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Dec 29th, 2019
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Dear Brian: If I remember it right, ChristTeen once intimated that, if he were to convert, he would take the road to Rome.  His posts since then tend to confirm his "chosen" journey and I have been anxiously awaiting the C-Day! But he just turned 16 and he has all the time to reconsider. Sometimes, time just stands still. AmdG
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Well, Amado!
I have all confidence in Alex to steer "The Teen" to the East!
We might end up seeing him serving at St Elias Parish in Brampton. A GREAT place to be, I am told!
Peace,
Brian
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Dear Brian: Greetings, again! How about you? Has Alex made a dent on your journey farther East? I thought he constantly reminds you to reconsider stopping your journey at the BCs? AmdG
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Thanks for all the Eastern good will! I haven't chosen the Roman Church over the Eastern Churches yet, or vice versa. There are things in both East and West that I relate to more than the other. Unfortunately it seems I kind of have a patchwork Catholic faith at the moment!  St. Elias in Brampton seems truly awesome, but I couldn't handle the weather up there. I'd have to be kept insulated in a heated bubble!  ChristTeen287
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Dear Amado, I think BOTH ChristTeen and Brian should become BC's. That way, they would have the best of both worlds! But Brian is O.K. I've only been severely testing his resolve. He can consider me a "devil's advocate" As for ChristTeen, our teenager should know that John Wesley himself considered consecration as an Orthodox bishop, used a prayer rope and read the Eastern Fathers widely. He also prayed for long periods of time. He was definitely not a Novus Ordo Catholic Alex
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Dear Friends, With respect to St Raphael and Orthodoxy, this shows a very important historical fact regarding the cultus of the saints. That is that saints are honoured first and foremost in their own Churches, locally or regionally or Church-wide and that other Churches have no obligation to accept their cult. This is why Eastern Catholic Churches should be able to go ahead and glorify their own Saints for their own Churches, without reference to Rome - such previous reference being an unacceptable Latinization. Even when St Josaphat was canonized a saint in 1875, he was ONLY canonized for the Eastern Catholics Churches in union with Rome. His UNIVERSAL CULT that was extended to the Latin Church occurred ONLY in 1888! Add to this the fact that Rome, in 1904, acknowledged the sanctity of 99% of all the Russian Orthodox saints in the ROC calendar and has been "adopting" such Orthodox saints ever since - St Gregory Palamas and St Seraphim of Sarov are but two examples. In fact, all our Eastern Saints, save for Josaphat, the Martyrs of Pratulin, and those glorified in 2000, were glorified by the Orthodox Church and Rome simply accepted the fact. In so doing, Rome didn't adopt their cult, but only acknowledged the permissibility of their cult for the Eastern Churches coming into communion with it. The principle is that we don't question each other's canonizations. The only time something like this came close was with the case of St Job of Pochaiv. He was canonized by the Orthodox Kyivan Metropolitan Dionysius Balaban (my wife's distant relative ) in 1654. In the 18th century, the Basilian FAthers, who were at Pochaiv, promoted St Job's cause as that of a Catholic saint in Rome! There are documents attesting to this fact. Met. Ilarion Ohienko wrote: "Only in unfortunate Ukraine would such nonsense occur - Cardinals involved with the canonization of an Orthodox saint . . ." The matter was later dropped when Pochaiv returned to Orthodox hands. Again, the heads of Particular Churches should, and as djs said, MUST glorify their own saints for the veneration by their Churches. The Pope and the Councils may, of course, extend the veneration of such saints to a universal level, if they so choose. Alex
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Originally posted by Amado Guerrero: Dear Brian:
Greetings, again!
How about you? Has Alex made a dent on your journey farther East?
I thought he constantly reminds you to reconsider stopping your journey at the BCs?
AmdGAlex is a wonderful "ADvocatus Dioboli" But he does have an Orthodox rival in my local OCA parish priest who studied under Schmemann and so maintains a moderate Orthodox way. I certainly feel very much at home in the Orthodox Church. It just seems a fulfillment,A culmination. Of course, there are things and people I struggle with with but this is very common in any area made up of very imperfect human beings
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Dear Brian, Good to hear I have a rival in Orthodoxy! Schmemann came to my rescue during my dissertation defence. So I owe him big time! Perhaps I can repay him through my rival? Alex
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He was definitely not a Novus Ordo Catholic Well I wouldn't consider becoming a N.O. Catholic anyway. Good to hear I have a rival in Orthodoxy! But, Alex, you are Orthodox, simply in communion with Rome! ChristTeen287
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Dear ChristTeen,
And sometimes the whole experience can be one Purgatory of a time!
Alex
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Yes well where's the fun in an easy breezy faith? ChristTeen287
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Dear ChristTeen, OK, so where are you at spiritually, if you don't mind me asking? Are you a High Church Methodist and going to stay where you are? Thinking of going elsewhere? And, if so, what's holding you back? Is there anything we at the Forum could do to help you? I've always been of the view that Methodism is a way of life that can be practiced in either Catholicism or Orthodoxy - it is a spiritual discipline more than a religious faith, although faith does come into it Well, are you ready to come clean with us? Alex
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No, of course I will not stay within Methodism!
I love the Methodist Church and its people, but it is simply not part of the True Faith and is heretical. I have no problem with accepting this truth. This is not to say, however, that I don't respect the Methodist ethos and way of life- - -heck, everyone in my mother's family is Methodist (my dad's family being Presbytero-Catholic). I have attended the First United Methodist Church of my town all my life, and my family is devoted to the church.
I wish to enter the Catholic Church ASAP. However, I have many obstacles.
-I don't know whether I wish to be Eastern or Western (Tridentine, in communion with Rome) Catholic. As I've said before, I relate to different expressions of both East and West. This is a problem for me because I don't want to have what I would call a "patchwork" Catholic faith.
-Even if I knew I wanted to enter the Roman Church, RCIA classes don't start until September, I am clueless to the overall process, haven't consulted a priest, don't even know if the closest Catholic church (30 minutes away) has RCIA classes; I doubt it.
-Even if I knew I wanted to enter one of the Eastern Churches (which one?), the closest Eastern Catholic church is 1 hour 10 minutes away. I don't know the process of entering, or even if there is such a process. Would I be able to attend? I am in high school and my time is truly limited.
-If I were to attempt and materialize my desire to become Catholic right now, how would my parents feel? I have to take that into account. My mother already thinks my religious views are a bit odd, I believe.
So I suppose these are my main problems. If I weren't so selfish and actually put my faith into action I could probably overcome some of these problems. Easier said than done, I'm afraid.
ChristTeen287
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Dear ChristTeen, Then play it by ear, Beloved Sprout! Don't call Methodists "heretics" because you cannot impute heresy to good Christian people who were born into their particular Church and community - so spake St Augustine. Practice your faith as John Wesley himself would, following the Methodist Rule of Life. When you are ready, seek out a priest(s) and get counselling/advice. Begin your walk with God now. I know you've already been doing that for some time Alex
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Dear ChristTeen, Then play it by ear, Beloved Sprout! Don't call Methodists "heretics" because you cannot impute heresy to good Christian people who were born into their particular Church and community - so spake St Augustine. Practice your faith as John Wesley himself would, following the Methodist Rule of Life. When you are ready, seek out a priest(s) and get counselling/advice. Begin your walk with God now. I know you've already been doing that for some time Alex
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