Dear Don and Serge,

When I attended the Western Rite conference of the Antiochian Orthodox Church, I noticed that they had many former Old Roman Catholic priests among their number.

In their report, two Western Rite "missionaries" said that they had little problem getting Old Roman CAtholic communities to join with the Antiochian jurisdiction, that more were on the way etc.

I also met an Anglican minister who left his ministry since practically his entire parish went "over to Antioch."

In my community, there is an Old Roman Catholic church of St Francis that collects stray animals off the streets and finds them homes. I also adopted two cats from them, but I felt the inevitable tug at the short leash my wife has me on . . .

They have a very traditional Mass and services, lots of tasteful images etc.

"Noncanonical" yes, "dangerous" - well, at least not for all those animals they are saving.

Don, Serge has his perspective and I respect it. He is a nice guy and we share a common veneration for the Romanovs.

But you could never be classified as a "vagante" except maybe in an "extra" sort of way . . .

God bless and help you deal with the Ukrainians,

Alex

On the overhearing comment ..... in one small church I have been to, confessions *can* be overheard, so Father's solution was to give on of the parishioners/readers the psalter and ask him to chant it, relatively loudly, while confessions were taking place. It seemed to work pretty well

Russian standard operating procedure Sunday mornings: I chant the third and sixth hours while Father hears Confessions, much like you describe.

http://oldworldrus.com

Dear Brendan and Serge,

They do that in the civilized part of the Byzantine Catholic Church that I'm presently associated with too . . .

When we go in procession around the Church with the Winding Sheet on Great Friday, we also often chant the Jesus Prayer so people will be less inclined to talk to one another.

Don't you just hate it when someone just talks and talks and talks?

It all started one year when Father was upset by the fact that we were in procession and all this gabbing was going on.

He told me, "Do something!" And I wondered who I was to do something . . .

We then started saying the Jesus Prayer out loud and that calmed things down.

I'll do that myself the next time I get into a heated discussion here as well . . .

Alex