www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Pope Urges Eastern-Rite Churches Not to Be Imprisoned in Past

Vladimir:

The interesting thing is that those Romans who change rites are sometimes the ones who reject latinization the most, and who try to clear the Church from Latinization. I recently read an article about a Roman priest who became byzantine, and one of the first things he did was to clean his parish from Latinization and to make it more Orthodox.

Dear Br. Peter:

I believe that the Holy Father is calling on you to share the tremendous spiritual patrimony that you have. While it is important to discuss how it is to be lived and transmitted--translations, clearing it of "latinizations", etc.--it is vitally important to the whole Church and to the world that we hear from you.

After the Vatican Council in the late 1960s, many people in the Latin Church thought that they had to rid the Church of everything that was pre-1960. As a result, many good things were scrapped and a big vacuum developed. To fill it, many turned to so many New Age practices and many others resorted to what has been termed a "kitchen sink" approach: a little knowledge taken home and mixed up in the sink.

I turned to Eastern spirituality and reading. I have continued with it exclusively. My confessors and spiritual directors tell me that I have been a breath of fresh air and a touchstone for their own faith amidst so many attempts at "ongoing formation of the clergy."

So I'm asking you from the bottom of my heart--please share.

BOB

I hope that this doesn't mean that we are expected to strum guitars, sing "Kumbaya" and get in touch with our "inner child". I prefer the LORD!

I would say that from the success of some Orthodox churches such as the Antiochian Archdiocese in attracting converts, there are those who see the beauty and countercultural significance of Orthodoxy, and do not see the Orthodox Liturgy as anachronistic, outdated, extraneous, too long, or insignificant.

At the local Orthodox parish here, they have a very full liturgical life, with all of the choir and readers and all of the subdeacons except one being converts. They obviously found something in the fullness of the Orthodox liturgical tradition, and not in some simplified "renewed" liturgy.

Too much value is placed on some exaggerated need for "liturgical accessibility" or "renewal". We have all of the tools we need. We need to be taught how to use them. The Kyivan liturgical tradition is a true gem. With good English translations, proper liturgical catechesis, good music...the sky's the limit and good things will happen.

Well, I don't think the Pope refered to those kind of reforms, but to overcome the disputes between Catholics and Orthodox, and to fully restore the byzantine heritage of the Eastern Churches, this would be the positive and optimistic interpretation.

It is also good to know, that modern Eastern Catholic parishes are now in a proccess of de-latinization, and not in a proccess of modernization or "liturgical reform". The most dangerous moment (60's, 70's) has passed, and you could resist it. :rolleyes:

But what is the role that latinization plays in this issue? Would it be probable that Churches which were more latinized, were more exposed to liberalism?

At that time the Maronites, for example, also implemented some reforms in the liturgy, like the priest facing the Congregation, abreviated litanies, Eucharistic ministers, didn't they (correct me if Im wrong please)?

How about this influence among Orthodox? The "low" liturgies (shouted or spoken liturgies, or rarely sung.), for example.

Volodymyr,

"Referring to your post evangelizing like the West and us "ceasing to exist", would you explain to me more fully what you mean?"

Sorry about my part in any confusion. I don't know what it might mean to "evangelize like the west". I'm not sure that there is a Western" as distinct from "Eastern" way to evangelize.

I love going door to door and handing out tracts. I love representing Christ and our parish at Chamber of Commerce events. I love inviting my friends and neighbors and students to Church. I love telling the story of a God who pursues us with love so much that He gave His only Son. I don't see how this is Eastern or Western.

What I do find troubling is any notion that in order to appeal to the masses we need to destroy our liturgy as the West has in most part done to theirs, at least in America. If we shorten it in order to appeal to an idealized and imaginary secular man we would be better off dying out. If we cut out or alter parts of the liturgy to appeal to the world, as the west has done, forget it.

The Annunciation of the Mother of God BC Church is very very appealing without making these kinds of compromises, at least not in recent years. Yes, the Church went through many years of Latinizations. In fact some of the older parishioners at first objected to Father's "innovations" at first. Some even left. For the most part the vast majority of the congregation loves the path we are taking. Father has been conducting classes on the liturgy during St. Philip's Fast. Sadly, I've not been able to attend but hope to this week. The reports from the class indicate great interest in returning to the holy kiss and pewless liturgy. Glory to Jesus Christ!

