Cheesefare Sunday and Forgiveness Vespers --- wishing all a holy beginning to Great Lent 2021

Brethren-  do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.  The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. 

So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.  Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.  Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters.  One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.  

The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them.  

Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand. (Letter to Romans) 

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.  

But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,  so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.   For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Gospel of Matthew) 

What books should I read for Lent 2021?

There's something about C. S. Lewis' fiction- His Narnia books, I can re-read and I remember almost every word. I might experience Narnia differently, but I know the land very well. With Til We Have Faces and the Space Trilogy, it is as I have never read them. So I'll be re-reading them in 2021. It has been awhile in any case. I enjoyed Out of the Silent Planet last week- I think of it as a prose poem filled with hope and wisdom. 

This past week, I (re) read Rumer Godden's In This House Of Brede. This book explores the lives of Benedictine nuns a bit before the Vatican II Council. The nuns are human, but most of them are holy. I would say that it is a very realistic, sympathetic view of the lives of religious. I have been blessed to know holy women and I even lived for a year in a convent in Slovakia when I was teaching there! There is a lot of truth in this book. But I don't know what God is telling me. Twice I have read this book in preparation for a book club, but I have not been able to go to the meeting because of family obligations. Ah- the life of a non-celibate!

I am continuing my daily Bible reading. Tomorrow, I begin the Book of Deuteronomy. Salvation history is quite a ride! And for Great Lent, I will add two books that I have read in past years, but I need to re-visit them- Thirty Steps to Heaven and Lent and Easter- Wisdom from Fulton J Sheen- ,reading every morning after my Bible. I highly recommend both of them. This year, I am going to read with a pen in my hand so that I can mark up the books. Both of these books are truly ones that should be read multiple times. Lent is coming soon; my soul needs this season and it comes just in time every year! 

2021 Goals- reading every day- the Bible & other books

My mother has read through the Bible (a chapter or more every night before bed) multiple times. I have always admired her for that. But I never took my admiration and turned it into action. My knowledge of the Bible was limited to the readings in the Roman and Byzantine Catholic Churches- daily, feast days, and Sundays. I always get perfect scores on Bible knowledge quizzes. But that is not enough. For whatever reason, after watching a YouTube end-of-the-year video from minimalist and Christian Ashlynne Eaton where she recommended the Read Scripture app, I pulled the trigger. I haven't missed a reading since December 14th. I'm just about finished with Leviticus. I'm using my Saint Joseph Edition of the New American Bible- I plan to fill in the gaps of the Read Scripture app with  Fr Mike's Bible in a Year podcast when Catholic books are left out; I'll have to double my readings sometime! 

I'm attempting to average reading a book every week (in addition to the Bible) in 2021. We shall see. So far in 2021, I have read Agatha Christie's Death Comes at the End- ancient Egypt with no detective but 100% Christie! I recommend it

The 2nd book was short, sweet, and an old favorite. Finishing it again, I realized that I am like Helene in that I have never gotten to England even though I have planned to visit since I was 11. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff is a collection of letters to an English book shop. Just read it. And the newish film is good, too.

My third book of the year is Emma by Jane Austen. My university-going daughters were shocked to learn that the only Austen I have read is, of course, P & P. All my life, I was the bookworm. This doesn't mean that I read a great quantity of books; it means that I re-read favorites again and again. I am going for variety with my one-book-a-week adventure. I need to pick up the pace with Emma. The language is very rich and not necessarily easy to read late at night after a busy day!

Since January 4th, I've been using Wendy Speake's The 40-Day Sugar Fast every day after my Bible reading to help me re-set my taste buds. Because I am already sugar free (I eat 90% lowcarb/keto), I am fasting from sugar substitutes and alcohol. She is a gentle woman of God; reading her thoughts is a nice way to start the day! This fast ends Feb 13th- The Great Fast before Pascha (Lent) starts for new calendar Byzantine Catholics Monday, February 15th. So, I plan to take a break for one day and then use it again, adding fasting from meat for all days of the Great Fast (for health reasons, I do not usually go full vegan for fasting times... talk to your spiritual father and possibly your doctor about what is best for you). 

My word of the year is SPRING. Who knows what this means, but I have been trying to 'spring' out of bed at 5:45 so that I can get my Bible reading, etc done in the quiet of the early morning. Of course, once I turn a light on in the kitchen (must have coffee), the kitty cries from the garage. But it has been a great experience. Those who know me in real life are probably amazed. I'm getting old- going to hit the big 5-0 this summer. It is time to wake up early enough to see the sun rise. Even if I live another 50 years, I shouldn't take this beautiful world for granted. 

fyi- if you click on the book links and then make an amazon purchase, I might make a teeny bit of money. hasn't worked so far- but maybe...? 

