www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Is this proper?

Anthony,

Colin Donovan was the first person, after hearing my story, to tell me that I am a Byzantine Catholic and not a Roman Catholic. He urged me to contact a Byzantine priest.

fightingIrish,
Thank you for this post, I was looking for something to do to prepare for communion.

I have the same problem, no Catholic Church celebrates Vespers, but there is an OCA Church that does.

I sent them an email asking them about it.

There was something in the reply that I would like to ask everyone here about.

He said the following.

Yes you are certainly welcome to attend vespers. It is Saturday nights at 6:00 PM. First Saturday of the month following Vespers is the sacrament of general confession which you are welcome to stay for.

Can you explain how I could stay for this? I am confused.


Your little brother in Christ,
David

David --

You may stay and pray but do not approach the priest at the end of the General Confession for absolution (that's when the sacramental absolution is administered to the Orthodox who are present).

When I was still a Catholic, I attended Vespers and came across General Confession and was confused about what to do (although I didn't approach the priest at the end of the General Confession for absolution). After the service had ended, I asked the priest and he told me that I was more than welcome to stay and pray, but not to approach at the end for the absolution -- so that's what I did, and that's what I would advise you to do as well.

In Christ,

Brendan

[When I was still a Catholic, I attended Vespers and came across General Confession and was confused about what to do (although I didn't approach the priest at the end of the General Confession for absolution). After the service had ended, I asked the priest and he told me that I was more than welcome to stay and pray, but not to approach at the end for the absolution -- so that's what I did, and that's what I would advise you to do as well.]

David:

Brendan is right. In Orthodoxy one does not have to go to a priest for confession. Just for absolution.
In many Orthodox countries, especially those under moselm rule, only certain priests were appointed by the Bishops to give confession. In many places one could go to a religious elder (staretz) to confess and then to the priest for the prayers of absolution. A staretz could be a monk or a very religious older man.
As Brendan stated you can particpate in the 'General Confession' and then go to your RC priest for absolution.

Bob

Ignatius!
A total amen!

I figure, why start a new thread if an old thread I started is germane to the question I need answered

I didn't get around to going to Vespers at this church. However, I have made a commitment to attend this coming Saturday. My NEW question is this:

Do churches usually have booklets in the pews so you can follow along? I'm worried about going there and looking completely out of place. If not, are there any affordable books that have Vespers or would I have to buy something like BDW?

Thank you

Irish --

Typically the pew books do *not* have the Vespers service in them. There are some resources available, but my recommendation would be to attend, if you wish, and observe intently. Vespers is fairly easy to follow compared with other services of the Orthodox Byzantine use.

Brendan

Brendan,

I think it is useful at St. Barbara's in Dayton that Fr. Waldemar puts out copies of the Vespers service. Because fewer people will go to Vespers than Liturgy, it is not too difficult for a church do to something like this. I think it discourages people from going to Vespers if they do not have anything to follow, and so it will continue to make Vespers an event which has far fewer participants.

So my suggestion to any parish which has Vespers, and someone wants to visit (Orthodox or Eastern Catholic): ask in advance if the parish has booklets one can use, and if not, ask if one could be made. It really does help the process.

While I have not looked at this question until now, I wanted to say that I go to Vespers on Saturday when I know I can not make it to a Sunday Divine Liturgy. It certainly does fulfill the obligation. When I first went to St. Barbara's after my move to Cincinnati, Fr. Waldermar made a point to tell me that Vespers fulfills the obligation. I think far too Easterners know this rule.

<<Do churches usually have booklets in the pews so you can follow along?>>

Some do, some don't.

I know of one pewless Orthodox church that has about 10 music stands and lights scattered around the nave. These have the Ordinary and Propers of Vespers (or what every service) onthem, arranged each day by the cantor.

Those who wish stand at them and sing everything.

Others sing what the know from memory (litany resposnes, Gladsome Light, etc) and listen attentively to the rest.

Others just stand and look decoratively pious.

Chacun a son gout.

You bet. The same day he realizes he's losing his ethnic-oriented Ruthenian Catholic parishioners to the Ukrainian Catholic Church.

Well, my baba was Orthodox and we never got thrown out of her church!

Seriously, I don't see why you can't go to Vespers there. Matter of fact, a few years back, I noticed we had Orthodox Vespers on campus at Georgetown!

Mrs. P.