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Irish Melkite, LionHippo44
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Original Post (Thread Starter)
by Devin1890
Devin1890
With Pope Francis' motu propio Traditionis custodes, eventually use of the 1962 missal will be phased out. I have mixed feelings about this, but the point of this post is discuss how Eastern Rite Catholic parishes could potentially be a place of welcome and healing for these folks and could support the spread of Eastern Christianity in the U.S.

But this would also pose some challenges, specifically
1) Many of the most ardent supporters of 1962 missal deny the validity of the Second Vatican Council or raise serious issues about its reception (I am not simply referring to milder critiques of the council texts or its reception)

2) These communities have become sources of significant problems, on the mild end, there is rigidity and spiritual arrogance (because we have the TLM, we are holier and more pure) to infestations of white supremacy, conspiracy theories and anti-Semitism.

3) These "refugees" may be more interested in preserving there former communities way of life than in breathing in the Easter praxis.

I guess what advice would the members here have for parishes to deal and minster to people who show up at our doors as a result of the aftermath of Traditionis custodes?
Liked Replies
by theophan
theophan
Christ is in our midst!!

reikan,

I can speak of my own experience. I have been welcomed in many Orthodox parishes. In fact, each time it seems that a head usher spots me as someone new and makes a specific point to seek me out, welcome me after the DL, ask me to return, ask if I want their priest to call me. I make it my practice to try to fit into the picture. I don't do any outward Western or Catholic acts that make me stick out. I cross myself in Orthodox fashion. I venerate the icon on the stand in Slavic churches as the members do. I cup my hands and ask for father's blessing if he comes by, as is the custom of greeting an Orthodox priest in church. I ask what the seating custom is in the parish and indicate I am a visitor. I never make it a practice to wear my own Church on my sleeve--I don't make a big deal our of being Latin Catholic or volunteer unless asked. I try to be a good guest in someone else's home.
1 member likes this
by dochawk
dochawk
I'm not going to defend *that* part.

Frankly, we've found that dissenting Latins don't stick around long enough to worry about.

We need no policy encouraging or discouraging them, nor a special welcome.

We welcome the same as any other visitor, and they leave after a couple of weeks as they discover we have no interest in the latin Mass, no hostility to Rome, and no interest in adopting their favorite devotions in place of our own.
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by Ruthenian1988
Ruthenian1988
My family only recently committed to the Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Church a few weeks ago. We used to attend trad parishes but found them to be very unwelcoming and not spiritually beneficial to our lives, our marriage, our kids, etc. I admit that I frst approacahed Eastern Christianity out of a desire to flee Rome and all her problems. What made me stay, was the beauty, truth, and goodness to be found in Eastern Christianity. I left for anti-roman reasons. I stayed for Christ.

I'd been tempted to join the Orthodox Church many times (and the desire ebbs and flows with time). Ultimately, however, I know Eastern Catholicism is the truly faithful and full expression of Eastern Christianity. I still have great love for Holy Orthodoxy, and my family will attend the occasional service during the week, but Eastern Catholicism is where it's at for us.

That being said, our Ruthenian parish is still in a state of transition as well. Our parish was started by a few families of Eastern Catholics. What made it grow from a mission community meeting in one of the families homes to having a beautiful temple of their own, was the influx of disgrunted Roman trads following the Second Vatican Council. These members have largely remained this entire time in the Byzantine Church. Unfortunately, they bring their roman customs and devotions with them. We are not able to do Orthros before Divine Liturgy on Sunday because one of the older trads insists upon praying a rosary before the start of Divine Liturgy (while kneeling, no less). Our gift shop/book store is FULL of Roman devotional stuff. Marian rosaries, icons of western saints, images of the sacred heart and immaculate heart, books about Mother Teresa and John Paul II, etc. There's very little by way of Eastern materials. A few books on Eastern theology, a couple on Eastern saints, some prayer ropes and a handful of Eastern icons. It's a real shame.

Thankfully, we have an awesome priest. He recognizes all these problems and desires to change them, but in a way that won't scandalize or make the romans feel unwelcome. He's been looking for more people in introduce more and more Eastern customs and devotions, and wants to slowly phase these latinizations out. It's a tightrope Father is walking on, and I ask everyone to pray for his/our success! Without the Roman Catholic majority in our parish, we would not have the numbers and financial resources to continue to exist. We are dependent upon them.

What "I" don't understand is why a Roman Catholic who, after spending time (weeks, months, couple years even) at an Eastern parish and who makes the decision to make that their parish for the rest of their lives, why on earth would you not fully embrace the Eastern faith? Make the canonical transfer, become Ruthenian officially. Drop all your western devotions and embrace Eastern ones (at least for anything involving the public life of the parish). At home, anyone can pray as they like. But at church, keep it authentic. I tried gently bringing this up in conversation with one of the traditional members and when he heard I used to be a latin mass going Catholic, the conversation changed and was all about him railing on Vatican II and modernist heretics and blah blah blah.
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