The Nativity Fast is here!

more Magdalena: thoughts on being a Byzantine Catholic priest's daughter

How has being a Catholic Priest's kid affected/influenced your relationship with God?

Because I have never not been a priest kid it is a little difficult to say, but I think that it has brought me closer to God. I am in constant contact with faith-based things, so God is never far from my thoughts. 

A friend is the son of a minister-  they were watched regularly by the congregation, and their father was criticized for their behavior. I wonder if you also feel the same expectation? 

I would say yes. My actions reflect on my father, and my dad is well known enough in our community that there is always a chance that the person I am speaking with knows him, either through the hospital or the church. Not that I would ever misbehave… ahem…. We are very involved in my father’s ministry, so there is a pressure there to live up to him. Usually it s the old-country parishioners who would report any misbehavior and criticize, but as there are fewer and fewer of these fine people left, it hasn’t happened as much lately. 

What is the strangest thing you've learned about as a priest's kid?

Because I am a priest kid I have met very many strange people and have been in many strange situations (like the time a lady let my father know that her son was of a similar age to me and she would be happy to arrange a marriage between us. I was four at the time.) The strangest thing I have learned would have to be 

Do you feel any pressure being the child of a priest; and what have you, and the rest of your siblings done to ease whatever pressure may be felt, at times; and have you had to defend your father's vocation? 

There is pressure there, but I have felt it all my life, so it feels very normal. I can clearly see the value in what my father does so I am never ashamed of who I am. I do explain why it is ok for married men to become priests in the Byzantine tradition to help people out, but I try not to hang out with the kind of people who would attack me on this. If people are hostile about it I refer them to my dad for further explanations and then I leave. The people who are vehemently against the catholic church are difficult to handle sometimes (I usually meet with these people at my community college), and I feel like the ex-Catholics are worst of all. Usually they take the perspective that I am a naïve little girl who will wake up to the real world of science and truth, but then I enjoy flooring them in the next exam. Kindly, of course…. I don’t start religion-based arguements, but if someone else wants to discuss religion I don’t say no. I usually quote Maccabees or Tobit 😉. 

Do you have a funny story about being a priest's kid?

Sooooo many…. Many times I laugh at the blank look given by people to whom I tell I am a priest’s kid. They kind of double take and say “but you said you were Catholic…” In Romania it is always very nice because it is usual for the priests to be married. However, the priest families are VIPs, and because we are from America we are seen as very important and rich (they don’t seem to factor in the cultural difference). Whenever we went to our grandparents church in Romania people would help me with my coat, offer their seats, serve me food (I didn’t have to do the clean-up!), it was very fancy. 

Being a priest kid also puts me in weird situations. Sometimes when my dad is invited to dinner, we are invited too, but they kind of forget that there are six of us. This has resulted in a Thanksgiving spent inside the kitchen of our host, where the turkey leftovers, no mashed potatoes or stuffing, and one piece of pumpkin pie for me and my 3 siblings were our feast. People just don’t expect us. 

Would you prefer if your future husbands entered the priesthood after you are married? Why or why not?

If he did, it would mean that I would never be in a position where I would have to forsake my Byzantine traditions, something very important to me. I think hat I am pretty well-equipped to deal with being married to a priest because of my mother and other role models, so it wouldn’t be a shockingly different lifestyle. However, it is a huge commitment. Once a priest, always a priest, and never home on Sundays. There are so many difficulties, but also a huge joy in the vocation of priest family. I definitely want my husband involved in the liturgy, maybe as a deacon or even an acolyte. In other words, I am definitely open to it. 

Do Roman Catholic children with whom you are acquainted struggle with the fact that your dad is a priest?

Yes, but luckily my Catholic bubble is pretty well-educated. Most people definitely don’t hold it against me, but it does make events at my house very interesting. I was hosting a high school literature seminar not too long ago, and it was amazing to see my friends try to relate to my dad as a priest and as a normal man, and try not to call him Mr. It can get pretty funny. 

Do you have a favorite saint (Latin or Eastern)?

All the saints are inspirations to me in different ways, so it is difficult to tie it down. I think it depends on my situation. St Jude is for tests, St Anthony for everything that I lose, St. Mary Magdalene for her powerful conversion and holiness, Mother Mary for pretty much everything, and St. Irene for her virtue are just a few.  

What is your favorite feast day?

Easter is just incredible. The excitement is building up all through Lent, and it is such a beautiful Feast. I love the music, the service, the joy, and the symbolism of light. The food is also amazing, and I love how it doesn't end, just keeps on going for forty days, as well as every Sunday. It is the day when I am the most happy that I am Byzantine. 

meet Magdalena: scholar, crafter, Byzantine Catholic priest's daughter

How does your faith inform your day-to-day life?

