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Bless me a sinner, Father Mark!

Interesting!

Every time I visit an Orthodox church, I'm asked to help with carrying this or that!

I like going with lestovka, Cross on a cord, icon buttons etc.

Next time I'll go as a simple layman .

Alex

...prosphora baker? Mind you, in the Old Rite, there's so much antidoron, you spend as much time eating it as baking it!

XB!

Father, bless!

Dear Fr Mark,

Would you allow non-Orthodox such as myself to partake of antidoron? Some of the stricter ROCOR parishes won't, nor will the strict Old Calendarists, but most Orthodox will. I'm merely curious.

Kissing your right hand and asking your continued prayers and blessing, I remain,

Yours in Domino,

Edward

Dear Edward, Khristos voskrese!

Where are you?!?

In the Old Rite we only allow the Orthodox to take the antidoron to be consumed fasting. This does not include communicants who do not consume antidoron that day since they, having received Holy Communion have no need of it - after liturgy that is. Of course, antidoron for the beginning of each day is another matter.

Spasi Khristos -
Mark, monk and sinner.

I think you shouldn't take it personally. The letter from that RC bishop doesn't pertain to you, he can only rule for those under his jurisdiction and if you are an Eastern Catholic you aren't under his jurisdiction. You have an obligation to follow the directions of your hierarchs and traditions. In non-essentials you can chose to conform to the status quo if you wish, but have no obligation to do so no matter what any RC bishop, priest, secretary, et cetera has to say about it. Follow your conscience and good luck educating those folks. I just hope you will be gentle about it. Always remember you can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar...even if its vinegar from the Pope. Don

Bless me a sinner, Father Don!

I think the Pope is into "kvas" these days . . .

Alex

But is he allowed to use leavened bread to make it?

Bless me a sinner, Father Mark,

"Latinized Kvas" is unthinkable!

Alex

When I go to our local Orthodox Church, I usually get asked -- where are the candles? where is the restroom, where is confession????

Apparently, I show up just enough so that I do know my way around and their visitors seem to know it.

I think we should all be knowledgeable and comfortable in our sister-churches.

Dear MonasticBeginner,

I'll never forget the sight of Orthodox believers coming into church with oodles of candles - what an edifying sight!!

And I got so emotional at the ordination on Sunday that I had to ask where the washroom was . . .

It seemed like yesterday that the ordinand and I were working together and we were discussing Orthodoxy.

My favorite question of his was, "Hours? What do you mean 'hours?' Some of the services in the Office are fifteen - twenty minutes long, tops!"

He is really expert in all things Orthodox today though!

Alex

Dear Walosi:

Hang in there. "Blessed are you when Men shall revile you and persecute you . . ."

Been down that road. It is always difficult to be the one who sticks out in the crowd. Remember Our Lord. He gave back love for hate. He "opened not His Mouth."

Continue to be who you are--His servant in a tough situation. Ask Him daily for help.

I lived in a situation like that for a number of years. It strengthened my personal prayer life because that is all I had. And I clung to it like a barnacle. Be thankful you can travel to a mission even once a month. And once you get there, thank God from the bottom of your heart and from the depths of your being for the chance to worship Him in spirit and truth as He has called you to do and with the traditions He has placed you in to do it.

Then pray for your persecutors. And if it is a really unforgiving experience, don't go to daily Liturgy. Now that may sound odd coming from one who has gone daily for many years. But my spiritual director once told me that I should never allow anything to destroy my focus on Christ. And a place--even a particular church--where I was unwelcome was such a place. There have to be alternatives. I'd start with a survey of the Yellow Pages to find all the parishes within the area and start checking each one out.

Meanwhile, you are in my prayers and you can count on particular intensity. I have a personal commitment to all persecuted Christians wherever they are in the world.

BOB

"But my spiritual director once told me that I should never allow anything to destroy my focus on Christ."

WOW! Is there a deacon in the house to shout: "WISDOM!!"

Christ is Risen!!

BB!

Dear Fr Mark,

I'm in London, about to be booted out by my landlord in a week's time, still looking for a place to take shelter in for a few weeks after that. What's up?

May I ask to dinner sometime?

Yours in Domino,

Edward

PREMUDROST!!!!!!!!!!!!

(am racking my brains Edward - there must be an answer somewhere)

Dear Dr. John,

You remind me of the fellow who said, "I never let my schooling interfere with my education . . ."

Alex