Catholic pasts

[foxsta]

Hi all!

In response to a thread in OBOB...I know many here were once a member of the Catholic church. What led you to the Orthodox church? Any links to resources would be great! I am not attacking, but rather have been curious for some time as I seem to find myself leaning towards the East...whether thats Eastern Catholicism or Orthodoxy is yet to be revealed.

Thanks and God bless,

Ben

[Michael the Iconographer]

Do you know the history of the Uniate Catholic Church? Learning the history of the Unia is what pulled me from the Byzantine Church to Orthodoxy. Prior to learning that I was satisfied to convert from Roman Catholicism to Byzantine Catholic, but once I learned of the Jesuit deception involved in the creation of the Byzantine church I was convinced Orthodoxy was the only true way.

[foxsta]

Do you know the history of the Uniate Catholic Church? Learning the history of the Unia is what pulled me from the Byzantine Church to Orthodoxy. Prior to learning that I was satisfied to convert from Roman Catholicism to Byzantine Catholic, but once I learned of the Jesuit deception involved in the creation of the Byzantine church I was convinced Orthodoxy was the only true way.
Can you please expand on that? Where did you get the info from and what exactly happened? I thought the Eastern Catholic Churches were those that were Orthodox and then moved to be under the "rule" of the papacy?

[Michael the Iconographer]

This is from a Catholic website. Rome does NOT deny prostelytization has taken place in the creation of the Byzantine Catholic Churches. The same is true of the Ukrainian Catholic Church and the Ruthenian Catholic Church.

http://www.cuf.org/FaithFacts/details_view.asp?ffID=177
The Melkite Greek Catholic Church, with 1,189,557 members, has seven dioceses in Lebanon, five in Syria, and one each in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Israel, Jordan, Mexico, and the United States, as well as exarchates in Iraq, Kuwait, and Venezuala. The origin and development of the Church of Antioch is recorded in the New Testament and involved Saints Peter and Paul (Acts 6:5, 11:19-26, 15:22-32, Gal 2:11). After the Great Schism of 1054, the Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch developed. In the mid-1600s, Capuchins, Carmelites, and Jesuits began missionary activity among these Orthodox. In 1724, two men were elected Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, and one of them became Catholic. The current Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, of Alexandria and of Jerusalem is His Beatitude Gregory III Laham (born 1933, elected 2000), who resides in Damascus. Liturgical languages are Greek and Arabic. (my emphasis)

[Michael the Iconographer]

Union of Brest-Litovsk:

http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/josaphat_malevolent.aspx

The year 1996 will mark the four-hundredth anniversary of the shameful "Union" of Brest-Litovsk, in which political, economic, and military pressure was brought to bear on millions of Orthodox Christians living along the Western borders of Russia, Byelorussia, and Ukraine, in order to force them to accept a false union with the Roman Catholic Church. One of the principal participants in this violently depraved movement was an apostate Orthodox Bishop (one of many, unfortunately) by the name of Josaphat Kontzevich.

One need not resort to polemics to speak ill of Josaphat Kontzevich. His vile tongue, his foul epithets, his disloyalty, his love of glory and worldly power and recognition, and his violent campaigns of terror against the Orthodox—these things allow history to speak for us. It is thus astonishing that the Roman Catholic Church elected to "canonize" this 'Hitler" of the Eastern religious world, as one Western historian has called him, and to elevate to the status of sainthood a man who fomented and fostered violence-indeed, even murdering the name of Church unity. Considering the magnitude of Josaphat's brutality and insane intolerance, it is perhaps prudent for us, on the eve of the sorrowful anniversary of the forced union of Brest-Litovsk, to look at this pivotal figure in Eastern European history.

Josaphat, Uniate Bishop of Polotsky and founder of the Uniate Basilian order, was more than an apostate. He was a master practitioner of the "psychology of terror." He was not the first to employ psychological terror tactics. Nor was he the last. The ancient Assyrians, it is said, used systematic psychological intimidation to subdue the inhabitants of their empire [1] their own final demise having been celebrated in the Old Testament by the Prophet Nahum (Nahum 3:18-19). And in modern times, communist regimes in Eastern Europe (some now happily defunct) and China are well known for their psychological terror tactics. But Josaphat is unique, in that he is the only terrorist in history to have gained the crown of beatification for what has earned other such despots unending vilification.