Being Catholic is the most important thing about me, and being a priest kid only emphasizes this. I am always ready to have a theological discussion, and I am usually singing a byzantine chant under my breath. I try not to flaunt my faith, but it seems to leak out pretty quickly… If I am smiling and daydreaming, it is probably about Divine Liturgy in the Hagia Sophia! Ahem…. So yes, my faith is important…. You were saying? 

What is your greatest challenge in practicing your faith?

There are so many challenges… I try to keep God before me at all times, but there is a definite need for a growth in virtue. Judgmental thoughts are an issue for me, but I am really trying to work on my mercy for others. 

Favorite Bible verse?

It depends on my mood, but I love the simple petition, “Remember me when Thou shalt come into Thy Kingdom,” from the good thief during the crucifixion. It reminds me of what I am constantly asking God and my need for His mercy. It is so simple and trusting, it brings tears to my eyes. 

Favorite spiritual writing besides the Bible?

I love me some Lewis! His essays on the evil of subjectivity and the essay “Men without Chests” are so amazing. I love Perelandra, it is my favorite interpretation of the Creation Story. I also really like Chesterton. 

Favorite saint and why?

I am close to St Mary Magdalene obviously, but I also turn to Saint Jude quite often (the SAT in particular, if you must know. Thanks again buddy 😊) St Anthony has helped me out so many times that it would be the height of indecency for me not to mention him. And, of course, my lovely Mother Mary is one of the most important influences on my life. 

What is your ministry in the church?

Everything….. Pretty much as long as it is not on the altar I had something to do with it. Of course I help arrange the altar. And make the bread. Most importantly though I am a cantor, the welcoming committee, and a catechist. 

Favorite movie, book, music, and why?

The Lord of the Rings will always hold a special place in my heart, both books and movies, because of the magic, wisdom, knowledge, and virtue inside. I also love Austen and Jane Eyre. I really like fantasy books, books with magic and mystery in them. For me, books are a good way to escape real life for a little, and I love the immersive qualities of a book about a magic land. Classics are generally really great as well, I feel better connected to the characters than I do in a lot of modern fiction. 

Hobbies? 

I started to crochet when I was 11, and it still captivates me today, though I am happy to say that my more recent projects have been a tad more professional than my first hat (I wonder why my mother never wears it?). More recent hobbies are peg doll painting, which is really fun. I recently finished a knight and his lady for my friend, and they look rather dashing, if I do say so myself. Other than that, I love dancing and singing and I never lose an opportunity to do either, despite the embarrassment it might cause my companions. 

If you had $20 and an hour, what would you do?

I must confess, I do like window shopping, but that would not necessarily use up my $20. If you put me in a used bookstore, however, I would be one happy person. Up in Oregon there is a store called the Book Bin, the perfect place to spend time and money. 

Thanks for sharing, Magdalena!

Click here for more profiles in the 'I'm a Catholic' series

Click here to read Magdalena's priest's kid blog post from 5 years ago! Time flies!

preparing for fasting & Great Lent; preparing for Christ's resurrection at Pascha

be pro-life- smile at a mom & her screaming toddler

Pro-lifers are readying themselves for the annual March for Life  Different groups are doing different things, but prayer and demonstrations seem to be the popular manifestations for this time.  

If we say that we are pro-life- let's mean it and show this with our actions! Prayer is a beautiful thing, but maybe that mom needs your help with opening that door- she has 2 kids in her arms.  Please don't joke that that family needs a television; it's insulting and anti-life. Bring a meal to welcome the newest addition and have your teenager mow their lawn- with permission, of course. Hand-me-down clothes are very welcome, but check the clothing for rips and stains. If Goodwill wouldn't sell it, the local big family down the street probably wouldn't wear it to Mass. And perhaps above all, have mercy with little children that are squirmy at church. I guarantee you- the parents are doing their best to wrangle those kids.  They woke up, got the kids ready and out the door when the majority of Americans were still abed. They are in church, trying to instill in their children all the values of Christianity. Give that harried mom a smile as she takes a screaming  three-year old out of Mass. Invite them to your table at coffee and doughnuts. Make that super-sized family (in most parts of the US, any family with over 2 or 3 kids- not applicable to Franciscan U and TAC areas) welcome.

