Hopes and prayers for our Shepherds.
Posted by Carson (June 19, 2006 at 10:41 am)
What kind of leadership will we need to thrive?
Trouble is no stranger to any of us. Jesus said, “In the world you have trouble but have courage I have overcome the world already” (A loose translation of John 16:33) We are given shepherds to lead us through these troubles. They would not be needed if the world were trouble free.
So, what is a shepherd to do when his flock has been diminished by over 2/3 in less than two decades? Our Shepherds may have to be more straightforward with his charges. God gives us the leaders we deserve but they do need our prayers and encouragement even if the encouragement causes pain to us and perhaps to them as well as they seek to chart a course in troubled waters.
Again, what is a shepherd to do?
First, please implement the “Heaven on Earth” call. If a Church does not have an iconostasis could we help them find a way to get one? If a Church doesn’t have a Pantocrator find a way for the Church to get one? If the Church isn’t implementing a liturgy in keeping with instructions might the priests be encouraged to use it? If a Church is too reliant upon pews as if people are there to worship their comfort rather than to worship God then find a way to remove some pews. I will pray for our bishops as they seek to fulfill this call to completeness.
Second, given the severe distress a secret new translation is causing the people begin listening to active and vibrant people of the Church. Since we are driven in very special ways by Lex orandi, Lex credendi let the people see the liturgy first. It would appear that if this liturgy is forced upon the people it may well cause a split and if it doesn’t it will drive some of our people away. Is there a way to have a Church wide conference on the liturgy to see how our liturgy can have a stronger impact upon the lives of all our people? Is there a way to be more open about the way it is implemented?
Third, pay attention to stewardship. If an area is deemed an area of potential growth then find a way to fund a vibrant Church in that area. If an area has far too many separate Churches as seems to be the case with Cleveland and Pittsburgh, then find a way to combine the parishes into one or two solid parishes and use the resources from the sale of the others to plant Churches in areas of solid potential. This would free up some priests to serve those Churches.
Fourth, we hear all the time about how much more faithful Eastern Europe is than we are. After all they have several more priestly candidates than they have Churches. We don’t. Therefore, it appears that there is some point to that. Nevertheless, we have several men in this country who have a vocation or who are discerning a vocation who are ignored by the hierarchy. Will these men stick around to see if anything happens? God is at work elsewhere. If they wait, how long will they wait?
Fifth, could each hierarch call a State of the Church meeting? Perhaps, make it a Sobor in keeping with our Eastern traditions. Be honest with us and tell us the state of the Church and then point the way for our growth.
We are imploding now. Waiting around won’t change that. Why not use the implosion as an occasion to do great things? Some of our Churches need to unite with other of our Churches for the sake of the Church, the people, and the lost. If our hierarchs will gently but firmly lead us this implosion can be the first step in an explosion.
Let it be so.
Carson Daniel Lauffer
I would have divided the article and put in a pretty picture but I don’t know how. CDL
Comment posted June 19th, 2006 at 3:45 pm
Oh, NO! Please don’t tell me the Byzantine Rite is going to mess with the liturgy or with the translation…especially not that they are going to get into that politically correct gender neutral garbage. That is one of the things I fled from in the Roman Rite. There is no stopping that stuff; pretty soon you have people rewriting the bible and the most ancient prayers, going through no end of contortions to avoid calling God “he”. You have people alternating “Our father” with “Our mother.”
Examples from western liturgy ” Glory to God in the highest..and peace to God’s people on earth.”
Nicene Creed “For us [men] and our salvation came down from heaven”
I am female. I know God loves and cares about me and that I am just as important to Him as men are. Furthermore I know that God does not have sex or gender…but I know He chose to call himself Father for a reason.
Let us please say the prayers the way the church has said them for a thousand and a half years give or take, and not let these ephemeral zeitgeist meddlers so much as touch it!
Susan Peterson
Comment posted June 19th, 2006 at 4:31 pm
Carson,
I don’t know what’s going on in the Eparchy of Parma. As far as translations are concerned, I attend Assumption Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church in St. Louis so most of the Divine Liturgy is in Ukrainian!
Do you think that Father Thomas will use the new translation?
Comment posted June 21st, 2006 at 9:17 pm
Susan and Dr. Eric,
I don’t believe that Father Thomas sees this controversy as being of major importance. What is important about the new translation is the poor way the bishops have handled it. I frankly don’t know what Father Loya will do with the new translation.
If the controversy is a catalyst for major renewal and focus upon evangelism then it can be a good thing. If the controversy just tears us apart further then it is still a good thing because it will tip us off to the need for finding something else to carry the vision.
I pray that the bishops will learn how to lead with strength and openness.
The most important thing the bishops could do immediately is to call a Sobor and tell us where we are and point the direction for the future. I have never experienced an organization whose leaders won’t get out in front and lead. This whole mess simply baffles me.
CDL
Comment posted June 21st, 2006 at 10:39 pm
Besides a Sobor I wonder if the translation committee has had translators from other Eastern Catholic Churches working on the translation. If not can they be involved now. I’m looking for ways to redeem this situation. A new translation whether its good or not would not be a high priority for me given that we’ve lost 2/3 of our people over the last 20 years. Nevertheless, if the efforts to produce a new recension can be a step in developing a pan Eastern American Church then I think the fat may still be pulled out of the fire.
CDL
Comment posted June 22nd, 2006 at 7:46 am
The way to redeem the situation… Fully implement what Rome has been asking us to do.
1) Fully embrace our Tradition
2) Go to the Orthodox and seriously study their translations.