Josaphat's campaign of terror was designed and executed with one purpose in mind: to discourage and prevent Orthodox Christians from practicing their ancestral Faith. Since the Orthodox masses would not willingly follow their Bishops, a handful of priests, and the nobility into apostasy, Josaphat and his fellow apostates consciously chose to achieve their ends by violent means. They did this by trying to create, among the Orthodox faithful, a feeling of utter despair and powerlessness, so that, like Marshal Petain centuries later, Josaphat could impose on them an artificial religion, a Vichy theocracy, over which he would be the administrator. Worshippers were forced out of their Churches, many leaving only on the end of a bloody sword. When the Orthodox, in one instance, set up tents in which to worship, Josaphat encouraged his brigands to disrupt their services, set fire to the tents, and attack the clergy and believers. And with the help of the Latin civil authorities, Josaphat saw to it that Orthodox priests were exiled and that no new Orthodox Bishops were Consecrated. [2] His pogrom violently put down any resistance to the Brest "Union" and left the Orthodox ostensibly powerless to protest the loss of their Faith to Papal domination.

In the final analysis, Josaphat's terror tactics were no more successful than those of other deranged despots. For his crimes against humanity, this most virulent apostate and pervert was beaten and stoned to death by outraged believers and dispatched to his just reward in 1623. His inhumane brutality earned him even the disdain of the Roman Catholic Chancellor of Lithuanian. [3] Moreover, Orthodox believers never really accepted the Unia or Josaphat's fellow apostate Bishops, who, despite their cowardly efforts to win such recognition, were also never accorded the political rights of their Latin counterparts. [4] In the end, millions of Orthodox returned to the Faith when border changes occurred in the nineteenth century, just as many Greek Catholics in America later embraced Orthodoxy with the help of the New Martyr Tikhon, then Administrator of the Russian Churches in the New World.

The idea of the Unia as a bridge between Orthodoxy and Rome died with Josaphat and his violent, vulgar witness. His spirit may live on in the efforts of Latin ecumenists to reduce Orthodoxy to an "Eastern branch" of the Latin Church, or of Orthodox ecumenists to defile their Faith by another false union with Rome; but among those of an Orthodox conscience, Josaphat's sad memory is but clear evidence that "something is rotten in ecumenism" and that unions of compromise that render the faithful masses powerless will not ultimately succeed—even if their advocates are given a crown of supposed sanctity dripping with the blood of martyrs. modern Orthodox ecumenists should look at this awful and despicable man and his fate. Polish and Lithuanian military force could not help his betrayal to survive. The Herculean efforts of today's ecumenists to carry on his legacy will likewise end in the ignominy and shame that fell upon him. And if blood drips from his crown, hypocrisy will flow from the ill-conceived garlands that they hope to gain by courting, in the name of the Faith, those who have been its enemies.

[Michael the Iconographer]

More on the subject of the Union of Brest-Litovsk, which in effect created the Byzantine Catholic Church:

http://jbburnett.com/resources/union-of-brest.html

33 Articles Concerning
Union With The Roman Church
<home>

<Go to Robert Taft, SJ, Anamnesis, Not Amnesia:
The 'Healing Memories' and the Problem of 'Uniatism'>



The Union of Brest'
In 1996, the Ukrainian Catholic Church commemorated the 400th anniversary of its "reunion" with the Roman Catholic Church, an event known as the Union Of Brest' because it was officially proclaimed in the year 1596 in the city of Brestia on the river Buh in Volyn (Ukraine). This act was and remains extremely controversial, to say the least, as it split the Ukrainian Church into two camps— the Catholic and the Orthodox. The Union of Brest' was the beginning of what is sometimes called the Unia, a term which is sometimes taken to be pejorative, although more recently it has become rather simply a term of convenience. As "Greek" Catholics, the Ukrainian Catholic Church follows the liturgical and theological traditions passed on to us from the great Church in Constantinople— and has also been deeply influenced by Western theology and piety as well— and is in full communion with the Holy See.