How in the world can inviting a big family to your coffee and doughnut table be pro-life, you ask? We need to build a culture of life where children are welcome. We need to make it easier for a family to have that next kid (perhaps through lower taxation?). Did you know that 60% of abortions are performed on women who are already mothers? (source- the blog "And Sometimes Tea") Prayer is essential, but action is too. If all pro-lifers were active in doing pro-life prayer and work (making meals, knitting booties, working at a soup kitchen, calling a new mom, mowing lawns, painting fences, fixing vans, babysitting for nothing or nominal fees, whatever is appropriate to the stage in life and ability or talent), we would make it less scary for these moms to welcome life even in difficult moments.

This post was inspired by an old post I read at Abigail's Alcove about needing help and not really getting it when her very ill baby was in the NICU 

meet Anthony: computer geek, theology professor, Greek Catholic

How did you become interested in Eastern Catholicism?  Were you raised Eastern Catholic?

I was raised in the Roman Catholic faith.  I attended a Catholic school, and served as an altar boy.  While I was in elementary school, though, I had a transformative experience. My parents took me to a wedding at a Greek Catholic parish, and I was struck by the beauty and sense of sacredness.  Like the envoys sent to Constantinople by St. Vladimir, I didn’t know whether I was in heaven or on earth.  This moment changed the entire trajectory of my life.

As it happened, my next-door neighbor – a boy my age – was Greek Catholic.  I would sometimes attend Divine Liturgy with his family.  The liturgy had such a profound effect on me that I would literally dream about it at night.

When I graduated from college, I joined a Greek Catholic parish and officially transferred to the Byzantine Rite.

How did your family react to your change of rite?

They were very supportive.  They knew that I wasn’t rejecting the Catholic faith that they instilled in me, but was embracing it in a different form.

I absolutely love Roman Catholicism.  I have so much appreciation for everything that the Latin tradition offers.  I never rejected it.  Rather, I was called to serve God by building up and promoting the “Eastern Lung” of the Catholic Church.  I believe that a strong, vibrant Eastern Christian presence within the Catholic Church will lead to a stronger, healthier Roman Catholicism.

How did you become a theologian?

In college I studied Philosophy and Religion.  I realized that I love teaching people about the Catholic faith, and wanted to pursue a career as a theology professor.   I went on to graduate studies in Theology at Franciscan University.  

Upon finishing my master’s degree, I was accepted into the doctorate program in theology at Duquesne University.  While in this program, I had the opportunity to focus my studies on my true passion: Eastern Christianity.  My dissertation director was Father Michael Slusser, a patristics scholar with a profound understanding of the Greek Fathers and the Eastern Christian theological tradition.  I learned so much from working with him on my dissertation, which was a study entitled Adrian Fortescue and the Eastern Christian Churches.  It was later published as a book by Gorgias Press.

I also had the pleasure of taking classes at SS. Cyril and Methodius Byzantine Catholic Seminary.  One of the professors, Father David Petras, had a tremendous impact on me.  Father David served on my dissertation committee, and taught me a great deal about liturgy and ecumenism.  I also became friends with a Ukrainian Catholic priest who served in Ireland, Archimandrite Serge Kelleher of blessed memory.  Father Serge was very wise, and taught me what it really means to be an Eastern Christian in communion with Rome – with the challenges that it entails.

After completing my doctorate, I was blessed with my dream job.  I teach theology at a small Catholic college in central Pennsylvania, Mount Aloysius.  I go to work and teach people about God, and I love every minute of it.  

Do you have any hobbies?  What do you do when you’re not teaching theology?

I spend a lot of time with my family, raising two wonderful children.  My wife, Vanessa is a life-long Greek Catholic, and she has a deep love for the faith.  Vanessa’s grandmother was a cantor who spent her life serving the church, and Vanessa seeks to follow her example.

For fun, I enjoy working with computers.  I have several websites that I design and manage.  One of the websites, From East to West, is dedicated to teaching Western Christians about Eastern Catholicism.  

My other primary website, Mythic Scribes, is a community of fantasy writers.  I love reading and writing fantasy fiction, and Mythic Scribes is a wonderful place to explore that interest.

Many thanks to Dr. Anthony Dragani for sharing! 

for more "I'm a Catholic" profiles click HERE 

do you want to share your spiritual journey? Email me at remnantofremnant@blogspot.com! 

