Hi everyone,

I'm a Roman Catholic who's seriously considering moving to an Eastern Catholic Rite. This is after several years of strong attraction to Orthodox spirituality. Looking forward to learning from discussions here.

My first question is about venerating Orthodox saints. Is this allowed by Eastern Catholics or must they only be devoted to saints, teachings and writings dated before the great schism? I'm just wondering if as an Eastern Catholic, one has to constantly tip-toe through Orthodox spirituality and worry whether or not a line has been crossed? Thanks.

Welcome aboard!

As a layman, I speak only for myself.

I worry very little about lines of division.

I believe in One Church.

The divisions I see have been created and are sustained by the sins of Hierarchs and Theologians. They show more pride in their scholarship and liturgical practice, than charity toward their Christian neighbors.

I find great joy in learning of all those who have borne witness to Jesus Christ, throughout the world and throughout the ages.

Particularly in the 20th century, where the atheists were trying to exterminate all religion, they threw all of them into the camps. Countless thousands of Russian Orthodox believers carried their crosses to martyrdom, along with many Roman and Greek Catholics.

I see no problem with personal veneration of any Saint listed on the calendar of the Catholic or Orthodox Churches.

Two Lungs-

Well stated on many points.

TWO LUNGS:

Have to echo our brother. Well said.

Holiness is a funny thing--not funny "ha ha"--but something difficult to stuff into boxes and categories. Even more difficult to stake out as something exclusive to one's own group.

The Holy Spirit blows where He wills and takes up residence in the hearts He finds open to Him and to the work He can do in and through them.

I marvel at the depth of wisdom of so many Eastern saints and am drawn to the Optina Fathers, an example of contemporary expression of the eternal wisdom that comes from the Gospels and is lived out by ordinary people in extraordinary ways.

Then look around. God has made lots of saints' bodies incorrupt--if you need a sign. And the phenomenon crosses lines. Is God trying to tell us something? I think so.

I'd say--IMHO--be at peace with the people God has shown to be His own no matter where they might have lived their earthly pilgrimage.

In Christ,

BOB

Thank you, those are excellent answers! I already felt this way in my heart, but was just wondering if Rome has had any specific statements to the contrary.

Слава Ісусу Христу!

When Michelangelo painted his critics in the hell firers of his LAST JUDGMENT they complained to the Pope. He reminded them that Saint Peter was given the keys to the kingdom of Heaven, so he had no power to release them from hell.

My Baba (Granny) use to say we were going to be surprised by two thing when we die. Where we were going to sit, and the other who was sitting with us.

No church has condemned Judas. Of course Stalin may be the first.

Two Lungs,

Do you see a problem with venerating non-Apostolic Christian "saints" or holy people? I'm just curious.

I think we ALL believe in "One Church," as you say. Some of us differ on what that One Church is, exactly.

Alexis

As a Catholic I have a strong devotion to ST Xenia of ST Petersberg. Look her up she is great. I also was told that Pope John Paul of Blessed Memory was devoted to ST Serephim of Sarov. Look up those Saints as well as Elizabeth the new Martyr. (You can find her story at Fr David Stauts website. Her story is very moving.

Pope John Paul II wrote a book, Crossing the Threshold of Hope, in which he mentioned the Orthodox Christian Saint St. Seraphim of Sarov who shown with the brilliant light of Christ.

In doing so, the pope recognized an Orthodox Saint who is venerated by many Catholics. Even in his life, St. Seraphim received Catholics in his cell and prayed for them.

The Greek-Catholic service books published by the Holy See include certain Saints canonized by the Eastern Orthodox since the schism.

Fr. Serge

Dear Fr Serge,

Could you tell us which Saints? Or perhaps a sampling of them if the list is very long?

Fr David Straut

St. Seraphim of Sarov, St. Sergius of Radonezh, and St. Gregory Palamas come to mind right off.

Smallest of points... But with the establisment of the Russian Catholic Church hierarchy under Pope Saint Pius X, it was decreed that they should adhear to their RO patrimony "nec plus, nec minus, nec aliter". One could argue that ALL the saints of the Russian calendar are included there.

*********************
Not to be pedantic... but one is left to wonder if the word saint needs qualification as either "Orthodox" or "Catholic" at all! I understand we are meaning "canonized by the Orthodox (or)Catholic Church" here... But to reflect a bit deeper for a moment... one wonders if the choirs of saints will be divided in heaven. For my part, I say no.

Had I my druthers, I would institute a general feast for "All Martyrs" or "20th century martyrs". Given the fact that Orthodox and Catholic priests, monks, paramonastic sisters, and nuns died alongside each other in manifold Siberian hell holes (can their in fact be ANY schism in a gulag?)... Well those who lived and died together (if I were king of the world) would be commemorated together.

To go out on a limb a bit further, looking out at this vast wide world and seeing that the missionary work of Evangelical Protestants has yielded more than a few martyrs for faith in Christ (not an uncommon or well-publicized occurence in some Muslim lands, to be sure!)... Well I fully expect and concede that if my sorry soul makes it to heaven, I am going to meet a lot of saints none of us ever thought to be looking for.

Pray we all find out.

It's not just Eastern Catholics who can liturgically commemorate an Orthodox saint...

Today, I attended a Roman Catholic Mass celebrated in honor of Saint Sergius of Radonezh.

How is that possible?

Saint Sergius is listed officially in the Martyrologium Romanum, the official martyrology of the Roman-rite Catholic Church.

Article 355c of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal states:



Thus, any Roman Catholic priest who would like to celebrate Mass on Sept. 25 in honor of Saint Sergius can do so, unless impeded by a local feast or local obligatory memorial that occurs on that same day.