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Last Sunday I attended a Ukranian Greek Catholic Church for the first time. It was a very educational experience.

I started having fears when I entered through the Church Hall which I thought was the Church. The Church and Hall are connected in an L shape. The Hall is actually bigger than the Church. The Hall faces East, while the Church faces South. The Hall connects directly to the Nave, with no separate Narthex.

The Parish does not have Vespers on Saturdays and the Eves of Feasts, nor does it have Matins/Orthros. The Parish does however have 2 Sunday Liturgies, 9:00 A.M. in English and 10:30 A.M. in Ukranian. I attended both Liturgies. The Ukranian Liturgy was the first tme that I had experienced a Divine Liturgy or Mass in a CATHOLIC Church that was more than 10% in a language other than English. FYI Lenten Fridays this Parish will have the Pre-Sanctified Liturgy in the morning and Stations of the Cross at night.

Both Liturgies were served by the same Priest. I do not know if he changed the Antimension for the second Liturgy.

The English Liturgy (The first one) was chanted, however it definately had a lot of "Low Mass" charachteristics. There was one Altar Server for the English Liturgy, a nice elderly man in a suit and tie (no vestments). Father did not use the incense for the First Liturgy. Also, several things were skipped, for example the Third Antiphon. Also, what I call the "Not so Great Entrance" was used. I had never seen the "Not so Great Entrance" used in an Eastern Church other than Ruthenian Greek Catholic Churches. The "Not so Great Entrance" is when the Altar Servers and Clergy exit the North Deacon Door and Walk 3 to 15 feet (depending on which door each individual will enter) horizontally in front of the Iconostasis. Whereas, The Great Entrance involves a procession Westward down the North side of the Church, then a little ways South, and then East up the aisle in the center of the Church. The Liturgy Book and the Translation is rather good. We actually prayed for "orthodox Christians," I do not care for the Small O in the Book, but at least it sounds the same as a Big O. Also, the Liturgy Book includes all of the Litanies (to my knowledge) and all three Antiphons. Nearly everyone knelt (on Sunday) for the Consecration. It appears that Pre-Cut Particles were used. During Communion I saw something that I had never seen before in an Eastern Christian Church. The Altar Server held a Diskos/Paten and assumed to be using it as in the Latin Catholic Church, for the purpose of catching falling Communion. I did not see anyone use the cloth to attempt to catch falling Communion. I thought the Diskos/paten was sort of being used instead. Then I noticed that it appeared that people were putting (possibly taking something from the Diskos?). I did not know what they were doing, I thought it appeared as if they were pinching something small and placing it on the Discos. I thought perhaps either they were depositing something they did not want in their mouths such chewing gum or something denture related or that they were giving an offering, perhaps some sort of valuable coin or something. But mainly I was puzzled, I really did not know what they were doing. After the English Liturgy, I got on my tiptoes on the Solea to peak over the South Deacon Door into the Holy Place. First I noticed that there was no Deacon's Table. Then I looked at the Holy Table. On it was the Diskos that I think that the Altar Server was holding. I could not make out what was on it, sitting uncovered on the Holy Table after Liturgy. The Diskos had funny shaped white things on it. Some appeared from my view to be longer than wide. They appeared to be horse pills or chewing gum, but I still could not tell and was rather puzzled. About a minute later I was greeted by a Parishioner and asked her what the Altar Server had been holding the Diskos for and what the people where putting on it? The Parishioner stated that it was "Communion for Alcoholics." The people that did not wish to receive both Species merely got in line, and when it was their turn to receve Communion they merely took a Particle of Communion into their first two fingers and thumb in a pinching like motion (similar to how we hold are fingers to make the sign of the Cross) off of the Discos that the Altar Server was holding. Then I suppose they simply put the Particle of Communion into their mouths and consumed it. (However, I cannot verify that.) The Chant was beautiful and the congregation did a pretty good job of participating. The English Liturgy lasted from about 9:00 to 10:15 A.M.


About 10:20 Father (I followed) left the Social Hall's first Coffee hour to prepare for the second Liturgy.

Father's Pani attended the Ukranian Liturgy, their sons were the Altar Servers. The Priests sons each wore a black Latin Catholic Cassock with no Sticharion. An older fellow in a suit and tie also served this Liturgy, I am not sure if it was the same fellow from the first Liturgy, but I am pretty sure it was. Father used the Incense for the second Liturgy. However he did not incense the whole Church. (I had previously only seen that shortcut done in Ruthenian Catholic Churches.) I also noticed in the second Liturgy that Father was not wearing Cuffs. I did not notice this during the First Liturgy, but I assume he PROBABLY did not wear Cuffs for the First Liturgy either.
The Ukranian Liturgy was attended by nearly twice as many people as the English Liturgy. The Chanting was even better than the First Liturgy. The Pani has an excellent voice! But overall everyone sounded great! A much higher percentage of people sang during the Second Liturgy. The Ukranian Language coupled with the Galicean/Samolica Chant was otherworldly. Father's sons each held a Diskos with "Communion for Alcoholics" for at least part of the Communion of the Faithful. The Ukranian Liturgy featured Epistle and Gospel Readings in both Ukranian and English, as well as the Our Father and Creed in both languages. (Yes, the English translation has "...For us men and our salvation..." Everyone, to my knowledge stood for the Consecration during the Ukranian Liturgy.

