Liturgy

Greek Festival

Today I journeyed on down to the Charlotte Greek Festival hosted by the Greek Orthodox Cathedral there. It was a pretty interesting event. A bit pricey though. I do like the idea behind those though. A festival celebrating one's heritage. I imagine at one time St. Patrick's day in America was once similar to a greek festival, that is before it because just another excuse to get trashed. The Cathedral is quite beautiful. Father Sean commented today after Divine Liturgy that when the greeks build something, they build it beautifully and I am afraid that the sentiment does not do justice to the reality. Here we have a picture of the Altar and the opened doors. And the Pantocrater on the dome above and that isn't even a taste of the grandeur. Sadly my camera is broken, but you can find these and more on their website (http://www.yiasoufestival.org/). After a quick stop in the church bookstore (where I acquired a Serbian Orthodox prayer book) my associate and I were off to St. Basil's to serve Divine Liturgy. For some reason as of late attendance there has been getting smaller but I do beleive that it is a temporary thing and numbers will pick back up. Serving the Divine Liturgy is something, in my opinion, very different then serving the Roman Mass. I have served Extraordinary Form Roman Masses (low and high), and I have served Ordinary Form masses of all types (weddings, Monastic proffesions, solemnities, pontificals, suday Mass, daily Mass) and I can not say that either of those give me the same fufilment I get out of serving the Divine Liturgy. Sure I may be more certain about what I am doing at an Ordinary form Roman Mass(man that is way too long to say ....). Its hard to describe I suppose, but its much more uplifting, and perhaps I am being too emotional about it all, but maybe not? I suppose that is what time and discernment are for. I trust that the Lord will guide me to where my spiritual home truly is.

Hiya

So its been ahwile, and I decided that this should be a general blog for Eastern Catholicism of all stripes. Mainly because I myself have realized that my true home parish is now St. Basil's in Charlotte. Anyways expect an update soon!

Mar Charbel

"Father of Truth, behold Your Son, a sacrifice pleasing to You. Accept this offering of Him who died for me..."

Violence in Liban

A lot of things have distracted me from posting on this, but I just was reminded of it a few seconds ago. Things down there are escalating and if you can spare a prayer for this country where Christ once visited, then please do so.

A Warm Welcome

His Beatitude Mar Nasrallah Boutros Sfeïr , Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and all the East shall be arriving in the United States today for a patriarchical visit. May God grant him a fruitful trip.

Ascension

"He said to them, "Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents (with their hands), and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.)" (Mark 16:15-20).