www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Parish Life & Evangelization Would you participate?

Next Sunday at my parish, the priest has the parish celebrating the "Feastday" of the Triumphant Sacred Heart of Jesus. There is going to be a moleben, Divine Liturgy, a procession with a statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, blessing of Sacred Heart Holy Cards, and a consecration of the parish to the Immaculate Heart of Mary under the Patronage of Our Lady of Fatima. Then, there will be a service for the Consecration of Russia to Our Lady of Fatima.

The question I am asking all of you is would you participate in any of these festivites?

Would you even attend that Sunday?

Please, please, please pray for this priest and this parish.

-uc

A worthy meditation from our Holy Father:

Papal Letter on 50th Anniversary of "Haurietis Aquas"
Remembrance of Encyclical on Devotion to Sacred Heart

VATICAN CITY, JUNE 15, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Here is a Vatican translation of Benedict XVI's letter to the superior general of the Jesuits to mark the 50th anniversary of Pope Pius XII's encyclical "Haurietis Aquas," on devotion to the Sacred Heart.

* * *

To the Most Reverend Father Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, S.J.
Superior General of the Society of Jesus

Today, 50 years later, the Prophet Isaiah's words, which Pius XII placed at the beginning of the Encyclical with which he commemorated the first centenary of the extension of the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus to the entire Church, have lost none of their meaning: "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation" (Isaiah 12:3).

By encouraging devotion to the Heart of Jesus, the Encyclical "Haurietis Aquas" exhorted believers to open themselves to the mystery of God and of his love and to allow themselves to be transformed by it. After 50 years, it is still a fitting task for Christians to continue to deepen their relationship with the Heart of Jesus, in such a way as to revive their faith in the saving love of God and to welcome him ever better into their lives.

The Redeemer's pierced side is the source to which the Encyclical "Haurietis Aquas" refers us: We must draw from this source to attain true knowledge of Jesus Christ and a deeper experience of his love. Thus, we will be able to understand better what it means to know God's love in Jesus Christ, to experience him, keeping our gaze fixed on him to the point that we live entirely on the experience of his love, so that we can subsequently witness to it to others.

Indeed, to take up a saying of my venerable Predecessor John Paul II, "In the Heart of Christ, man's heart learns to know the genuine and unique meaning of his life and of his destiny, to understand the value of an authentically Christian life, to keep himself from certain perversions of the human heart, and to unite the filial love for God and the love of neighbor."

Thus: "The true reparation asked by the Heart of the Savior will come when the civilization of the Heart of Christ can be built upon the ruins heaped up by hatred and violence" (Letter to Father Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, superior general of the Society of Jesus for the beatification of Blessed Claude de la Colombi�re, Oct. 5, 1986; L'Osservatore Romano, English edition, Oct. 27, 1986, p. 7).

In the Encyclical "Deus Caritas Est," I cited the affirmation in the First Letter of St John: "We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us," in order to emphasize that being Christian begins with the encounter with a Person (cf. No. 1).

Since God revealed himself most profoundly in the Incarnation of his Son in whom he made himself "visible," it is in our relationship with Christ that we can recognize who God really is (cf. "Haurietis Aquas," Nos. 29-41; "Deus Caritas Est," Nos. 12-15).

And again: since the deepest _expression of God's love is found in the gift Christ made of his life for us on the Cross, the deepest _expression of God's love, it is above all by looking at his suffering and his death that we can see God's infinite love for us more and more clearly: "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

Moreover, not only does this mystery of God's love for us constitute the content of the worship of and devotion to the Heart of Jesus, but in the same way it is likewise the content of all true spirituality and Christian devotion. It is consequently important to stress that the basis of the devotion is as old as Christianity itself.

Indeed, it is only possible to be Christian by fixing our gaze on the Cross of our Redeemer, "on him whom they have pierced" (John 19:37; cf. Zechariah 12:10).

The Encyclical "Haurietis Aquas" rightly recalls that for countless souls the wound in Christ's side and the marks left by the nails have been "the chief sign and symbol of that love" that ever more incisively shaped their life from within (cf. No. 52).

Recognizing God's love in the Crucified One became an inner experience that prompted them to confess, together with Thomas: "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28), and enabled them to acquire a deeper faith by welcoming God's love unreservedly (cf. "Haurietis Aquas," No. 49).

