www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Parish Life & Evangelization 2 steps foward and 20 back

Dear UC,

Yes, that is strange . . .

And, for the record, I am NOT "tight!"

Sometimes the Administrator can be, but I don't think I am

Alex

Ok maybe not tight, but right.

Prayer, alas, is capable of being very bad indeed. Depends on such matters as to whom the prayer is addressed, the content of the prayer and the context of the prayer.

Incognitus

Incognitus,

And if prayer is in Russian.

-uc

(yes, I am only kidding!!)

Dear Incognitus,

Could you elaborate a little bit on that thought for us?

I am presuming that you mean that prayer for unholy things, and in an unholy manner, is not only not a good thing, but a very destructive thing for the soul...(for example: a bitter person might pray to God for someone they dislike or that they feel slighted by to get punished...)

Am I on course here?

Please feel free to correct me!

Your friend in Christ,
Alice

Dear Alice,
You are certainly on course. A "prayer" asking God to bring a calamity on someone is downright sinful - and a "prayer" asking God to refrain from some good act is in about the same category. People being the sinners that we are, such prayers do, unfortunately, occur.
There is a votive office "for the increase of love", which is certainly a worthy cause - but can you imagine someone composing one "for the increase of hatred"? By wrenching certain Biblical passages out of their contexts, such a horror could be composed.
There's also the Black Mass, but let's not get into that!

Incognitus

It seems logical to me that the people who are unhappy with these developments shoud complain loudly and often to the bishop. If he doesn't respond, then go over his head.

Just leaving the parish does nothing constructive for anyone.

Manoli

It seems like the church has some low-level cold war going on. Each group of 'partisans' has an agenda.

This priest is probably a "reactionary", turning back the clock to the 1950's. Perhaps he believes the parish will be stronger and more "correct" as a result, but it looks to me to be counter the intention of Rome, and probably counter the intention of the synod.

I don't know what good it will do but those who are offended by these changes in the parish should complain. First to the pastor and then to the Eparch. They should know that there are disaffected faithful at the parish, a copy of the letter to the Eparch should be directed to Patriarch Husar and another cc to the Papal Nuncio.

+T+
Michael

Did I mention this priest made his own version of the Creed?

Is not that in direct defiance of the Synod of Bishops?

I have a copy of it right here in my nicotine-stained fingers.

God help us.

-uc

Write to the bishop!
Write to the bishop!
Write to the bishop!

Its better than doing nothing.............

Manoli

It has already been done.

Now we play the waiting game.

-uc

If the bishops does not do anything then the metroplitan and then if no joy up the food chain towards the top (Cardinal Prefect of the Oriental Congregation, HB Cardinal Daud).

ICXC
NIKA

Yes, this is a shame. Not because there is anything wrong with western devotions, but because they don't belong in our rite.

Our former holy father told the Eastern Churches to lose the Latinizations and return to their own traditions... I don't understand why we aren't doing this.

BTW, I have heard that Latinizations are especially bad in the Ukrainian church. Is this true?

"BTW, I have heard that Latinizations are especially bad in the Ukrainian church. Is this true?"

I think they are pretty bad in both Ruthentian and Ukrainian Catholic parishes.

More work has been done in the past 20 years to rid us of them, yet many parishes and priests still blindly promote Latinizations.

The aforementioned priest is still very young, which is scary.

In the UGCC here in North America, there are shining examples of Eastern rewnewal in such places like:

St. Nicholas Parish, Toronto, ON.
St. Elias Parish, Brampton, ON. (www.saintelias.com [saintelias.com])
The Sheptytsky Institute, Ottawa, ON.
St. Michael's Parish, Philadelphia, PA.
Sts. Volodymyr and Olha, Chicago, IL.
Ukiah Mission Parish, Ukiah, CA.
Nativity of the BVM, Los Angeles, CA.

I am sure there are many more but the above list are some of the shining examples of renewal.

What is funny is that IMHO, the priest is the one who "Latinizes" or not.

I think most parishioners either don't care or are receptive of returning to our heritage and traditions.

And yes, unfortunately there are many bad apples in the UGCC priesthood. It is just the way things are. But, Slava Bohu there are some fantastic, holy priests that are great and solid academics and wise pastors.

As a good priest friend of mine says, in the next 20 years we may further decline to the point of near extinction, but then, through prayer, we can experience a new Pentecost. It happened in Ukraine, and I pray to God daily it will happen in the Diaspora.

BTW, welcome to the forum!!

-uc

Dont forget HRM is strictly no Latinisms either.

ICXC
NIKA