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To: BobS; Convert from ECUSA
Forget PETA and the declining jack-rabbit population. Check out the links I sent you and visit an Eastern Catholic Church, assuming there is one within decent driving range of Simi Valley. Let me know how it turns out - oh, one last suggestion, before you go, research that particular rite so it won't come as a total shock to your Novus Ordo system.

The Eastern Catholics are big on orthodoxy insofar as 'dressing appropriately' for Divine Liturgy and chanting their responses (yes - all of these liturgies are chanted back and forth between the Celebrant and the Congregation). You must promise me one thing! If you go, you will attend no less than 3 times. Okay? The first time, you will feel awkward as the surroundings will be most unfamiliar. The second time, you will begin to recognize the chants from the previous week and may even hum along. By the third week, if things work out for you as they did for me, the children will begin to wave at you and the parents will smile. Don't be surprised if members of the congregation offer to assist you in understanding their liturgy. It is all authentic and Cathollic. Rest assured that the pastor will want to meet and welcome you to his community.

Another freeper who normally attends a very orthodox NO liturgy, chose to attend a Byzantine Catholic liturgy while on business in a different state. He knew enough to remain after liturgy for the refreshments. Sure enough, the parish priest welcomed him to his church. When he learned that this was a business trip, he told the freeper that he should consider this his 'home parish', anytime he is visiting in that area.

The beauty of the Eastern Catholic Churches is their strict adherence to authentic teaching and disdain for novelty. In the Maronite Catholic Church, communion is by intinction - the priest (and ONLY the priest - no EEMs), dips the consecrated host into the Precious Blood, places it on the tongue of the communicant with the words: 'Receive the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, for the remission of sin and eternal salvation'. There are no liturgical dancers in the Eastern Rites, nor will there ever be. I pray you will discover the beauty of the Eastern Catholic Churches. Rest assured that there, you will encounter the 'Peace' of Christ.

69 posted on 02/26/2005 4:19:38 PM PST by NYer ("The Eastern Churches are the Treasures of the Catholic Church" - Pope John XXIII)
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To: NYer

There is a Syrian Orthodox Church near here that I visited.


70 posted on 02/26/2005 4:36:41 PM PST by BobS
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