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Byzantine_Catholic
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| Joined: | Tue Apr 3rd, 2007 |
| Location: | Florida USA |
| Posts: | 11 |
| First Name: | Ray | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Byzantine Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Apr 3rd, 2007 10:37 pm |
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As a Byzantine Catholic I was wondering if in the Latin rite when a new person shows interest in the Church if they question their background to see if they might belong to one of the Eastern Rites?
For example, a middle eastern person who's father was a Melkite but became an evangelical and now wants to become a Catholic. Does the RCIA program direct that person to the Melkites as per Cannon Law?
One of the biggest complaints that Eastern Rite Catholics have toward the Latin Church is the vast amounts of misinformation about us.
A follow up question would be if a new "convert" is told about the Eastern Rites in order to allow that person the necessary information to find a proper "Home."
Last edited on Tue Apr 3rd, 2007 10:38 pm by Byzantine_Catholic
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David W. Emery
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Brownsville, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 1805 |
| First Name: | David | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Apr 3rd, 2007 11:24 pm |
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Ray, we try to maintain an awareness of the Eastern Catholics on this forum (we’ve had several threads on the topic just in the past few months) and would direct anyone of a lineage such as you mention, if we became aware of it, to the proper sui juris Church. But it is not our province to grill inquirers as to their background other than to ask what religions have been part of their personal journey of faith.
In many parish RCIA programs, however, it seems like paddling upstream, as there is much ignorance. I don’t think it is a prejudice or anything, just that the people in charge don’t know and haven’t dealt with it. In other words, there is not so much “misinformation” as no information at all. There is a great need for advertising the Eastern presence and informing the Western faithful of its legitimacy and tradition.
David
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CajunRick
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 5101 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Tue Apr 3rd, 2007 11:32 pm |
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Byzantine_Catholic wrote: As a Byzantine Catholic I was wondering if in the Latin rite when a new person shows interest in the Church if they question their background to see if they might belong to one of the Eastern Rites?
I know in my program, I stress the universality of the Church, including the existence of the Eastern Churches. However, since my state does not have a single church that is not part of what is commonly called the Roman Catholic Church (Latin Rite, liturgy of Pope Paul VI) the Eastern Churches are not an option regardless of the ethnicity of the participants.
As for our members here, they are largely anonymous. We do not know their ethnicity, and so we must rely on their local Catholic parishes to refer them to the proper Church, whether it be Latin, Eastern, or Oriental. I would hope that they do, but I suspect that they don't. I would suspect most of the catechists are not even aware of the existence of the other sui iuris Churches.
Latin Catholics are very poorly informed about the Eastern Churches, and our Church is the poorer for it. Most are not even aware of their existence, and some even deny they are part of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. For example, on this forum I believe we have had only one message posted by an Eastern Catholic in all the years I've been involved, until today. I do my best to present the existence and theology of the Eastern Churches, and encourage all of our members who have access to the different Rites of the Church to experience as many of them as possible, whether it be Byzantine, Melkite, Syro-Malabar, Chaldean, Coptic, etc., or even Anglican Use in the Latin Church.
I truly hope you will stay around and help present the beauty and theology of the Eastern Catholic Churches.
And by the way, welcome to the Coming Home Network. We are happy to have you here with us, and look forward to hearing your faith story when you are ready to share it with us.
Last edited on Wed Apr 4th, 2007 04:18 pm by CajunRick
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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Byzantine_Catholic
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| Joined: | Tue Apr 3rd, 2007 |
| Location: | Florida USA |
| Posts: | 11 |
| First Name: | Ray | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Byzantine Catholic |
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Posted: Wed Apr 4th, 2007 06:29 pm |
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However, since my state does not have a single church that is not part of what is commonly called the Roman Catholic Church (Latin Rite, liturgy of Pope Paul VI) the Eastern Churches are not an option regardless of the ethnicity of the participants.