At the same time we have a growing parish due in part to the Holy Spirit's use of our conscious evangelistic efforts. People invite their friends, neighbors and family. More and more of our people are telling the story and God's kingdom is growing.

www.byzantinecatholic.com [byzantinecatholic.com]

Dan Lauffer

Dave:

What I meant about sharing was nowhere what you suggest. The living witness of the Eastern Catholics and Orthodox of all types is vitally needed in the world today.

Not only do we have to talk about the Jesus Prayer, write about it, and sell prayer cords, but we also have to get deeply into it so that we can offer a living experience of it to those who are spiritually starved.

Part of the spiritual hunger in the Latin world today is caused by many of our own traditions being ridiculed in the old and not taught to the young. So what does one do if one wants to do a little more than go to the Liturgy once a week? Try New Age prayer styles? They seem to be making quite a few inroads in so many places.

You have the advantage of having a consistent prayer tradition that springs from your Liturgy. Much of it has been maintained through some incredible persecution and suffering to bring it to this day. Share it with us. I've been looking for an authentic staretz in the Russian tradition as a spiritual director for a long time.

Guitars and the rest? Please, Dave, that's why I shook the dust from my shoes and took my personal spiritual life into an exclusively Byzantine direction over 30 years ago. That stuff is a bit like too much sugar--it gets old fast, too fast.

As far as "inner child," it sounds a bit too New Age for me, thanks. I have a good book that may be available "The Unicorn in the Sanctuary," that is the first published study of the inroads of the New age into the Latin Church because of this type of spiritual vacuum. I found the author on the internet and he recommended some solid study so that the layman can combat this when he finds it. If anything like this comes into your parish, recognize it and fight it.

Keep your traditions and make them the living spirituality I know them to be. Accept no substitutes.

BOB

Theophan,

Thank you for your replies. I was born a Latin Catholic, and only officially made the change last year.

While a monk in a Benedictine Monastery, I got "turned on" so to speak to the eastern spiritual tradition. In 1992 I went to Romania for the first time, and fell in love with the place and the people. I wanted to know what got these people through 40 + years of communisim. I found out that it was thier faith. So I turned to people like Dumitru Santiloae, Paisius Velichkovsky, Elder Cleopa of Sihastria, Theophan the Recule, and the Way of the Pilgrim. Actually I read the Way of the Pilgrim first.

It has been a long journey. A difficult journey, but one that has been directed by God. I feel that I have found a home, and it is a nice feeling.

I would like to write more, but I am in the throws of final exams, so I need to hit the books.

Pace Domnului,

Peter

BTW Why are we still referred to as "Eastern Rite Catholics"? Can't we dump that? Aren't we a sui juris Church? Or is that just pretend?

Dan L

Dear Dan,

The media release had that title and I suppose it is still common in the West to refer to us as "Eastern Rites."

I had a similar experience with a Lutheran chaplain.

When he found out that my Church was "under the Pope," he said, "Why, you are RCs after all!"

For such, agreement in faith with Rome makes us "Roman Catholic" nomatter how we choose to express our worship liturgically etc. It all boils down to the "same thing."

And many might consider "sui juris" to be a phrase used by hog farmers . . .

Something very similar happens with the 'Western Rites' of Orthodoxy.

The Western Orthodox call themselves "Orthodox" in every which way although they use "Western Rites."

One could argue that they are not large enough to warrant being an autocephalous Church, but the fact remains that they use "Rites" period.

Again, we've a long way to go in terms of educating people here . . .

Alex

The term "Eastern Rite Catholics" appeared nowhere in the posted article. It is certainly inappropriate to refer to our Churches as "Rites" rather than Churches, but I don't understand the objection to using rite or tradition as a category for use as an adjective in collectively describing certain sets of Churches. (I can't imagine that the headline would be expanded name all 21 or so of the Churches being addressed.)
What language would you prefer?

How about "Eastern Catholics"? That may not be any better. I don't know. Just trying to struggle along in my own understanding.

Dan L

Dear Dan,

Perhaps "Eastern Catholic" is problematic as it suggests "Catholics using Eastern rites."

Is "Orthodox in communion with Rome" as good for you as it is for me?

Alex

"Orthodox is Communion with Rome" is perfect. Now what we must do is convince our hierarchs and each other that this is true enough to put on our sign boards and letter heads.

Dan Lauffer

Dear Dan,

Perhaps you could head up a special Lay Committee to achieve this.

It could be called "Mission Impossible?"

Alex