, come to the East. Even "former" Roman(Latin) Catholic priests. To start a new!!