The act of the church union in Brestia did not come suddenly or unexpectedly, but was the fruit of many meetings and conferences for many years of all the Bishops of the Kievan Church. For the orderly mutual relationship between the Kievan Church and the Catholic Church in Rome in the future, these Bishops agreed on a constitution of thirty-three articles. These articles not only became the foundation for the relationship between the churches, but they very clearly were formulated to protect the identity of the Kievan Church, whose autonomy was proclaimed in the decree of Pope Clement VIII on February 23, 1596.

These articles were accepted by the hierarchy of the Church in Kiev in three languages: Ukrainian, Polish, and Latin. On the basis of this document, the Church of Kiev is in communion with the Roman Church. The articles frequently refer to the King of Poland. The function of the King of Poland vis-a-vis the 'Greek-Catholic Church' were assumed by the Austrian Emperor. As there is no longer a King or Emperor, and the Greek-Catholic Church is certainly not state-supported in Ukraine, these functions revert to the synod or lapse entirely.

33 Articles Concerning
Union With The Roman Church
[Inscription]
We require prior guarantees of these articles from the Romans before we enter into union with the Roman Church

(tbc)

[Michael the Iconographer]

[Articles]
Since there is a quarrel between the Romans and Greeks about the procession of the Holy Spirit, which greatly impede unity really for no other reason than that we do not wish to understand one another - we ask that we should not be compelled to any other creed but that we should remain with that which was handed down to us in the Holy Scriptures, in the Gospel, and in the writings of the holy Greek Doctors, that is, that the Holy Spirit proceeds, not from two sources and not by a double procession, but from one origin, from the Father through the Son.
That the divine worship and all prayers and services of Orthros, Vespers, and the night services shall remain intact (without any change at all) for us according to the ancient custom of the Eastern Church, namely: the Holy Liturgies of which there are three, that of Saint Basil, that of Saint Chrysostom, and that of Epiphanius which is served during the Great Lent with Presanctified Gifts, and all other ceremonies and services of our Church, as we have had them until now, for in Rome these same services are kept within the obedience of the Supreme Pontiff, and that these services should be in our own language.
That the Mysteries of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ should be retained entirely as we have been accustomed until now, under the species of bread and wine; that this should remain among us eternally the same and unchangeable.
That the Mystery of Holy Baptism and its form should remain among us unchanged as we have served it until now, without any addition.
We shall not debate about purgatory, but we entrust ourselves to the teaching of the Holy Church.
We will accept the new calendar, if the old one cannot be, but without any violation of the Paschalia [the Easter cycle] and our other feasts as they were in the time of unity, because we have some special feasts which the Romans do not have; on the sixth of January we celebrate the memory of the Baptism of the Lord Christ and the first revelation of the One God in Trinity. We call this feast Theophany, and on this day we have a special service of the Blessing of Waters.
That we should not be compelled to take part in processions on the day of Corpus Christi - that we should not have to make such processions with our Mysteries inasmuch as our use of the Mysteries is different.
Likewise that we should not be compelled to have the blessing of fire, the use of wooden clappers, and similar ceremonies before Easter, for we have not had such ceremonies in our Church until now, but that we should maintain our ceremonies according to the rubrics and the Typicon of our Church.
That the marriages of priests remain intact, except for bigamists.
That the metropolitanate, the episcopate, and other ecclesiastical dignities shall be conferred on no one except the Rus' people or Greeks, who must be of our religion. And since our Cannons require that the Metropolitan, the Bishops, and so on, first elected by the clergy, must be worthy people, we ask the King's Grace that the election be free, leaving intact the authority of the King's Grace to appoint the one whom he pleases. This means that as soon as someone has died we should elect four candidates, and the King's Grace will freely chose whom he wishes from among the four. This is necessary, especially so that the persons named to such positions will be worthy and educated, for the King's Grace, who is not of the same religion, cannot know who is worthy of this, and thus it has happened that such uninstructed people were appointed that they were scarcely literate. If the King's Grace should wish to appoint a layman to these spiritual posts, the appointee must receive Holy Orders within no more than three months under pain of losing appointment, according to the Constitution of the Parliament of Grondo and the Articles of King Sigmund Augustus of blessed memory, approved by the present King's Grace, for at the moment there are some who hold certain spiritual appointments in their hands but do not receive Holy Orders even for years, justifying themselves with some sort of royal "exemptions". We ask that in future this should not be.
That our Bishops should not send to Rome for the sacrae (permission to consecrate), but, if the King's Grace names someone to a bishopric, that according to the old custom the Archbishop-Metropolitan should have the duty and the right to ordain him. The Metropolitan himself, before entering upon the office of metropolitan, should send the sacrae to the Pope. Then, after he has received the sacrae from Rome, let the bishops ordain him, at least two of them, according to their custom. If a bishop is elected Metropolitain, let him not send for the sacrae, because he already has the episcopal cheirotonia; he may take an oath of obedience to the Supreme Pontiff in the presence of the Archbishop of Gniezno (who on that occasion will not be functioning as Archbishop, but as Primate of Poland).
So that our authority would be greater and we should govern our faithful with greater respect, we ask seats in the Senate of the King's Grace for the Metropolitain and the bishops. We ask this for many reasons for we have the same office and hierarchical dignity as the Roman Bishops.
And if in time the Lord shall grant that the rest of the brethren of our people and of the Greek Religion shall come to this same holy unity, it shall not be held against us or begrudged to us that we have preceded them in this unity, for we have to do this for definite, serious reasons for harmony in the Christian republic [Poland] to avoid further confusion and discord.
Most important of all, it is necessary that if in our dioceses presbyters - Archimandrates, Hegumenoi, presbyters, and other clergy, but especially foreigners, even bishops and monks who might come from Greece - of our Religion should not wish to be under our obedience they should never dare to perform any divine service. For if that were allowed then there would never be any order.
If in the future someone of our Religion should want to join the Roman Church, denying his own Religion and Ceremonies, let him not be accepted, since he is degrading the Ceremonies of the one Church of God, since, being already in one Church, we shall have one Pope.