Rick,
That is not true! In fact, my Church has a Church in New Orleans. I have visited this Church before:
Saint Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church in New Orleans, LA http://www.archeparchy.org/page/directories/parishes/neworleans.htm
Last edited on Wed Apr 4th, 2007 09:46 pm by Byzantine_Catholic
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CajunRick
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
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| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Wed Apr 4th, 2007 11:20 pm |
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Byzantine_Catholic wrote: However, since my state does not have a single church that is not part of what is commonly called the Roman Catholic Church (Latin Rite, liturgy of Pope Paul VI) the Eastern Churches are not an option regardless of the ethnicity of the participants.
That is not true! In fact, my Church has a Church in New Orleans. I have visited this Church before:
Saint Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church in New Orleans, LA http://www.archeparchy.org/page/directories/parishes/neworleans.htm
Unfortunately, this parish was one of the casualties of Hurricane Katrina. To the best of my knowledge, it has not reopened. It is not listed among the current parishes in the Archdiocese of New Orleans, nor is it listed in the most recent telephone directory.
St. Nicholas was a Byzantine parish but it was manned by a bi-ritual priest and two bi-ritual deacons (one of whom is from my diocese), and supported by the Archdiocese. It was one of the many parishes closed after the storm. The area where it was located was badly flooded.
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 5101 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Thu May 24th, 2007 08:11 pm |
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cajunrick wrote: Byzantine_Catholic wrote: However, since my state does not have a single church that is not part of what is commonly called the Roman Catholic Church (Latin Rite, liturgy of Pope Paul VI) the Eastern Churches are not an option regardless of the ethnicity of the participants.
That is not true! In fact, my Church has a Church in New Orleans. I have visited this Church before:
Saint Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church in New Orleans, LA http://www.archeparchy.org/page/directories/parishes/neworleans.htm
Unfortunately, this parish was one of the casualties of Hurricane Katrina.
I have just learned that while the parish has not reopened, it is conducting Divine Liturgy at St. Mary's Chapel, 1516 Jackson Ave. in New Orleans, every Sunday morning at 11 a.m.
Should anyone be interested, a map to the location is available here.
I will be planning a trip shortly.
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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BodRod
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| Joined: | Mon Oct 2nd, 2006 |
| Location: | Apple Valley, California USA |
| Posts: | 777 |
| First Name: | Cliff | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Raised an SDA, then Generic Christian, finally at home with ... |
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Posted: Sun May 27th, 2007 08:45 pm |
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I volunteered to help out again next term with RCIA. My offer was accepted (in a flash!!!). Then the idea came to me that I should mention to those who post here and others who may read but not post (yet), who may be interested in learning more about the Church, that in most areas of the US, groups are formed in or near September. Now may be a good time to consider attending an RCIA group next Fall. If you feel the need to contact your local church office, visit a Mass, speak with a friend or whatever it would take to make you feel comfortable in RCIA, now is a good time to give it some thought. Whether you decide to join the Church or not, it is a great opportunity to learn about the Scriptures, lives of the apostles, lives of other saints, world history, the evolution of civilizations, the evolution of music notation and a GREAT BIG ETC. 
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Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro.
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CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 5101 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Sun May 27th, 2007 08:59 pm |
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BodRod wrote: Now may be a good time to consider attending an RCIA group next Fall.
It's also worth mentioning that no commitment to join the Church is necessary. The first part of the program, called Inquiry, is intended for those who merely want to learn more about the Church. There is no pressure to join the Church during Inquiry, and no commitment of any kind is allowed or expected until the First Sunday of Advent (usually the Sunday after Thanksgiving in the U.S.) and anyone not interested in pursuing it further can withdraw at that time, or continue without a commitment if they prefer.
RCIA is a great program for anyone who wishes to learn more about the Catholic faith, regardless of their motivation, and even if they have no consideration of ever joining the Catholic Church.
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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AD
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| Joined: | Thu Jun 21st, 2007 |
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| Posts: | 32 |
| First Name: | AL | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Baptist Pentacostal Non Denominational |
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Posted: Tue Jun 26th, 2007 09:29 pm |
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Hey Rick, Do they have the RICA in the Clearwater, Florida area?
Thanks anyway, Read a different post and answered my own question
Last edited on Tue Jun 26th, 2007 09:33 pm by AD
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