Comment posted June 23rd, 2006 at 2:38 pm
I know I’m talking to myself. My wife warns me about that. But…as I reread these five points aren’t they the points that will put us in position to receive God’s renewal? Won’t they free the people to do the work of God with confidence within our Church?
Just wondering.
CDL
Comment posted June 26th, 2006 at 6:04 pm
>>If the Church isn’t implementing a full liturgy retrain or remove the priest.
“Remove the priest.” On what grounds? (Disobedience? To a standard set by whom? And according to what?) And do what with him?
Comment posted June 28th, 2006 at 6:36 pm
RDC,
I thank you for your comment. I have edited my article.
I would suppose a bishop can do what he wishes to do. I would suppose if a priest refuses a bishop’s direct instructions he could be removed. That would not be the first response. When I said “full liturgy” I really meant a proper liturgy as instructed by the bishop. I don’t know of any priest who doesn’t use the proper liturgy and I probably should not have said it just the way I did.
Do you have comments on the other suggestions I’ve made?
CDL
Comment posted June 28th, 2006 at 6:45 pm
RDC and all others who might be offended at my posts,
I don’t mean to seem to know more than I do. My bishop is certainly a holy and passionate leader and I trust that all are. My suggestions are meant to be helpful to move my adopted Church from a path of decline to a path of growth. I’m thrilled to read about areas of renewal and I trust our bishops to guide our priests in the proper use of liturgy. My desire is to let them know that I support their efforts.
I do think the title of this piece can be perceived as a bit cheeky and so was some of the original article. I apologize for the offense. My enthusiasm for our Church got the better of me. I have edited both and pray that my impetuosity will be forgiven.
CDL
Comment posted June 29th, 2006 at 5:53 am
I’ve seen some ghastly things in Ruthenian parishes and heard about even more. (For example: altar girls, imposition of ashes on Pure Monday, omission of entrances, only partial vesting to serve the Divine Liturgy, lay “presentation of the gifts” instead of the Great Entrance, the celebrant walking down the aisle for the “passing of the peace” handshake, lay preaching, ad-libbing the prayers of the Great Entrance and the litanies, etc.) Should the “offending” priests have been disciplined, and/or removed? I don’t know. If the hierarch is informed about such goings-on and does not act even though such things are completely contrary to every guideline, rubric or tradition, then I would blame the shepherd as much as I’d blame the priest or whoever engineered such ridiculousness.
But the need for clergy is so critical that short of a priest engaging in publicized sexual activity or committing a criminal offense, I can’t see even the most “orthodox” hierarch giving such a priest more than a slap on the wrist or a “tsk, tsk, you shouldn’t be doing that”. Because we really can’t afford to lose any more ordained bodies, which sets us up for having to put up with a heck of a lot. And we have!
Comment posted June 29th, 2006 at 10:26 am
RDC,
Are you the scholar who has researched the history of the Carpatho-Rusyn people in Pa.? I’ve only read one of your papers but found that one very informative.
I’m beginning to understand your perspective better. What if we saw our present situation not just as a problem about which we should have fear but as an opportunity awaiting our vision? I believe we have more than enough priests to serve our present numbers. I also believe we have many men who are discerning a vocation who would be marvelous Church starters. We have many places that are underserved or not served at all and I believe we will become less and less an ethnic Church, though that part should never be forgotten, as we move ahead. It all depends upon how we look at the situation.
I would very much enjoy a private conversation with you. I think you can click on my name and get my email address. I’ll leave that in your hands.
CDL
Comment posted June 29th, 2006 at 11:13 am
Hello Carson,
That would be me.
I’m certainly open to dialogue and discussion with you or anyone, but right now I’m a little pressed for time. I’ll revisit the idea in the near future. Thanks for asking.
RDC
p.s. I wish I could accept being called a “scholar” but I would feel more comfortable ascribing that appelation to others more qualified than I to produce “scholarly” work ;-)
Comment posted July 2nd, 2006 at 3:54 pm
RDC,
Scholar or no if you are the one who has produce some short papers on life in Pa. they are appreciated by me. I’ve only read one. Do you have others? How might I find them?
CDL
Comment posted July 2nd, 2006 at 3:58 pm
Oh, I really haven’t published much on the subject. Though I am finishing a pretty important paper at the moment, I am still not sure where it will be available. Time will tell ;-) Thanks, though.
Comment posted July 2nd, 2006 at 6:34 pm
I gather that you are Richard D. Custer, publisher of the “New Rusyn Times”. I have a growing interest in Appalachian history which would include this. I’m partially retired but I’ve published nothing. Perhaps you could include the information about subscribing to your publication here. I’d be interested and perhaps others would be as well.
CDL
Comment posted July 2nd, 2006 at 8:10 pm
www.c-rs.org
or directly:
http://www.c-rs.org/Publications/nrt.html
There’s no “subscription” per se; you join the organization and you get the newsletter. Most of the church news is about what’s happening in the European “homeland” of the Ruthenian church, but occasionally there’s something about the church in the USA, e.g., I wrote a piece over a year ago about how a Ukrainian parish in Brooklyn, NY welcomed immigrant Rusyns when the bishop shut down the vibrant St. Mary’s (Ruthenian BC) Chapel nearby.
Comment posted July 3rd, 2006 at 2:40 pm
Yes, we read about that rather brutal closing on the byzcath.org forum. I’m glad that you found a positive side to the story, though I haven’t read it yet.
I’ll be contacting your publication. Thanks for letting us know your identity.
CDL
Comment posted July 3rd, 2006 at 6:34 pm