(tbc)

[Michael the Iconographer]

That marriages may freely take place between the Roman faithful and the Rus' faithful, without any compulsion as to Religion, for both are already one Church.
Inasmuch as we have lost the possession of many ecclesiastical properties, some of which our predecessors alienated by rights other than the free administration of these goods during their personal lives, so that we find ourselves in such want and poverty that we cannot provide satisfactorily for the needs of the churches, and indeed we ourselves scarcely have the means of subsistence, we require that these properties be returned to our churches. If anyone has legitimately acquired the lifetime usufruct of any ecclesiastical benefice, let him be obliged to pay an annual rent to the Church, and upon his death let the benefice revert to the Church. Such a benefice shall not be granted to anyone without the consent of the bishop and his chapter. Every benefice to which the Church presently has title is to be recorded in the Gospel Books, even if the Church does not exercise any control over some benefices. In that way they will at least belong indisputably to the Church. With this accomplished, the Church can then undertake to regain those benefices which have been alienated at an earlier time.
Upon the death of the Metropolitain or of a bishop, the wardens and state treasurer shall not interfere in the ecclesiastical properties. As is the custom and tradition of the Roman Church, these properties shall be administered by the chapter until a new Metropolitain or bishop is elected. While this is already guaranteed to us by our privilege, we ask that it be incorporated into the constitution of the kingdom.
That Archimandrates, Hegumenoi, monks and their monasteries, according to the old custom shall be under the obedience of the bishops of their dioceses, for among us there is only one monastic Rule, which even the bishops use, and we do not have "Provincials".
That at the tribunal among the Roman Clergy we also should have two of our [clergy] to look after the affairs of our Church.
That the archimandrates, hegumenoi, priests, archdeacons, and our other clergy be held in the same esteem as the Roman clergy, and should enjoy and make use of the same liberties and privileges which were granted by King Ladislaus; they should be exempt from all taxation, both personal and concerning ecclesiastical property, in contrast to the unjust practice which has hitherto obtained - if they possess some private properties then they should pay taxes on them, whatever is just, as other proprietors do. Any priest and other clergy who possesses ecclesiastical properties within the territories of the senators and nobility are subject to them and must obey them: they should not appeal to the courts or enter into quarrels with the landlords, but must acknowledge the right of patronage. But accusations regarding the person of the clergy and their spiritual functions, ar subject only to the bishop, and the misdemeanours of the clergy shall be punished exclusively by the bishop on the complaints of the landlord. Thus everyone, clergy and laity, will have their rights preserved whole and inviolate.
That the Romans should not forbid us to ring bells in our churches on Good Friday, both in the cities and everywhere else.
That we should not be forbidden to visit the sick with the Most Holy Mysteries, publicly, with lights and vestments, according to our rubrics.
That without any interference we might be free to hold processions, as many as are required, on holy days, according to our custom.
That our Rus' monasteries and churches should not be changed into Roman Catholic churches. And if any Roman Catholic has damaged or destroyed one of our churches or monasteries, in his territory, he shall be obliged to repair it or build a new one for the exclusive use of the Rus' people.
The spiritual Church Brotherhoods which have recently been erected by the Patriarchs and confirmed by the King's Grace - for example, those in L'viv, in Brest', in Vilnius, and elsewhere - in which we see great benefit for the Church of God and the cultivation of divine worship if they wish to abide in this unity, shall ne maintained in all their integrity under the obedience of their Metropolitain and of the bishops in whose dioceses they function and to whom each of them is properly ascribed.
