www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology 'Healing Service' held by lay 'Minister' Eileen Dropic at Greek Catholic Church?

I went to what IMO is a 'progressive' Byzantine Church in the Cleveland, OH area and found a flier stating the following:


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Divine Liturgy and Healing Service

Tuesday - July 19, 2005 at 7:00 PM

St. Joseph Byzantine Catholic Church
8111 Brecksville Road
Brecksville, OH 44141

You are invited to an evening of healing centered on the Eucharistic Love of Jesus. Eileen Dropic of Our Lady Queen of Grace Healing Ministry, Brookpark, OH will conduct the healing service following the Divine Liturgy. She has conducted numerous healing services in Ohio and Florida. Her Love for the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus has led her on a journey filled with trials and triumphs in an effort to reach out to the sick and suffering.

All who are in need of the healing grace of Jesus Christ are welcome to attend.

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My understanding is that she has been there before and she lays hands on people and tries to cure them of their afflictions.

Isn't this why we have annointing with oil by an ORDAINED PRIEST and not someone who claims to have powers. I would expect to see this on the 700 Club or at some other Protestant venue but to this at a Greek Catholic Church is interesting to say it in nice way.

Is this going on elsewhere in Greek Catholic or Orthodox Churches?

Michael Cerularius

Michael:

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Father Sid Sidor has been conducting the Paraklesis on Wednesdays at 7:00 pm since October 2004 at St. Athanasius in Indianapolis, Indiana.

He has been also teaching a healing class since October 2004.

We have documented cases of healings!

All the best,

Scott

My question is not whether Priests are doing healings (which it sounds like from your posts is happening and I appreciate the post) but whether people who are not ordained are doing this in other Greek Catholic and Orthodox churches. I apologize if my post was not clear.

Michael Cerularius

Michael:

John 14:12

All the best,

Scott

Happy Feast Day!

This is actually quite thought provoking...

I do not have any issues with lay people healing others. Far be it from me to tell the Holy Spirit what he can or cannot do through or to others!!!

Praying for healing is one thing. But advertising a healing "service" where she comes and prays over people after Divine Liturgy? I'm not so sure that resonates well with me. Now someone offering a meditation on healing through the Eucharist with some type of prayer service following is fine. I have a harder time with advertising that she will be laying hands on people.

My two cents...

Many years!

Gordo

John 14:12

Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.

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Anointing of the sick is a form of healing by prayer. It is a sacrament much like baptism, the Eucharist, penance, etc.

You can tell me John 14:12 all day long but just because I forgive people for sinning against me doesn't mean they don't have to go to confession still even though John 14:12 says I can do works jsut as great as Jesus Christ.

This isn't to say that Ms. Dropic does not have good intentions and is not a spiritual person. But to publically advertise, have this service right after a divine liturgy, and have a lay person leading a healing service?

Michael Cerularius

:rolleyes: While I am not trying to a wise guy, I must state "Welcome to the infection of the charismatic movement'. No clergy need to be present. I say this in a rather nasty tone, but I have witnessed this from the RC members of my family, who are also involved with the "Charismatic Renewal" as I believe it is called. I find that it is a movement that operates with a blessing from Rome, but is totally unchecked in this country.

The experience I am about to relate to illustrate this point, is by first hand encounter. A number of years ago I decided to make a sick call to an deacon in a nursing home. I had everything in my sick call kit, but unction or even blessed oil. I happen to stop by my parents home for a visit before going to the nursing home (both the home and my parents are several hours from my home), mainly for lunch and a brief visit. When I stated the purpose of my visit, I also stated that I felt bad that I forgot my container with unction or even a vial of blessed oil. With that my mother states that if I need blessed oil for healing, she had some. Well, I questioned her about this, for to my knowledge, a sacramental like this is generally not given to laity in the latin tradition. My mother stated that it was blessed at her Catholic Charismatic meeting a couple of nights prior. I went on to inquire would was the consecrators of this "blessed" oil. Well, it happens that it was one nun, a quaker, and several ladies of this prayer group, no clergy present at all. She went on to state that the pastor of the parish had no problem with this type of "ministry" going on in his parish, because it gave them something to do. Needless to say I bit my lip, and declined the "blessed" oil.

