www.byzcath.org Forums Mysteries: The Life of Worship Vespers, Matins & the Divine Liturgy The Revised Divine Liturgy RDL 8 Year Anniversary

As the feast of Saints Peter and Paul has just passed the other day, it marked 8 years since the RDL has been mandatory in all BCA parishes.

I was wondering if people here could share what has happened at their parishes in the past 8 years since the RDL has been implemented.

Have vocations increased?

Has attendance gone up?

Have the number of females attending and becoming active increased because of the inclusive language?

Have the number of missions started gone up?

Has singing increased?

Thanks in advance.

Monomakh

Hi Monomakh. I subscribed to this thread more with the intention to read what others say than to speak ... but meanwhile I have come up with a question of my own ...

This is a passage from the document Violations of Vatican Directives Regarding Liturgy in the "Revised Divine Liturgy" promulgated by the Byzantine-Ruthenian Catholic Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh 6 January 2007 (Ruthenian-RDL-Violations-Summary.pdf):

My question, for anyone who might happen to know (or have a good guess) is: Is ^^ this something that many Ruthenian Catholics want to see happen? (I can't say I've encountered many who do, but then again that's not saying much since I'm not very in-the-know regarding Ruthenian Catholics.) And, for that matter, has the Congregation itself given any indication that it might do so?

No vocations at my parish since me.
Attendance has gone down. A lot of funerals, a few baptisms.
No more women than before. Two females read the Epistle now.
I think there may be one more mission then when the RDL started.
Singing remains the same.

Did I mention we still use old books and not the RDL.

I don't want anymore directives from Rome. Time to grow up. If asked I am sure 95% would respond "Huh?" The five percent that would have said yes left already.

Our Eparchy has seen two married priest ordained, and two more deacons studying to be priests in the seminary. We also have had a new celibate priest and deacon ordained in the last year and a half. My parish has one man in formation right now with the new class of deacon students. Our eparchy has six deacon students. Also, a new monastery has started in the Northwest.


My Eparchy has started at least three to four missions (or outreaches as we call them) in the last couple of years.

The RDL (while not perfect) combined with solid orthodox Eastern Catholicism is working out west, in my opinion.

Though not perfect, as said above, it's more important to reawaken the proper liturgical phronema in the sense of offering more services, regularly; It doesn't have to be everyday, either. I think the people of the parish need to have that sense of empowerment, and - dare I say, permission to take ownership of their liturgical life. But, part of that is the proper education on why we have these services, in the first place. I can go on and on, though.

Hello Nelson,

Are you referring to Exaltation of the Holy Cross Monastery in Idaho or a different one? Thank you.

In Christ,
Anthony

Hello Anthony,

I am referring to Duchovny Dom, which was recently established in Weston, OR.

Pray for me,

Nelson

I've only had loose contact with the brothers of Duchovny Dom (dagnabbit, gotta stop thinking of David Duchovny :p): great guys; and Father Josef is a real builder; the place is in good hands, as long as he's looking after it.

It's long past time to grow up. But as long as Ruthenians refuse to act like adults Rome will issue directives each time they misbehave.

Yeah. 95% of "our people" have never heard of any of the official documents. Embarrassing. The people at my parish used to joke about the RDL but that's mostly stopped. They know you have to lump it or leave.

Ruthenians have lost about 6,000 people since 2007. Almost 1/3. I'm told about half of that is through death and the rest just disappeared.

Maybe things will change for the better. Bishop Andrew has gone home to the Lord. The generation of liturgists that gave us the RDL is retiring. At least in Parma no one really cares to enforce the RDL and people are creating their own books. It's a bust and everyone knows it.

I concelebrated Divine Liturgy at the Fort Collins, Colorado outreach last Sunday (their first experience with a deacon). The 3:00 pm Liturgy was well attended at the RC host parish and it was very vibrant with good singing led by a choir which can read music (a great attribute of the re-published pew books.

There is much interest and a good portion of the congregation are Roman Catholics. Father Michael takes special interest in the children who gather around for the Gospel and homily.

Back East here, it is difficult to retain young cradle Byzantines, but I don't think we are an exception. We probably have more vocations from former RC's and Protestants than we do from cradle Byzantines. So that should tell you that we aren't dying. As Mark Twain said, "reports of my death are premature."

Personally I have been in contact with several Byzantine "converts" or 2nd/3rd generation Byzantines whose parents/grandparents left for the Roman Church but are potential vocations. It will take time for them to learn and become entrenched in the Eastern Church but I expect that we will being seeing an increase in vocations in the next decade.

Duchovny Dom Monastery's address is:
Duchovny Dom
Byzantine Catholic Men's Monastic Community
57894 Hwy 204
PO Box 460
Weston, OR 97886

For those of you on facebook, the monastery doesn't have an official presence but you can keep up with it here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/nwbyzcathmensmonastery/?fref=ts

Thank you for that.

I feel like saying "Thank you, you just proved my point" except that technically I can't BC I didn't make a point. But it's the thought that counts, right?

,
You'll need to remind me of our misbehaving and the directives issued by Rome. The last one I remember was about us misbehaving by ordaining married men after we were told to stop.

I took my family to the Holy Orthodox Church.....eight years ago.