That we shall be free to have schools and seminaries in the Greek and Church-Slavonic languages in the localities where it is most convenient, and that our printing-presses shall be free (of course under the supervision of the Metropolitain and bishops, so that no heresies be propagated and nothing be printed without the knowledge and consent of the Metropolitain and bishops).
Since there have been great abuses and disobedience on the part of some priests in the dominions of the King's Grace as well as in the lands of the lords and magnates, so that these priests have obtained the protection of the landlords and magnates for their abuses, dissolving marriages, so that the wardens and other officials profit to some extent by the fees from these divorces and therefore shield these priests, not permitting the bishops and the synod to summon such wayward clerics, abusing and even beating our visitators, we request that such abuses should cease, and that we would be free to correct the wayward and keep order, and if someone should be excommunicated because of his disobedience or for an abuse, let the government and the lords, once they have been informed by the bishops or the visitator, not permit such excommunicated clergy to perform clerical functions or serve in the churches until they have been absolved by their pastors from their faults. This shall also be understood for archimadrates and hegumenoi and other ecclesiastics who are subject to the bishops and to their authority.
Than the Cathedrals in the main cities and all the parish churches everywhere in the dominions of the King's Grace, of every place and jurisdiction, whether founded by the King, or by the city, or by a local lord, shall be subject to the bishop and under his authority, and that lay people shall not administer them under any pretext, for there are those who meddle against the obedience of the bishop, arranging matters as they wish and who do not want to obey their bishops. Let this not occur in the future.
And if someone has been excommunicated by his bishops for any offence, let him not be received into the Roman Church but, on the contrary, let his excommunication be proclaimed there also. And we shall do the same with regard to those excommunicated from the Roman Church, for this is a joint concern.
And when the Lord God by His will and holy grace shall permit the rest of our brothers of the Eastern Church of the Greek tradition to come to the holy unity with the Western Church, and later in this common union and by the permission of the Universal Church there should be any change in the ceremonies and Typicon of the Greek Church, we shall share all this as people of the same religion.
We have heard that some have departed for Greece to procure ecclesiastical powers and return here to advise and influence the clergy and extend their jurisdiction over us. We, therefore, request the King's Grace to order precautions to be taken on the state borders so that anyone bearing such jurisdictions and excommunications be barred from entering the kingdom. Otherwise, grave misunderstandings could arise between the pastors and the flocks of the Church.
All these things we the undersigned, desiring holy concord for the praise of God's Name and for the peace of the Holy Church of Christ, we have given these articles which we consider necessary for our Church and for which we require agreement in advance and guarantees from the Holy Father the Pope and from the King's Grace, our merciful lord, for greater security, we have committed our Instructions to our Reverend brothers in God, father Hypatius Potij, the Protothrone, Bishop Volodymyr of Brest', and Father Cyril Terletsky, Exarch and Bishop of Lutsk and Ostrih, so that in our name and in their own name they should ask the Most Holy Father the Pope, and also the King's Grace, our merciful lord, to confirm and guarantee beforehand all the articles which we have here given in writing, so that assured as to the faith, the Mysteries, and our ceremonies, we might come to this holy accord with the Roman Church without any violation of our conscience and the flock of Christ committed unto us and likewise that others who are still hesitating, seeing that we retain everything inviolate, might more quickly come after us to this holy union.
Given in the Year of God 1595, the month of June, the first day according to the Old Calendar.

