www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Is the Bride of Christ being purified?

Oh Mr. Lauffer,

I have begged the resignation of Bishop Andrew since he turned 75 somee years ago.

You can see how useful my poor voice has been.

In good eastern tradition that exercise of my voice should have no bearing on my request to be received into religious vows in the Byzantine Church.

I would hate to think that we had become quite THAT Latinized.

Blessings....Mary

I pray that you will find success in your pursuit of the hermitage.

Dan L

I have outlived many who turned considerable weight of influence against me in my life, Mr. Lauffer. And it seems that as long as I keep my rule of prayer and rule of life, God shows me the way that he wishes me to follow. It is an astonishing walk and I am most grateful for the years and the opportunities.

I thank you for your prayers, and fear not for my vocation.

Blessings....Mary

Dear Mary,

I apologise for having offended you in any way and I can assure you that I am no "shil" for anyone.

The positive attitude toward St Gregory Palamas in the RC church is of recent provenance, but as for "what's happenin' now," the Latin Church has, in 1973, acknowledged the sainthood of Palamas - which is to be lauded.

The difference between Eastern Theosis and Western perspectives have more to do with emphasis and the former's stated understanding of "Deification in Christ through the Holy Spirit."

I understand that Western perspectives are eager to embrace this today, but can anyone pretend that Theosis was a theological priority in Western spiritual theology before recent times?

Then there are differing understandings of sanctification - nothing to cause a schism over, however.

And I am Ukrainian Catholic, my great-uncle was Metropolitan Volodymyr Sterniuk of the underground Church in Ukraine.

Alex

Dear Mary,

I have no wish to anger you in any way, and I do have that effect on some, so I remove myself from this thread once and for all and wish you every blessing from on high in your vocation and work in the Cause of Christ!

In Our Lady of Mt Carmel,

Alex

Your gracious apology is accepted and I hope that you will accept my own for suggesting that you act in any behalf but your own.

I have felt tag-teamed more than once on this board, and was removed from the board while those who name-called me were never even sanctioned as far as anyone could see, so I am overly-sensitive at the moment, and you took the brunt of it. I am wrong to inflict that on you or anyone else.

Forgive me, and if you can find it in your heart do not rush to avoid conversation with me. I actually think we have much to share.

As for the teaching concerning theosis, I believe that there is much more of a history of it in the monastic west than you are allowing for in your brief synopsis here, although there was a rupture, as I noted before in the mid 18th century until the 20th century, early 20th century with Henri de Lubac's attention to Nature and Grace, and also that it came out in western Marian devotions at the parish level even though the language was not the same west to east.

Blessings....Mary

Dear Mary,

You are a most gracious person and I salute you!

Marian spirituality is really the main-stay of my life and St Louis de Montfort's perspectives positively captivate me!

I am so happy that our late great Pontiff, Pope John Paul II had his own Marian spirituality formed on the basis of the teachings of St Louis!

Here is where East and West truly share all in common.

St Louis' devotion to the Divine Wisdom Incarnate is particularly resonant to Eastern ears as is his entire Incarnational perspective.

Alex

Dear Mary,

This is a website, courtesy of the Administrator (who likes me more than he will admit, I strongly suspect) that lists my akathist efforts.

www.byzcath.org/sites/alex/web/

I draw your attention, when you have a moment, to the Akathist to Our Lady of Mt Carmel and to Pope John Paul II.

Please let me know what you think as I value your objective and helpful assessment!

God bless,

Alex

This is an incorrect statement. Mary had previously lost her posting privileges because of continued uncharitable behavior. Mary has a tendency on this and other boards to position herself as an innocent martyr that everyone is out to get. I recommend to Mary that she quit being overly sensitive and strive to assume the best in other people�s posts rather than the worst.

Mary, you have shown yourself capable of contributing intelligently to these discussions. Don�t ruin it by assuming that those who disagree with you are automatically guilty of rejecting Catholic theology.

That is a very old fashioned salutation, Alex and I like it. It reminds me of my maternal grand-father who would do that sort of thing with a flourish, and the self-conscious humor of one who knew the world was changing rapidly around him and not always for the better. And it reminds me of the fact that I chastised you for language use yesterady and regretted it in leisure.

You might like looking at a list that I operate for Father Pat Gaffney of the de Montfort Father:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LouisMariedeMontfort

I picked it up for them when they lost their old home at CIN.ORG. You might even be better served to google the Catholic Information Network and find the old list archives for the de Montfort list there. Father Pat taught de Montfort spirituality there daily for years. It is a true treasure.

Father is not as hale and hearty as he once was and so is not on-line as much, if at all. He has also been busy translating all of St. Louis's hymns. I have a photocopy of the Hymns of St. Symeon the New Theologian and am looking forward to having those and the Hymns of de Montfort together on my bookshelf one day.

Also my use of the term 'rites' on my own website for Irenikon was used quite consciously, not to offend, but to recognize that there are many local monastic rites and rituals and that they are the heart and soul, the spiritual foundations, of the particular Churches and of the universal Church.

Blessings...Mary

Mary,

You sometimes assert that you "felt" so and so. Then you equate that "feeling" with absolute reality. Later you admit that your feelings were wrong but never change your method of relying upon "feelings" for truth. I wonder if your hermetic life has addressed this issue.

CDL

Dear Mary,

I will pray for Fr. Pat - a true treasure-house of knowledge and spirituality!

I also write the odd letter on the Montfort site:

www.montfortmissionaries.com [montfortmissionaries.com]

When in Paris last, I visited St Sulpice and Chartres - trying to follow in Montfort's footsteps!

God bless,

Alex

Mr. Lauffer,

Before I was removed from priveleges here I copied the threads where you baited me and name-called with me and falsely attributed many things to me and I have kept them so that I could some day show you just how cleverly you manipulated this medium against me, if that became necessary.

I believe those days are behind us and so you need to go and exorcise your spleen on something else besides warm living pulsating soulful human beings.

Blessings.....Mary

Mary,

Haven't you just proven the Administrator to be correct. In truth I agreed with most of what you said, but you would never demonstrate what you charged. Hence, there was nothing we could do about it.

Anyway, the Administrator has pointed you to a better way. I hope you take heed.

BTW This is a free country. Show all the posts if you wish.

Dan L

Dear Mary,

I see that we Montfortians have to stick together here!

Alex