So by the above post I see that this has crossed over the ritual lines to the BCC parishes. I can only pray that some strict guidelines are put into to place. It is one thing to be involved in a ministry, for we are all called to use our gifts God has given us. It is another thing to incorporate Protestant spirituality and their denial of the sacramental priesthood. I question many things regarding the Charismatic Renewal, but we will leave that for another time.

The church (Roman, Byzantine, & Orthodox) provide many forms of services and sacraments for healing. These are tried and true ways. Why do we have to start bringing in Protestant ways, espesially since they are the one that began the rejection of the priesthood and the sacraments. We do no need to go there, for they are probably more spiritually starved then the people they minister to.

Sorry for spouting off, but I see the delusion in my mother's face that time, and this from someone that had a full Catholic education before the Second Vatican Council. I only pray that this priest had the blessing of his Ordinary before doing this, or I can see that he might be in for a bad few weeks to come when his bishop does find out.

Please forgive me,
Father Anthony+

Fr. Anthony, I agree with you. I think the Charismatic Movement will eventually move right out of the Church. This is really scary.

Dear Michael,

How I would love to see publicly advertised that a certain parish, any parish, anywhere (I would be willing to travel a long way to attend this), that seven Byzantine Catholic priests were gathering, and were going to celebrate the mystery of holy anointing!

I would like one of our parishes to say that these seven priests were going to pray seven times over the oil, read the seven gospels, pray the canons for healing, and anoint the sick asking for healing. This is such a wonderful and moving prayer.

The lives of the Saints are full of stories of God healing the sick, through the prayers of laymen and laywomen, miracles happen. So I don't wish to take anything away, or criticize, maybe God has given healing graces through laymen and women today. (I know he does, and I have seen it.)

But I think what should be published in the Churches, and what should be celebrated is the service of healing which tradition has given us. What are the priests doing that is so important that they cannot gather for these prayers?

And it should be celebrated without abbreviation, deviation... (oh sorry, ....wrong thread!)

Nick

Would a cooperative effort be in order? If the priest oversaw the anointing or if both the priest and the "prophetess" together be acceptable?

I'm amazed by the beauty of our tradition but I also wonder why the work of ministry isn't expanded more. I see many otherwise talented lay people doing next to nothing in the Church because they aren't allowed. I recognize the danger of openning things up but I also recognize the fuller danger of shutting off the laity.

This discussion could easily morph into all sorts of areas but for now, why not lay healers? Or why not train these lay healers and commission them in some way?

My bridge to the BCC was the Protestant Charismatic movement. If Annunciation weren't alive I doubtless would not be there. Yet, I think there are many gift unutilized even at Annunciation. How might we utilize more people in the work of the Lord?

Dan L

I try to reserve judgment but Charismatic pra tices always send up a warning signal in my head for some reason. I guess I would have to be skeptical of a Charismatic healing service if it consisted only of laity and nuns, I believe a priest should be there if these things are to be done at all.

A Sister In Christ

What is the "Eucharistic heart of Jesus" mentioned in the advert?

Dear Professor Dan,

Yes, my becoming more Eastern was a result of a study I conducted on a local Catholic Charismatic prayer group. I didn't really like the Charismatic Renewal, but I found the elements of it that I believe are positive in the Eastern Church with her emphasis on Theosis, the Life in Christ, the Holy Spirit, the deified Saints, the glory of the Theotokos!

The main danger of the Charismatic Renewal is precisely its Protestant emphasis on the believer being able to experience God's mystical (sacramental) power directly.

"Inner Light Piety" is what it's called, I believe.

Alex

My experience is similar to yours. I heard "inner light piety" used regarding Quakers but I don't recall it used among Protestant Charismatics. Perhaps it is common among Catholic or Canadian Charismatics. I believe I understand the concept.

Dan L

The RC Church where I am organist has two "annointings of the sick" each year. It is conducted by the pastor. Believe it or not, some folks have even gotten well or at least had improved health afterwards. I can accept a priest in this role because of an actual link to the apostles, but I don't see laity ever being able to claim the apostolic connection. Now granted, the prayer of a righteous person is powerful with God, as scripture tells us. I could see such prayer helping someone, but laity have no sacramental powers.