Celebrating & Strengthening Christian Marriage --- a Wednesday series for 2018

"Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery 

"Let there be such oneness between us that when one cries, the other tastes salt." (attributed to multiple authors)

“[On what young husbands should say to their wives:] I have taken you in my arms, and I love you, and I prefer you to my life itself. For the present life is nothing, and my most ardent dream is to spend it with you in such a way that we may be assured of not being separated in the life reserved for us... I place your love above all things, and nothing would be more bitter or painful to me than to be of a different mind than you.” -  St John Chrysostom

"Love that leads to marriage is a gift from God and a great act of faith toward other human beings."- St. Pope John Paul II 

Hail! Who calls the daughter of Zion to rejoice: completing the Nativity Fast Akathist

Rule us, protect us, hear our prayers, O Child not yet born, Ancient of Days. We have arisen to plead before the stony mountain; hear us O hills; open up the cave into which we might pour our cries to the one Micah sees in Bethlehem, and says:

Hail! Offshoot of the house of Ephrata.
Hail! Ruler of Israel.
Hail! Whose goings out are from age to age.
Hail! Who waits upon the woman to give birth.
Hail! Who awaits the return of your brethren.
Hail! Father of the sons of Israel.
Hail! Feeder of the flock.
Hail! Majesty of the Name.
Hail! Gatherer of the bruised.
Hail! Reigning from Mount Zion.
Hail! Who make small Bethlehem great.
Hail! Lord of Hosts, speaking in the silent cave.
Hail! New Child, being God from all eternity.

Who speaks through unclean Barlaam’s lips?
The Holy Spirit proclaims Jacob’s fair houses,
and the shady groves of Israel, the gardens, the river
to which shall come, following the star he saw,
Barlaam’s Magi heirs through whom we gentiles now sing:
Alleluia!

 A day is coming, says Zechariah, when the Lord himself shall go forth and fight, shall stand upon the Mount of Olives before Jerusalem, and on that day shall He be proclaimed king over all the earth. That day now dawns and the little Child leads his army of shepherds and his hosts of angels to sing with us:

Hail! Who hurls the wealth of Tyre into the sea.
Hail! Encamped among the remnant of Judah.
Hail! Who calls the daughter of Zion to rejoice.
Hail! Riding triumphant upon the foal.
Hail! Who cuts off the chariot from Ephraim.
Hail! Whose colt turns back the warhorse from Jerusalem.
Hail! Your dominion is from sea to sea.
Hail! You rule from the River to the ends of the earth.
Hail! Blood of the covenant.
Hail! Freedom of captives from the waterless pit.
Hail! Whose grain makes the young men flourish.
Hail! Whose wine restores the maidens.
Hail! New Child, being God from all eternity. 

Your prophets stilled their voices
after Malachi foresaw Elijah’s sending.
Now the great day, the awesome day is coming
with Elijah’s birth in John, whose baptizing
will prepare the world to cry:
Alleluia! 

Click HERE for the entire akathist prayer 

Hail! Creator of the stars of heaven: praying before Christmas

Out of Isaiah’s mouth the Lord decrees: “Understand you nations and submit, for God is with us!” Emmanuel is arriving, Jesse’s rod is blossoming, the Virgin is bearing and all creation is rejoicing:
Hail! Child born for us.
Hail! Son given for us.
Hail! Whose shoulders bear the Government.
Hail! Angel of Great Counsel.
Hail! Wonderful Counselor.
Hail! Mighty God.
Hail! Potentate.
Hail! Prince of Peace.
Hail! Father of the Age to Come.
Hail! Upholder of the Throne from Age to Age.
Hail! Judge of the lowly with justice.
Hail! Little Child who leads us.
Hail! New Child, being God from all eternity.

Not until this moment has Jeremiah’s word been understood:

this is our God, and there shall be no other,

this is our God, who appeared upon earth,

and lived among men.

Lord, we give You glory as we hymn:

Alleluia!

Human hand did not cut the stone that comes now to be born, and human help did not save the three youths in Babylon’s fire. Teach us, Daniel, lead us young men, as we cry out to the Savior:

Hail! Lord God of our Fathers, worthy of all praise.

Hail! Just in all that you do.

Hail! Heaven’s Lord.

Hail! Angels’ King.

Hail! Maker of the sun and moon.

Hail! Creator of the stars of heaven.

Hail! Who send us fire and hail, frost and snow.

Hail! Glorified in winter cold and summer heat.

Hail! Source of springs, seas and rivers.

Hail! Who care for birds of the air, for beasts and cattle.

Hail! Son of Man for the sons of men.

Hail! Whose mercy endures forever.

Hail! New Child, being God from all eternity.

Early is the rain that falls for our vindication, says Joel,

foreshadowing the Spirit’s overshadowing of the Virgin soil.

O Hosea marry, Amos warn,

Habakkuk look upon the vision,

and let the whole company cry out with us:

Alleluia!

