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My Brothers and Sisters,

Normally I try to answer questions, but today I'm asking for questions. I'm in the process of writing a book about the Eastern Catholic Churches for people in the West. This is being done in a question and answer format.

To that end, I'd like to ask each of you to submit questions you think the average Roman (Latin) Catholic would like answered. Or, perhaps, questions you think are most appropriate for a book of that nature.

Please remember that I'm covering all 21 of the Eastern Catholic Churches, not just those of the Byzantine Rite.

I thank you all in advance,

Edward, deacon and sinner

Oh wow ! Now that really is a wee project


One question I always hear in Lourdes is - where are the Statues ?

And since I am often the only English speaking person there in the quiet and peaceful prayer filled Church I have to try and answer that one - and as a Latin, albeit Eastward inclined , it's not too easy.

Next one I have been asked is

Why do you bow before that small table with the Cross and Picture ? [ well those are usually the words used - sorry ]

Anhelyna

Here's a question asked all too frequently which always throws me for a loop: "do you believe in the Pope?". Well, er, no - the Pope is not an object of faith. A variant goes "are you under the Pope?" - since the image this conjures up is not exactly edifying, I'm never quite sure what to respond, so my usual feeble effort is to say that "we are with the Pope", but that never seems to satisfy anyone.
Incognitus

Here are a few:

"What is the difference between 'rite" and 'church?'"

"Why do you make the sign of the Cross so strangely?"

"What do you mean you give Communion to children? Does the Pope know about this?"

"Why does the priest have his back toward the people?"

"What's a Patriarch?"

"What's an Ecumenical Council? I've never heard about that."

"You mean there's another way to pray with beads other than the Rosary?"

[and finally... this one is actually from a well-known Cardinal...]

"Aren't you REALLY Roman Catholic? I mean, you DO come under the Pope, like us, and therefore, we are ALL Roman Catholic. You just use a different rite!"

[to which I charitably responded: Your Emimence, with all due respect, your question and comment would fundamentally disappoint and perhaps anger a good many of the members of my Church.]

You have married priests and you are still Catholic?

How can you give Confirmation before the age of reason?

Why don't you kneel during Mass? Isn't that disrespectful?


Father Deacon, you may also want to check out Father George Appleyard's book "Light of the East" which he, a priest of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Parma, wrote for a Roman RCIA program.

Father Deacon,

Here are a couple I've gotten:

You guys are so Orthodox-ish... why do you even want to be Catholic?

If the Catholic Church is supposed to be "one, holy, catholic and apostolic," I should be able to go to any Catholic Church, anywhere in the world, and do things the same way... why do you guys want to be so different from "real" Catholics?

I'm sure I'll think of more!

a pilgrim

The question I have been asked is, "why don't you use unleavened bread?"

Some questions that many Latin rite may ask:

What is an Exarch? Do you have to be a Bishop?
What is a Eparch?

What is an Archimandrite?
What is a mitred Archpriest?
What is an Archpriest?

What is a chorbishop?

oO0 (nudges Deacon, looking hopefully at him, and pleads the case for including the Byzantine Georgian Catholic Church)

My all time favorite ... not really in the form you need ... but these were directed to a friend of mine, not by a Latin, but by an old acquaintance, a long-time non-observant EC, entering an EC church for the first time in 2 decades. The occasion was a wedding in the restored (read "de-latinized") church in which the EC grew up:

What happened to this place? Where's the statues and the altar rail? How are you supposed to see the altar with that wooden thing in the way?

And, afterwards,

What was with those crowns?

Many years,

Neil

One question I get occasionally:

Why do some Eastern Catholics talk about delatinization? That almost sounds like you're anti-Roman Catholic!

Pussywillows?? You gotta be kiddin' me! :rolleyes:

Obvious question: "What is 'intinction'?"

Excellent question: "I thought the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father AND the Son?"

I want to thank you all for the good questions so far. I feel like Number 5 in the movie Short Circuit -- need more input!

Irish,

Most of the Churches will be covered generically (the book is targeted for about 140 pages, so there's a limit to what I can do).

Edward, deacon and sinner

Deacon Ed,

You said 21 - and if I remember a prior exchange of posts between us on this point, it was the absence of the Georgians that led you to your total of 21, rather than 22.

Many years,

Neil