The deepest meaning of this devotion to God's love is revealed solely through a more attentive consideration of its contribution not only to the knowledge, but also and especially to the personal experience of this love in trusting dedication to its service (cf. ibid., No. 62).

It is obvious that experience and knowledge cannot be separated: The one refers to the other. Moreover, it is essential to emphasize that true knowledge of God's love is only possible in the context of an attitude of humble prayer and generous availability.

Starting with this interior attitude, one sees that the gaze fixed upon his side, pierced by the spear, is transformed into silent adoration. Gazing at the Lord's pierced side, from which "blood and water" flowed (cf. John 19:34), helps us to recognize the manifold gifts of grace that derive from it (cf. "Haurietis Aquas," Nos. 34-41) and opens us to all other forms of Christian worship embraced by the devotion to the Heart of Jesus.

Faith, understood as a fruit of the experience of God's love, is a grace, a gift of God. Yet human beings will only be able to experience faith as a grace to the extent that they accept it within themselves as a gift on which they seek to live. Devotion to the love of God, to which the Encyclical "Haurietis Aquas" invited the faithful (cf. No. 72), must help us never to forget that he willingly took this suffering upon himself "for us," "for me."

When we practice this devotion, not only do we recognize God's love with gratitude but we continue to open ourselves to this love so that our lives are ever more closely patterned upon it. God, who poured out his love "into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us" (cf. Romans 5:5), invites us tirelessly to accept his love. The main aim of the invitation to give ourselves entirely to the saving love of Christ and to consecrate ourselves to it (cf. "Haurietis Aquas," No. 4) is, consequently, to bring about our relationship with God.

This explains why the devotion, which is totally oriented to the love of God who sacrificed himself for us, has an irreplaceable importance for our faith and for our life in love.

Whoever inwardly accepts God is molded by him. The experience of God's love should be lived by men and women as a "calling" to which they must respond. Fixing our gaze on the Lord, who "took our infirmities and bore our diseases" (Matthew 8:17), helps us to become more attentive to the suffering and need of others.

Adoring contemplation of the side pierced by the spear makes us sensitive to God's salvific will. It enables us to entrust ourselves to his saving and merciful love, and at the same time strengthens us in the desire to take part in his work of salvation, becoming his instruments.

The gifts received from the open side, from which "blood and water" flowed (cf. John 19:34), ensure that our lives will also become for others a source from which "rivers of living water" flow (John 7:38; cf. "Deus Caritas Est," No. 7).

The experience of love, brought by the devotion to the pierced side of the Redeemer, protects us from the risk of withdrawing into ourselves and makes us readier to live for others. "By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren" (1 John 3:16; cf. "Haurietis Aquas," No. 38).

It was only the experience that God first gave us his love that has enabled us to respond to his commandment of love (cf. "Deus Caritas Est," No. 17).

So it is that the cult of love, which becomes visible in the mystery of the Cross presented anew in every celebration of the Eucharist, lays the foundations of our capacity to love and to make a gift of ourselves (cf. "Haurietis Aquas," No. 69), becoming instruments in Christ's hands: Only in this way can we be credible proclaimers of his love.

However, this opening of ourselves to God's will must be renewed in every moment: "Love is never 'finished' and complete" (cf. "Deus Caritas Est," No. 17).

Thus, looking at the "side pierced by the spear" from which shines forth God's boundless desire for our salvation cannot be considered a transitory form of worship or devotion: The adoration of God's love, whose historical and devotional _expression is found in the symbol of the "pierced heart," remains indispensable for a living relationship with God (cf. "Haurietis Aquas," No. 62).

As I express the wish that the 50th anniversary will give rise to an ever more fervent response to love of the Heart of Christ in numerous hearts, I impart a special Apostolic Blessing to you, Most Reverend Father, and to all the Religious of the Society of Jesus, who are still very active in promoting this fundamental devotion.

From the Vatican, May 15, 2006

BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

IMHO, I have faith that prayer -- whether "Western" or "Eastern" in heritage is always a good thing!! I believe the more varied the services and prayers are in a parish, you will eventually touch each parishioner spiritually and make the congregation a true church family!

"Would I even attend" Absolutely. I would never not go to church on Sunday because of a service or the way something was being done that particular week. I also agree with what Mrs. H said. I think, however, that I may worry if this feast was taking the place of a more Eastern feast then I would have to ask some questions.

In Christ,
Katie

Is the priest perchance, "bi-ritual" as the term goes?