Overall the experience was both awful and wonderful.

Things that I did not like included the Lazyizations, the Latinizations, the multiple Liturgies for the same Priest, Altar, Community, etc., the Sermon was not very good-Father tried too hard to be funny and not very hard on instructing the faithful about living a Jesus Christ centered life and reflecting on the Prodigal Son (in my opinion anyway, I did get some good from the Sermon however), no Vespers and Matins, the Lay people carrying a Diskos of Communion, Lay people Communing themselves, nice ladies asking me after Liturgy if I "liked their Mass, etc.

Things I loved included the unadulterated Liturgy translation, the chant, the Ukranian (though I would prfer Slavonic), Father suggested that I become a Married Priest (No coerced celibacy here, YIPEE!), all three Antiphons were used at the Ukranian Liturgies including all of the "Remembering our most holy and immaculate, and blessed and glorius Lady, The Mother of God and ever-virgin Mary, together with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God. Response: To You, O Lord., and the people were very nice.

The Liturgy Books were "1988 Published by the Synod of the Hierarchy of the Ukranian Catholic Church." If my memory serves me, this Liturgy would have been promulgated before Metropolitan Judson started this "Revised Divine Liturgy" fiasco. The Ukranian Liturgy was the fullest, longest, and most beautiful (other than certain issues) Catholic Liturgy that I have ever experienced.

In the parking lot after the Ukranian Liturgy I had the opportunity to speak with one of Father's sons. I asked him where he goes to school and what it was like to explain to his classmates that his Dad is a Catholic Priest. He said that he goes to school such and such, which is a Latin Catholic School. He said that the kids thought it was a bit weird at first but now they are okay with it. The Sisters, however do not take it so well. Then he said (his words, not mine), "Afterall it is the same Faith, we just have a different Mass."

I would like to repeat a question I posed in another thread that I didn't see anyone post an answer for.

My question is what is the likelihood that the Ukrainians will adopt changes to their English language translations similar to what the Ruthenians are doing? Are they using a different English translation now?

Can't answer that one We are a Ukrainian only Parish - except for the Readings .

Me I use the Sheptitsky Anthology - oh in English of course

In the two UGCC parishes I have visited, it was during a predominantly English liturgy. It�s been so long though, I can�t really remember what the language used sounded like.

The one thing I have read before that I remembered was this article called �East Meets English� - http://www.touchstonemag.com/archives/article.php?id=12-04-110-r It says:
So the last part is what I�m wondering about. I believe Fr. Taft was mitred by the Ukrainians, but I don�t know how much influence he or any others in the Oriental Institute influences in diaspora churches of the UGCC where English is used.

My assumption is at some point, at least here in the United States, there will be a movement of the Ruthenian and Ukrainian churches to consolidate and return to their state as one structure as they were before. I would assume a common English translation would be part of that.

AMM, the approved English translation of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom was promulgated by the UGCC Synod in 1988. Before this there were several translations, the most common perhaps being that of the 1973 Toronto version blessed by Kyr Isidore of blessed memory.

The Patriarchal Liturgical Commission to my knowledge has no plans for any changes to the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom at any time in the forseeable future; in fact Patriarch Lubomyr is quite enthusiastic about the Anthology and its wider use in English-speaking countries along with the 1988 Liturgicon.

It would have been the 88 version I heard then. Are those texts online?


So what would happen when the Ruthenian and Ukrainian Churches come to the point of merging? Would they use two English translations?

If it happened today, I Pray that they would use the 1988 Ukranian rather than the RDL.

St. Nicholas in Homestead is a good parish. So is St. Michael's in Rankin. We left the Cathedral for St. Elias about three years ago. We just couldn't take it. No one sings anymore. Now we will have to leave St. Elias whenever the new liturgy starts there. We never thought about the Ukrainian churches. We'll have to check them out. And don't bother complaining. The Archbishop will not listen. We tried. If it didn't work at the cathedral it's not going to work anywhere else. They don't care. If you are not a supporter of the New Byzantine Order you are not welcome.

Do you mean nobody was participating in the congregational singing, or was there an issue with the Cantor(s) and/or choir?

"No one sings anymore."

This is alleged to be true about St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Munhall, PA.

Perception colors everyone's response to this. Nonetheless, I invite anyone who wants an accurate assessment to actually attend the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral in Munhall on Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. or on Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. It is my impression as the cantor that people are, indeed, singing. Certainly, the comment that "no one sings anymore" is completely inaccurate. However, I ask that you do as the apostle Philip said to the soon-to-be-apostle Nathanael: "Come and see." (or, in this case, hear)

Prof. J. Michael Thompson
Cantor, St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Cathedral
Munhall, Pennsylvania

The cathedral has a Saturday evening liturgy?

You beat me to the punch! I'm scratching my head over the same thing.

The UGCC cathedral here in Philadelphia has an anticipated Saturday liturgy and no vespers according to their web site.

I'll second and third the two of the previous posts, Saturday evening liturgy at the Cathedral?

Archbishop Basil has called for 'an authentic place of worship'. Surely there must be Vespers?

Professor Thompson, what time is Vespers at the Cathedral on Saturday evenings? Is the singing more or less than at liturgy? I'll await your post.


Monomakh

I don't see matins times posted at either cathedral. Is it just assumed that they will be held at a certain time?