MICHAEL, Metropolitain of Kiev and Halych and all Rus'
Hypatius, Bishop of Volodymyr and Brest'
Cyril Terletsky, by the grace of God Exarch and Bishop of Lutsk and Ostrih
Leontius Pelchytsky, by the grace of God Bishop of Pinsk and Turov

[The seals of eight bishops are added, including Gedeon Balaban of L'viv and Dionysius Zbirujski of Kholm.]


Thanks to http://www.archeparchy.ca/history/union_of_brest.htm for this article

[Michael the Iconographer]

More on the Orthodox position of the false unia that created the Byzantine Catholic Church:

http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/ea_rome.aspx

[Michael the Iconographer]

About St. Mark of Ephesus, who defended Orthodoxy against the false Council of Florence...

http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/stmark.aspx

[EmperorConstantine]

A combination of factors. The Catholic parish I was raised in was more traditional (still had the High Altar) but the nearby Catholic parish from where I live now is more liberal/contemporary and even threw out a priest that tried to bring back some more traditional attitudes.

For about two years the only church that I could get to was the Orthodox parish. During that time I was leaning towards Eastern Catholicism because I liked the Liturgy, but what held me back was the fact that one part of my family came from Bavaria. It was a bit of a heritage things.

In the summer of 2006, I was in Miami for two months. The people at the Orthodox parish there were more than hospitable even though I was, at the time, a Roman Catholic. That had never happened at any other non-Roman parish other than the Orthodox parish at home. I figured that whatever the REAL Church would be would be full of people at the local parish level who lived with the Holy Spirit within them and would be more than hospitable towards all including those that would not be considered one of "their own". Another big thing for me was history and since I had never heard much of the Church between the Edict of Milan and the Crusades, I figured whatever the REAL Church is, would have that answer. I was given a copy of Metropolitan Kallistos's book "The Orthodox Church", my burning questions were answered and the rest is history.

[foxsta]

Alrighty! Whoa! Lots of info there...I'll have to get onto to reading it sometime. Any other stories would be great too!

[Knightwolflord]

Alrighty! Whoa! Lots of info there...I'll have to get onto to reading it sometime. Any other stories would be great too!
Yes PLEASE continue.

I too am thinking of whether Orthodoxy is the true Church and info from former Catholics would be AWESOME!!!

[Asinner]

Yes PLEASE continue.

I too am thinking of whether Orthodoxy is the true Church and info from former Catholics would be AWESOME!!!

Here you go.:)

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/5654/index.html

http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/inquirers/twopaths.aspx

http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/inquirers/inq_rc.aspx

[EmperorConstantine]

Yes PLEASE continue.

