www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West How would you handle anti-RCC Eastern Catholics?

I know I have talked to some privately about this issue, but I'm curious as to what others have to say about this. I have met some EC's who are very anti-RC, and it keeps me from wanting to become Eastern Catholic. What do I do? Thank you!

This is a hard one! I straddle the fence since I am Byzantine Catholic, and also music director/organist for a RC church. Obviously, I am not anti-RC and consider them to be as much a part of the Catholic Church as my Byzantine Church. I think part of the problem you mention comes from easterners with long memories of Latinizations forced on the east, and the battles to come out from under those. In other cases, I suspect the anti-RC feelings are just cases of slavic nationalism from newly-created slavic countries that were formerly provinces of the U.S.S.R. I find much of that to be pretend nationalism, since it is exhibitied by people in North America who bear none of the trials or sacrifices suffered by the people actually in those slavic countries. I guess you could call it victimhood by proxy. In any event, it makes no sense for Catholics eastern or western to be against any part of the Catholic Church. I think you can safely say that obnoxious people exist in both lungs of the Church and they will be with us until the end of time. Don't let this keep you away from the east if you believe that is where God wants you. There are many people in the east who are not anti-RC, and I suspect that we are in the majority.

Thank you for the reply! Good insight!

One thing that concerns me is that some anti-RCers in the ECC are from the RCC, and left the RCC because of the abuses. What do I do about such people who come from the RCC, became ECC, and are anti-RC because of the abuses? Thanks!

Glory to Jesus Christ!

What do you do? Just deal with it. I made (am making) the transition from West to East, and the fact that I know people on both sides that are trying to pressure me against the change does not bother me. If you love Eastern spiritually, then go for it. Are some Byzantines anti-Latin? Yes, and there are some on the Latin side who are the same way. Neither should affect your spiritual life.

Besides, Catholics who have prejudices against members of other Churches sui iuris are missing the point. Life in the Church is about giving oneself completely to Christ -- to strive to perfection and to strive to be holy and humble -- regardless of what tradition helps one to achieve this.

--Mark Therrien

I know that at my parish (Ss. Cyril and Methodius in NC) we do have a large amount of Latin Catholics. However, the ones that are come out of disdain for the Pauline Liturgy eventually leave because they eventually realize that the Byzantine Church DOES NOT EQUAL 1950's Roman Catholic Church.

The ones that do adopt Eastern customs -- standing instead of kneeling, Presanctified Liturgy instead of Stations of the Cross, the Akathistos hymn, etc. -- stay (and are assets to the parish life!)

--Mark Therrien

Thank you!

The hardest part for me is to ignore these anti-RC and anti-EC comments. I take them as personal attacks, and its hurting me. What should I do?

ByzanTN writes "it makes no sense for Catholics eastern or western to be against any part of the Catholic Church. "
This of course is indisputable, but not particularly helpful, because prejudice and bigotry are by definition senseless. Various examples of these phenomena can even be found once in a while among our own posters.

But now to the original question:

a) it does happen that there can be genuine pain because of the actions either of Roman Catholics in position of power (Archbishop John Ireland of Minneapolis comes to mind IMMEDIATELY!) or of various offices of the Curia in Rome whose treatment of the Eastern Catholics, or of specific Eastern Catholic Churches, is, ah . . . less than encouraging. If such a problem is at the root of the pain your friends are expressing, the best thing to do is try to understand. It can be particularly difficult for someone who is determined to remain within the Catholic Church despite what he perceives (not always wrongly) as manifest injustice towards his own particular Church. I refrain from giving a list, but it wouldn't be hard to compile one.

b) then there is the case of the bark being a lot worse than the bite! I myself would never be bothered to criticize the Bahaiis, for example, because they have no connection with and seldom, if ever, intrude upon my concentration. Roman Catholicism, whether it wants to or not, cannot be ignored. A reaction to that often takes the form of suggesting that our Churches have merits which the Latins overlook entirely too often (which is true in itself) and hence . . . well, you get the idea. But annoyance is not the same as bigotry.

Hope that's of some help.

Incognitus

Thanks for the reply! I'm still curious though, how do I ignore the attacks against the RC from the EC's? I seem to take them as personal attacks. What should I do?

How do you ignore the attacks?

PRAYER, the one true way and sure fire way at that to change a persons heart is prayer. Praying first that God will remove the plank from our eye, so he may remove the splinter from the other person's eye. Also, praying for wisdom, understading, and perseverance and spending as much time in thanksgiving as in supplication. Turn off the TV and go sit in adoration of the Eucharist, or before the icons at home, spend time in meditation of Christ. That will change the heart of the person, you may agree to disagree, but there will be peace. God told Paul his grace was sufficient, he never said the changes we would make in our lives would be easy, but that he would provide through his grace our needs as we walk through the trials.

Often times one sure way to know we are walking the right way is by the incidious darts the darkness of the world throws at us. Then we must turn to prayer, the sacraments - especially reception of the Eucharist and Confession, and the Bible. Christ said he would not leave us orphaned and he didn't. He is the Word made Flesh, who resides in the flesh with us, also resides in the Word with us, by the grace(defined as power) of the Holy Spirit we can withstand all things through Christ who stregthens us.

Pani Rose

Hi drewmeister2...Looks like Pani Rose and I were posting at the same time again. So please excuse if anything I say here is a repeat. I typed this before reading hers.

Anyway, here is mine.

The best thing you can do is to keep praying, especially for wisdom, because, as you can see, this isn't going to change easily or quickly. Also, not all Byzantine Catholics nor all Eastern parishes will treat you this way...look for a friend or friends.

If remarks are aimed against you personally...that is one thing...but I wouldn't take anti-R.C. remarks personally just because some for various reasons talk this way in your parish.

It is good not to enter in when others start bashing any church...Roman Catholic, Eastern Catholic, or other. In refusing to do that you may be able to help indirectly encourage others to be less critical.

What you can do is go on with what you feel is right for you and where you think God wants you to be.

Joining my prayers with yours for this situation and for God's grace and strength for you.

Peace in Christ,

Porter.

Hey Porter it is the Holy Spirit thing again

Yep, seems so, but I didn't want them to think I was copying you...although yours is always worth repeating...



Mary Jo

I think you just have to be a bigger person than those making the attacks. My parish has been visited by some Traditional RCs considered by the local bishop to be schismatics. They were bitter and hostile, but didn't stay around for long, since we were not the Tridentine Mass they were seeking. I sympathize with those who love that mass and I spent 4 years helping a group gather petitions and submit them to the local bishop. They did get their mass, which makes me happy. There is often a wrong way and a right way to do things, and this group went through proper channels and did things the right way. Everyone is not going to love us. Didn't Christ say that the world would hate us? Don't let the critics deter you from doing what God wills for you. Follow Him where He leads and don't look back.

Yep, seems so, but I didn't want them to think I was copying you...although yours is always worth repeating...

HUMM no blushing thingy - this will work

If anything is worth repeating it is cause the Lord is there. You my dear Sister are too kind!

Pani Rose