Questions

[Catholic Wife]

I guess I should make a point of visiting the local Anglican / Episcopal church sometime to get some answers for myself, but until then please indulge the goofy Catholic chic. :sorry:


After checking out the website for our local Episcopal cathedral, I gather that "Holy Eucharist" or "Holy Communion" is your worship service (like our Mass is our worship service), right?

Are "morning prayer" and "evening prayer" are basically the same as the Catholic "matins" and "vespers" (only we have to be fancy and use the Latin terms)?

In the Catholic church, there is a 3-year cycle for Sunday Mass readings and a 2-year cycle for daily Mass readings, and some readings repeat each year (Christmas, Holy Week, Easter). How are the readings determined for your liturgy?

Can you explain Confession. From what I've read, there is a penitential rite within your liturgy (like our Confiteor), but private confession is optional. Y'all don't differentiate between mortal sins and venial sins, right? So why go to private confession, then?

Finally, what is "Vestry Night"???? :confused:

[karen freeinchristman]

Hi Catholic Wife! :wave:

My answers to your first two questions are yes and yes. :)

The third question in reference to our cycle of readings, the answer might vary a little from province to province because our lectionaries are not all exactly the same. But yes, we do have lectionaries, or cycles of readings. In the Church of England Common Worship lectionary, it is a 3-year cycle.

I can't really explain confession all that well, as I have never been to private confession before. My understanding is that it is an extra level of pastoral care for a person who might have a specific need for it.

The 'Vestry' in the Episcopal church is what we here in the UK refer to as the Parochial Church Council (PCC).

[Colabomb]

I guess I should make a point of visiting the local Anglican / Episcopal church sometime to get some answers for myself, but until then please indulge the goofy Catholic chic. :sorry:


No problem sister, i have asked my fair share of questions from Catholics :)

After checking out the website for our local Episcopal cathedral, I gather that "Holy Eucharist" or "Holy Communion" is your worship service (like our Mass is our worship service), right? Yes

Are "morning prayer" and "evening prayer" are basically the same as the Catholic "matins" and "vespers" (only we have to be fancy and use the Latin terms)?Yup

In the Catholic church, there is a 3-year cycle for Sunday Mass readings and a 2-year cycle for daily Mass readings, and some readings repeat each year (Christmas, Holy Week, Easter). How are the readings determined for your liturgy?

I am sadly not as educated concerning the Readings for the office that i should be, someone else will surely have the answer though :)

Can you explain Confession. From what I've read, there is a penitential rite within your liturgy (like our Confiteor), but private confession is optional. Y'all don't differentiate between mortal sins and venial sins, right? So why go to private confession, then?The majority of Anglicans (there are some that do) do not differentiate between mortal and venial sins the way the Roman Catholics do. However, we believe that confession of sin is required by our Lord. Many of us confess our sins directly to God, but many find receiving absolution via the priestly office to be comforting, so we provide that option as well.



God Bless Sister!

[longhair75]

Friend CatholicWife,

I am a convert from the Roman Catholic Church to the Episcopal Church. My friends here have given you good answers, but as one familiar with both, I may be able to answer a few also.

If you were to attend a Rite II Eucharist Service at your local Episcopal Cathedral, you would find it to be very familiar. For example: The wording of what your Liturgy terms the Consecration is virtually identical.

The Episcopal Church I belong to uses the same Lexionary as our Roman Church. and when I used to meet with my Catholic sister (who passed away last year) for breakfast after Church, we would often discuss the Sermon given by the Priests at our different services.

Our Eucharist is open to our Roman brothers and sisters, and you are more than welcome to receive Communion at our services.

I hope ths has helped.

[higgs2]

In the Episcopal Church, we have just started using the Revised Common Lectionary for Sundays, rather than the Episcopal prayer book Eucharistic lectionary. Our prayerbook lectionary was more similary to the Catholic lectionary that the RCL, although you'll find that the Gospel is often (but not always) the same. We also have a daily lectionary on a 2 year cycle in the prayer book, although I don't know how similar it might be to the Catholic one.

[ContraMundum]

The answers above are good.

Like the Roman Catholic Church, there are variances from place to place and parish to parish, but the general liturgical paradigm is mostly quite similar.

My advice is this: be welcome and enjoy!

[norbie]

My Dear Sister in Christ, there is not much to say anymore to the above answers. Maybe one point to make is, we have two forms of confession in our church. The first is the most used corporate confession, so all say it together before absolution. But the second is not known to all our members, yes we also have one on one confession if you want it this way.
But you should also know that we do have 'high' and 'low' Anglicans (called in Australia). So if you find a 'high' Church you will find not any difference from your r.k. mass. I also came from the Cath. Church so I do know what you are enquiry about.
Also an other thing in common is the Cursillo movement: we have it under license from the Cath. Church. So you will also feel at home there.
Hope this helps and a very warm welcome to you. And just ask, there are many Anglo/Catholics on this part of the forum. And remember, it's not about being good Catholics or good Anglicans - it's about being a follower of Christ, to live a Christlike Life.

[Albion]

I guess I should make a point of visiting the local Anglican / Episcopal church sometime to get some answers for myself, but until then please indulge the goofy Catholic chic. :sorry:


After checking out the website for our local Episcopal cathedral, I gather that "Holy Eucharist" or "Holy Communion" is your worship service (like our Mass is our worship service), right?

That's right.

Are "morning prayer" and "evening prayer" are basically the same as the Catholic "matins" and "vespers" (only we have to be fancy and use the Latin terms)?

Close. MP = Matins and Lauds. EP = Vespers and Compline.

In the Catholic church, there is a 3-year cycle for Sunday Mass readings and a 2-year cycle for daily Mass readings, and some readings repeat each year (Christmas, Holy Week, Easter). How are the readings determined for your liturgy?

In my church (Anglican, not Episcopalian), the Book of Common Prayer is followed and specifies a one year cycle. Naturally, this means readings for all Sundays repeat each year..

Can you explain Confession. From what I've read, there is a penitential rite within your liturgy (like our Confiteor), but private confession is optional.

Orthodox Anglcans accept only the 2 Sacraments of the Gospel. Other Anglicans have taken to following the Roman Catholic 7. There is no actual service for private confession and to the extent that it is used at all, it's supposed to be only occasional and for those who can't find peace of mind by confessing their sins during the General Confession which is part of the liturgy.

Y'all don't differentiate between mortal sins and venial sins, right?

RIght.

.So why go to private confession, then?

We don't EXCEPT as described above--an exceptional personal problem relating to not being able to feel forgiven.

Finally, what is "Vestry Night"???? :confused:

I assume that this is the night on which the parish council (Vestry) meets.