Click HERE for the entire akathist prayer 

Ventura Strong: Christmas is coming after the fire and sorrow

sculpture by Juan Manuel Cisneros  

Since December 4th, we in this part of California have been living with the smoke and fire danger of the Thomas Fire. One firefighter, traveling 200 miles away from his home to help, has perished. Most of our circle of Catholic homeschooling families have gone back to their homes after the clean-up, but the fire is still only half contained. One family has lost everything material, but they are happy that everyone is healthy and safe. 

We in Ventura County feels very blessed to be celebrating the Nativity of Jesus Christ this year, knowing how privileged we are to live in a place where people really come together to help their neighbors. 

Nicholas' journey East: thoughts on church as family

"Yes, I am one of those Latin Church Catholics considering the switch to a Byzantine Rite Church.  I understand this changing of ascription might puzzle (at best) or offend (at worst) some.  Let me say that I understand the reservations entirely, and I’d like to bare my soul (if only ever so slightly) to explain why I’ve come to this point and why you might not.

Back in high school, I had the great privilege of attending a Ukrainian Catholic High School.  It was just down the block from our house and had a solid theology program (unlike so many other Catholic high schools at the time).  It was there that I first encountered the Divine Liturgy.

We also wound up becoming part-time parishioners at the school’s parish, at first for the tuition deduction (I mean, we were already Sunday Mass goers, we just split our Sundays between our Ukrainian Catholic and Latin Polish parishes).  My brothers and I also had the privilege of serving at the Divine Liturgy.  As time went on and we transferred out of the school, I still felt the “call of the East” drawing me back.  I’d still attend Divine Liturgy on occasion, but as the rest of my family was more comfortable as Latins, I did so infrequently.

While completing a year of national service at my alma mater after graduation, I was able to start attending a Ruthenian parish somewhat regularly (again, living only 30 minutes or so from home, I’d often go back for Sunday Mass with family).  It was again there that I was even more in love with this venerable tradition.

But then came the years of exile when I took a job for 4 years in rural, southern Illinois (where it was odd enough to be Catholic, much more Byz-curious).  When my wife and I were getting ready for our life of wedded bliss, she got a job offer in northern Michigan.  Real God’s country, but no Byzantine Rite parishes or missions.

And so, after 3 years in northern Michigan, I’m in the process of trying to determine what support there might be for an outreach in this area (with the support of the relevant eparchies).  I know it will be a long process, but definitely worth it.

So, you may ask, what draws me to the East?

Well, I read an article featured on this blog that rightly pointed out the several stereotypical Latins becoming Byzantine.  First, there’s the rabid traditionalist who’s weary of “modern” hymns, versus populum Mass, women on the altar, etc.  I’ve met these people and know some of them.  As the Blogging Presvytera rightly noted, these folks will often go back to a Latin parish once it starts to offer a Tridentine Mass or other traditional-style Latin Rite Mass (since they were drawn to the idea of a non-modern liturgy rather than, specifically, the Divine Liturgy, etc.).  While I’ll admit the tradition of the Ukrainian and Ruthenian Churches (as well as that one heady Sunday morning I spent in a smoke-filled Melkite parish stumbling out with all of the antidoron I could grab) has greatly impressed me, I realized that the Byzantine Rite Churches are not museums.  

They are places of worship where our mundane lives get a glimpse of the celestial and eternal.  Since this timeless worship is carried out by frail and sinful human beings, it will never be perfect.  The reader might have an irritating chanting voice, the priest might like to give hurried and confusing homilies, the altar boys might trip over themselves, folks might have a devotion to the Rosary (and all of your online forums have told you these people will burn in Byzantine Hell for their Latinizations), etc.  Again, parishes are not museums, and I’ve come to know, understand, and appreciate that.  I am, in a sense, even more aware of my unworthiness to participate in the Divine Mystery when I see how I (and others) fall short of the glory and majesty the Divine Liturgy attempts to convey.  This also contributes to what I can only describe as the “family feel” of every Byzantine parish I’ve ever attended.

This may be my slightly nicer way of hinting at an aspect of most Byzantine parishes I’ve visited—disorganization.  As Latins, we tend to inherit the mindset of the original bearers of the name our Church bears—the Ancient Romans.  The Romans devoted themselves to law and order (along with roads and plumbing, this is what they used to justify tributes and taxes).  Similarly, the Latin Church has a long tradition of applying precise legal thinking to ecclesiastical situations, as well as concretely defining rubrics (although these things went out of vogue in the 60s-90s, they are coming back in a big way).  Altar servers can become liturgical drill teams turning on a dime and never missing a genuflection or bow, cantors have solos that make you feel like you’re at an operatic concert, the parish coffee hour has its own set of prescribed rituals promulgated by the USCCB, etc.  It can be frustrating, then, when the attitude seems more relaxed, there seems to be a lot more (what looks to our structured Latin eyes) “wandering around,” the choir is just a bunch of folks who were daring enough to volunteer, etc.  Again, it’s a quality that has attracted me.  

