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Hello, everyone. I am new to this Forum. I would like to ask some questions. A few weeks ago my wife & I attended the wedding of one of the women in her office and it was held at a Byzantine Catholic church. I am Greek Orthodox and I was very surprised to find that the wedding service was identical to mine and my wife?s in the Greek Orthodox church except that our wedding service was entirely and Greek and this one last week was entirely in English.

My wife & I were thinking (she is Roman Catholic). We have been going to her Roman Catholic parish and it has a nice mass and all. We have occasionally gone to my Greek Orthodox parish but my wife finds it uncomforable because she isn?t Greek and doesn?t understand Greek (and neither do I for that matter). We are thinking of going back to the Byzantine Catholic Church this Sunday (we got a bulletin and their Sunday Divine Liturgy is at 9:30). The Roman Catholic priest at my wife?s church has been very friendly and I feel comfortable there but we had agreed to go to the Greek Orthodox church and baptize our kids (when we have them) there. Would we be welcome at the Byzantine Catholic church? Is the liturgy the same as in the Greek Orthodox church? Is it also in English or do they use Greek or Russian? Thank you.

Kosmas

Praise be Jesus Christ Kosmos!!! i praise you on your choice of comming back into commuion with Rome!!! I long for the day when ALL churches will be ONE again! =) I am sure your Byzantine Catholic Church will welcome you with Open Arms! and im sure it will be a great middle of the Road for you and your wife! since she is Latin Rite Catholic and your are Orthodox this is a great idea she can keep her Catholic idenity and you can keep your Tradtional form of worship! PRaise God for giving you the insperation to find such a wonderfull comprimise! =) i am far from and Expert but i recall someone saying that most of the Divine Liturgys in this Country are chanted in English "with the Execption of a few parts that are still in slovic" because in the byzantine Rite i hear its common to chant in the launged of the people and in the USA the launged of the people is English ,,,"unless your from Manhatten like me then it would be spanish HAHAHAH" lol just kidding! GOD BLESS!

Kosmas,

You would indeed be very welcome at the Byzantine Catholic Church, and like the Crowning Liturgy you attended the Divine Liturgy would also be in English. Perhaps you could let the forum know which parish you attended, and maybe someone here is a member who could meet with you. If you and your wife find that this a place to make your spiritual home, then by all means speak to the pastor.

John

Kosmas, the liturgy would be very similar. You might notice a few differences, obviously the linguistic differences, and definite musical differences, and some less obvious like the shortened antiphons in the Byzantine Catholic usage instead of the psalms of Typika used in many Greek churches, and the Byzantine Catholic church you attend may not have Antidoron after the Liturgy.

But otherwise, it would probably seem like what you are used to in the Greek Church. You would absolutely be welcome, I'm sure. In my parish, and in many Greek Catholic parishes, the pastor welcomes Orthodox to communion if they so desire. You might want to discuss that issue with the priest beforehand.

Welcome aboard! Maybe you can show the priest how do to kolyvo for Panachyda/memorial services...vasilopita for St. Basil's day...and even though it's not Pascha I just love Christos Anesti! May God bless your family.

[ 09-06-2002: Message edited by: Diak ]

Hi:


Yes, of course.


The Divine Liturgy should be basically the same, although following the Slavic uses rather than the Constantinopolitan uses. But I know that some Greek Orthodox parishes abroad are already moving in this direction as well.


Most Ruthenian parishes will use English with very little Old Slavonic. Melkite parishes will use English possibly with some Greek and Arabic. Ukrainian parishes might go as far as having entire Liturgies in Ukrainian, but they will usually have an English service as well.

In the US, Byzantine Catholic Churches are becoming less and less "ethnic". Whether this is good or bad is not for me to judge, but now English is the most widely use Liturgical language.

At this point I'd like to suggest you consider full communion with the parish you'll be regularly attending. If that would be the Byzantine Catholic parish, this for your wife would only be a matter of paperwork, if any at all. For you, it means being received as a Byzantine Catholic, but you'd no longer be in communion with the Greek Orthodox Church.

From the Catholic perspective there shouldn't be any problem for you to remain Orthodox and still receive the sacraments in a Catholic Liturgy, but I'm pretty sure that the Orthodox Church will have an issue with that.

Being able to understand the Divine Liturgy (English vs. Greek) might not be all that there is to it, but it will certainly help to keep you spiritually well-nurtured. And certainly, being able to fully participate in your parish's life *is* important. It is important for you as well as your wife.

Shalom,
Memo.


Kosmas[/QB]

Dear Memo,

Yes, such participation by both marriage partners is important, as long as they try to do it together.

Remember St Paul's admonitions about husband and wife being separated only for prayer

But then again, how long can you keep praying?

Alex

Kosmas,

Welcome! Where abouts in New Jersey are you from? I live in the Freehold area, myself. I would be interested in knowing which church you attended. I worshipped at "Nativity of our Lord" parish in East Brunswick for a couple years.

Columcille

Wow! Thanks everyone for the answers. We haven't gotten back to the Byzantine Catholic parish for Sunday liturgy but we hope to be able to get there some Sunday soon. This bulletin board is really interesting. I'm learning all kinds of things about the Orthodox Church that I never knew. Its incredible.

Dear Kosmas,

If you are set on having your children baptized in the Greek Orthodox Church--"when you have them"--just remember, that probably will not be possible if you convert to Catholicism.

Abdur