I too am thinking of whether Orthodoxy is the true Church and info from former Catholics would be AWESOME!!!
I put the abridged tale of my conversion up in this thread (post 11).

[Michael the Iconographer]

My conversion is in the conversion thread.

[Knightwolflord]

My conversion is in the conversion thread.
Where is that?

[EmperorConstantine]

Where is that?
The "Conversions to Orthodox" thread can be found here:

http://christianforums.com/t3005537-conversions-to-orthodoxy.html


Very illuminating.

[foxsta]

Thanks again!

[Michael the Iconographer]

Thanks again!
Make sure you are good and comfortable if you sit down to read mine. I warn you that I am not responsible for eyestrain from attempting to read my ramblings about my conversion.

[-Kyriaki-]

*giggles at Michael's comment about eyestrain*

Thanks guys, I'm not Catholic but these are interesting reading :)

[foxsta]

Make sure you are good and comfortable if you sit down to read mine. I warn you that I am not responsible for eyestrain from attempting to read my ramblings about my conversion.
I searched specifically for it and read it...very in depth and inspiring!

[Michael the Iconographer]

*giggles at Michael's comment about eyestrain*

Thanks guys, I'm not Catholic but these are interesting reading :)
My conversion story on here is so long it should be divided into chapters!

[Michael the Iconographer]

I searched specifically for it and read it...very in depth and inspiring!
You mean you did not die from internal hemoraging due to the pain of reading my ramblings?

[foxsta]

*giggles at Michael's comment about eyestrain*

Thanks guys, I'm not Catholic but these are interesting reading :)
Oh and Kyrie, your church is on my list of those to attend. I just gotta go to an Eastern Catholic one before hand to talk to the priest if I cannot talk to him on the phone. Just busy around now and especially since my birthday lies on the Western Easter Sunday and my party and Youth group weekend soon follow that. When is Pascha for you guys?

[foxsta]

You mean you did not die from internal hemoraging due to the pain of reading my ramblings?
No haha! :P

[Rick of Wessex]

Hi! :wave:

When is Pascha for you guys?

This year, Pascha will fall on April 27th.

Rick

[foxsta]

Hi! :wave:



This year, Pascha will fall on April 27th.

Rick
Thanks!

[-Kyriaki-]

That's fine - come when you can, we'd love to see you, but I understand life being busy!

As Rick said, yep April 27th. So if you want to come during Lent, you've got quite a few weeks in there to do it :)

[Michael the Iconographer]

Foxsta, have you read any of the stuff posted on the False Unions of Brest-Litovsk and Uzhorod?

[foxsta]

Foxsta, have you read any of the stuff posted on the False Unions of Brest-Litovsk and Uzhorod?
I have glanced at it...its on the list to read though. Just received a 100 knot prayer rope in the post from an Orthodox mission in Melbourne yay!

[Vasileios]

The conversion stories should be available from the first page. It is one of the most inspiring threads and should be visible right away. I'm sure a lot of people who would have clicked it haven't because they simply don't know it's there.

[foxsta]

Ok...so I got a prayer rope from Holy Cross Orthodox Mission in Melbourne ( I think they are Antiochian). They are great and send out a heap of small paper icons and info pamphlets with their products. I got a lot more than last time but anyways...one of them is about the Orthodox view of Uniates...co-incidence or God-given?! Amazing!

[Michael the Iconographer]

Ok...so I got a prayer rope from Holy Cross Orthodox Mission in Melbourne ( I think they are Antiochian). They are great and send out a heap of small paper icons and info pamphlets with their products. I got a lot more than last time but anyways...one of them is about the Orthodox view of Uniates...co-incidence or God-given?! Amazing!
Needless to say, while we have no personal problem with uniate people themselves, the Orthodox Church does not look with favor upon the Uniate Churches.

[foxsta]

Yeah, thats what I gathered

[Michael the Iconographer]

Yeah, thats what I gathered
That is because those churches came about through deception.

[foxsta]

That is because those churches came about through deception.
Yeah, I'll have to look into those resources you provided