Sure I know some larger parishes are a bit more regimented, but there’s always that element lurking somewhere of “we’re worshiping as a family and sometimes that means Dido is going to belt out the tropar and kondak off-key and we’re all gonna chant along with him.”

Again, these are merely my small, limited observations from parishes I’ve visited in the Midwestern US.  This won’t be everyone’s experience, but it is this experience (along with some of the theological emphases I don’t want to bore anyone with in what was supposed to be a short article) that has called me East."

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Nicholas! We'll be praying for you during this new part of your spiritual journey! 

from world traveling nun to Ukrainian Catholic wife & home educator (part 3)

What is your ministry in the church? Our parish life is so important to us. Right now I’ve been helping teach catechism to the younger group of children, and I’ve been learning and helping to cantor the different tones for Liturgy. We want to help out in any way we can! Just this past weekend, we helped our parish with a presentation of the Ukrainian Holy Supper, Свята вечеря, and it was so wonderful! I am truly blessed to be a part of such an active, faithful parish where the members are like family. I thank God every day for this. 

Education and job? I mentioned my time in the convent, but when I left, I got a job with a statewide pro-life organization, and I was really grateful for my time there. I learned a lot about the pro-life movement and how to better help people choose life and respect life. We’ve been busy with our young family for the past several years, but I hope someday to become more active in the pro-life movement again. 

Favorite movie, book, music? For movies, I enjoy science fiction and other “geeky” films, but I also love classic films from Hollywood’s Golden Age. My favorite movie is probably Hitchcock’s “Rebecca” or “Gaslight,” but there are so many movies from the 30s and 40s that I love! For books, I prefer nonfiction or spiritual reading. But I’ve always been a Jane Austen fan, too, and I love classic literature. Music-wise, I have a very eclectic taste! I enjoy some typical pop music but also classical music, sacred music, and international music. 

Hobbies? I have many hobbies! With four young children, though, I don’t always have time to pursue them as often as I’d like, but especially as they get older, I love to share my hobbies with them, as well. I love to sing, and I love to paint. I’d love to study iconography more seriously someday. I also love to make crafty things! I enjoy cooking, baking, and gardening, too. I love fishing, and I’m nowhere near an experienced runner, but I like to run, too.

What is 'cool'/interesting about you? Normally when people ask that, I tell them that I was a nun for 5 years! It’s a pretty unusual thing nowadays! While I was there, I had the opportunity to travel to Portugal and then again to Rome and Assisi. Those were really wonderful experiences, and someday I’d love to travel to Eastern Europe, particularly to where my father’s family is from. 

Also, when I was in the convent, I worked closely with their chaplain, a nonagenarian (he turned 100 this year!) Irish Dominican priest who was the founding editor of L’Osservatore Romano in English, and worked in the Vatican for 35 years. He had so many fascinating stories, and it was such a pleasure (and wonderful learning experience!) working with him. 

If you had $20 and an hour of free time what would you do? Probably go clothes shopping, looking for a good deal! Not very creative, but, it’s true! 

Thank you, Carrie for taking the time to answer these questions- you are a testimony to God's faithfulness!

Click here for part 1

Click here for part 2 

Interested in telling your story in the Church? (East or West)- write me an email at remnantofremnant@gmail.com 

writing straight with crooked lines: Carrie's faith (part 2)

How does your faith inform your day-to-day life? I would say that it’s the single most important thing to us! Everything we do is done through the lens of our Faith. Our day to day activities follow the liturgical calendar, our week is spent building up to Divine Liturgy on Sunday. We want our faith to be something living, something infused throughout our whole life and informing every decision we make, not something that we put away except for certain times of the week. We don’t do this perfectly, of course, but that is always our goal. 

What is your greatest challenge in practicing your faith? Right now, I would say that it’s the learning curve. My husband went to a well-known Catholic university and a Catholic law school, and I was in a more traditional type of Roman Catholic convent for five years. We’ve both been very well-catechized as Roman Catholics, but that also means we started from a very Latin view of things! So in being Eastern Catholics now, we still have a lot to learn and always will. I particularly want to be sure that I’m teaching my children from an authentic and accurate Eastern perspective. It takes time, and I think that’s the greatest challenge for me, personally, at this moment. Knowing that it can’t come all at once. I want to know everything, RIGHT NOW! But it’s a process, and I need to respect the process and allow God to guide us through it, bit by bit. It takes humility, and that’s not my strong point!