CDL

He is American born of Ukrainian descent, and is a regular Eparchial priest.

He's young, too.

-uc

This would be laughable if it were not so tragic. This is at an Eastern Catholic parish, right? Ukrainian? And the priest is doing this? These devotions have their place in the Western Church, but they are not appropriate in an Eastern Catholic parish. They are, frankly, Latinizations. You have posted about your parish priest's Latinizing tendencies for some time now, but I don't remember anything this egregious. The real question is, Will you continue to attend that parish ? (And, has anyone notified the bishop about this?)

-- John

You reported the antics of this priest before, and how they have wrecked the liturgical tradition already in place in his parish.

I hope he changes his ways. What do the parishoners think of this?

~Manoli

Have you spoken with him about these things? How about your bishop? In any event the only reason I'd go is in order to discuss the abuse with your priest afterward. Otherwise, go someplace else.

CDL

I disagree vehemently with this idea, with the exception of the first sentence.

If you want "varied" services and prayers, there' no shortage of churches-- like the Episcopal parish mentioned in another thread-- where you can have liturgical dance and "icons" of Malcolm X dancing with Elizabeth I. You can have all the "variation" you want. Worship is about Truth, not "feel-good" sentimentalism. If I wanted that, I'd have stayed in the West.

Of course there's nothing *wrong* with western traditions or prayers-- but I came East because I want *Eastern* worship, tradition, and prayer. That's why I drive thirty miles each way to and from my Byzantine rite parish instead of going across the street to the Roman Catholic parish.

The situation in Ukrainian Catholic's parish is dangerous-- precisely the kind of thing that is destroying the Eastern Rites in the U.S. If we're to survive, we must lose the Latinizations, as our previous Holy Father exhorted us to do, and be true to our Orthodox spirituality.

Furthermore, the Western devotion of the Sacred Heart is not something that is really acceptable in the East; Jesus is to be worshiped as a whole Person, and therefore it's not considered proper to worship parts of His body. That's the rationale, anyway...

God bless,

Karen

I've been lurking for a bit, and have not responded until now, as I was feeling that my reaction may be considered a bit too intense.

However, I agree completely with MizByz's statement, and since she made it I am emboldened to put on record my agreement with her.

Harmon3110,

Yep. It's a Ukrainian Catholic parish. Our parish is split into 2 factions: Ukrainians and Tridentines. The priest totally favors the latter, and his theology, political, and social views are even more "conservative" than your typical SSPX member (Tridentines at the parish). He has now added Western artwork inside the church building, and is now celebrating Latin feastdays. The paradox is that he is Ukrainian and was raised Ukrainian Catholic.

Thymiato,

The Ukrainian parishioners either don't like all of these changes or Latinizations (we were being formed into a very Eastern-minded parish until this priest came along) or they don't care and won't attend anything outside of a Sunday Divine Liturgy.

The Tridentines are foaming at the mouth with joy. The priest in question at one point offered to do Latin Masses (the Tetropod as the Altar) but the parish council overwhelmingly blocked it.

CDL,

The priest only listens to his Tridentine advisors. He attends their events, such as protests at the RC diocese chancery, but never shows up at Ukrainian events because he says social events take away from prayer time.

MizByz1974,

I couldn't have said it any better.


I post things about this preist and the parish to inform people that Latinizations, even extreme ones, still exist. We need to promote a culture of Orientale Lumen .

We need to recover our identity, or discover it for the first time, and if we want reunification with the Orthodox, we must become truly Eastern.

We also need to pray for all of our priests and our bishops.

-uc

Dear UC,

You know, it drives me nuts when Latin Trads attend Byzantine parishes only to get away from the liturgical travesties in their own Rite, rather than out of love for the Byzantine Rite. What happens is that they complain because the parish is Byzantine and not Traditionalist Roman Catholic. Well, DUH! :rolleyes:

They'd really be better off attending an SSPX church... that way they could be Traditonalist Latin, we could be be Byzantine, and everyone would be happy.

Have any parishioners tried to approach your priest and talk to him about this-- perhaps to give him a gentle reminder that his is a *Byzantine* parish, and not an Traditionalist RC one?

God bless,

Karen

Just a thought, playing the advocate here:

Who contributes the most money in this parish? Could it be certain groups are trying to "buy" it?

Just a thought.

I had the same thought, Michael. Maybe the LTs are the Big Contributors.

God bless,

Karen