Favorite Bible verse? My standard answer is Romans 8:28, “We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.” To me, it means that God can work anything for good, a reminder that “God writes straight with crooked lines,” as the saying goes. I’ve seen that in my own life, and this verse serves as a reminder to me that God’s ways are not our ways, but He always has our good in mind. 

Favorite Spiritual writing (besides Bible) quotation? I could quote St. John Chrysostom all day long! His writings are beautiful and so inspiring to me. This is but one: “Such is the power of love: it embraces, and unites, and fastens together not only those who are present, and near, and visible, but also those who are far distant. And neither length of life, nor separation in space, nor anything else of that kind, can break up and divide in pieces the affection of the soul.”

Favorite saint and why? This is such a difficult question for me to answer, because I have so many favorites! The Saints have always inspired me my whole life; reading the lives of the Saints is what led to my “reversion” to practicing Catholicism when I was in 6th grade. I was so inspired by their many virtues, and how each one has a unique story. They make me want to be like them. I keep a liturgical calendar in a central place in our home, and write the Saint of the day on the white board in our homeschool room, and read a bit to the children about the Saint whose feast day it is each day. In our icon corner at home, aside from icons of Christ Pantocrator, the Theotokos, and Rublev’s Holy Trinity, we have St. Mark, St. Joseph the Betrothed, St. Nicholas, St. Mary Magdalene, and St. Helen of Constantinople.  

Overall, though, I would probably say St. Joseph the Betrothed. We have prayed for his intercession so often throughout our marriage for our family’s needs, and we feel a very special love for him and closeness to him.

Thank you for sharing, Carrie! 

click here for part 1 on Carrie's journey East 

meet Carrie: home educator coming home to her Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (part 1)

"My story here isn’t my conversion/reversion story, but rather the story of how I came to embrace Eastern Catholicism. 

When I was in high school, I discerned religious life and entered a community of Roman Catholic religious Sisters three months after high school graduation. I spent 5 years there! I love the Sisters very much and learned so much there. I am so grateful for the time I spent there, because it helped shaped me into the woman I am today. 

But it became apparent that I just wasn’t well-suited to the life. I’m nothing if not stubborn, though, so I forced the issue and stayed much longer than I should have! But I wanted so desperately to give my life to God, and I thought that was the best way I could do so. But I felt a strong longing for something else, and knew I had to make the transition back into the world and pursue God’s will for me there.

Interestingly enough, my Superior in the convent had been friends with Melkite Archbishop Joseph Raya. She had taught Melkite children along with Roman Catholic children when she was in charge of the local Catholic school a few decades before she founded her Community. She had a great love and respect for Eastern Catholicism, and we had many Melkite benefactors, so I attended my first Divine Liturgy and had my first “taste” of Eastern Catholicism when I was a Sister.

After I left, I met and married my husband, and we started our family right away, doing our best to be devout Roman Catholics and raise our children as such. Being a wife and a mother is everything I ever dreamed of! It became obvious that this was the vocation meant for me; it’s like the puzzle pieces finally fit. It makes me laugh now to think that I ever thought I was supposed to be a nun, because I love being a wife and a mother so much! But I’ll always be grateful for that experience. 

Every now and then when we’d visit my husband’s family back home in Pennsylvania, we’d visit the Ukrainian Catholic Church in town for Liturgy. My husband and his family had attended when they were younger, so he was more familiar with it than I was. At first, to my great embarrassment now, I must admit I was a little annoyed! I thought it was nice that we attended sometimes, but it was still not as familiar to me, and I didn’t really understand why it meant so much to them. 

My husband had asked me once if I would ever consider transferring to an Eastern Catholic Church, and I remember saying, “No, no way. I’m Roman to the core!” But one year, during Divine Liturgy for Pascha, something changed. I opened my mind and heart a little more, and fell in love completely. I spent the next year learning more about Eastern Catholicism, and the more I learned, the more drawn in I became. To me, it was almost as if it was where I was meant to be all along.

Meanwhile, I had started to look more closely into my family history, and in doing so, I discovered that, canonically, I am Eastern Catholic. I was floored! So much for being “Roman to the core,” right?! My husband also discovered that his heritage was similar. All this time we had never known! We had already been leaning this way for quite some time, but that was sort of the final “clincher” that made us decide to jump right in and fully embrace our Eastern heritage. We see these circumstances as God’s Providence. 

We have recently become full members of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and are so at home! Our four children are still young (my oldest just turned 7), but it’s been so beautiful to see how they’ve embraced their Eastern heritage, as well. They were all chrismated and received their first Holy Communion together this past summer."

Thank you so much, Carrie, for sharing your story! Part 2 coming up! 

Click on the label "I'm a Catholic series" for more profiles