Orthodox in Faith and Catholic in Love

From an interesting (and very brief) interview between Eastern Orthodox author Frederica Mathewes-Green and Fr. Stephen Wojcichowsky, a priest of the Ukrainian Catholic Church and director of the Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytsky Institute for Eastern Christian Studies in Ottawa, Ontaria, Canada. Fr. Stephen discusses (quite generously) the Eastern Catholic approach as it stands between Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy:

I grew up Ukrainian Catholic and it’s a matter of fact that much of our worship had been laden with Latin elements. But over the course of time, and thanks to our great leadership in our church, we have learned where we have come from. I like the way one of our patriarchs put it, he said “We are Orthodox in Faith and Catholic in love.” In the sense that we are in full communion with the Church in Rome, but at the same time, our faith, our liturgy, the whole ethos of our church is Orthodox. And one priest in Ukraine I asked, “What do you call our church over here?” I was thinking of something else, but he came back and said, “Oh, that’s a very straightforward thing. We’re the Catholic Orthodox. They’re the Orthodox, and we’re the Catholic Orthodox.” And I thought, that really does explain who we are.

Certainly, this is a very simple articulation. The history behind this relationship is much more deep and, in some cases, quite divisive within Eastern Catholicism itself. I often reflect on my many discussions with Eastern Catholics from various backgrounds. Very eye-opening. Very hopeful yet disconcerting at the same time.

Listen to the interview on Ancient Faith Radio.

Lent and BBQ Championships

I confess that I would prefer it if Houston didn't choose to signal the beginning of its annual Rodeo with the World's Championship Bar-B-Que contest, which always happens to be placed right after Lent is in full swing. But they do it every year. One of our neighbors is on a cooking team, and he was able to get some tickets for us a couple of years ago. We waited until Saturday morning to go down, but I'm told Friday night is the best. Not for Lenten Catholics!

How the Dominicans came to Santa Sabina

How the Order of Preachers (Dominicans) came to be at the ancient Church of Santa Sabina on the Aventine Hill in Rome.

From the Dominican History blog:

From an interview on Vatican Radio, Feb 24, 2009 with Fr. Robert Ombres, O.P., who tells how the Dominicans came to Santa Sabina and why the Pope visits this Dominican Church on Ash Wednesday. Fr. Robert Ombres, O.P., a son of the English Province, is presently Procurator General of the Order of Preachers, and lives at the Priory of Santa Sabina in Rome.

The Pope at Santa Sabina

New Liturgical Movement describes Ash Wednesday with the Holy Father at the Dominican Church of Santa Sabina in Rome.

Church Fathers Lenten Reading Plan

If you are still looking for something special to do this Lent to improve your spiritual life, why not undertake a reading plan based on writings from the Fathers of the Church. Here's some ideas. Perhaps you can begin each day with a selection from the New Testament.

You've Got The Time Houston

Houston Catholics Begin Audio Bible Listening:

Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, recently urged Catholic leaders to get involved in a city-wide Bible listening campaign called You've Got The Time Houston.

Faith Comes By Hearing, the world’s foremost Audio Bible ministry, is coordinating this effort to reach every Houstonian with God’s Word in audio.

Morgan Jackson, international director for Faith Comes By Hearing, says the initial response has been remarkable.

So far more than 50 different parishes have signed up to listen through the entire New Testament, which represents more than 160,000 Catholics.

“The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston has planned an extensive Bible engagement effort for 2009 called Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church. Faith Comes By Hearing’s 40-day Bible listening is a big component of their outreach,” said Jackson.

“I believe Cardinal DiNardo’s support of this Bible listening program is an invigorating demonstration of his leadership to Pope Benedict’s declaration of 2009 as The Year of God’s Word,” said Jackson. “His active encouragement of this program is giving many Catholics new opportunities to study the sacred Scriptures, deepen their faith and increase their knowledge of God’s Word.”

“His endorsement is an additional encouragement to many leaders from other denominations,” said Jackson.

Already, leaders from more than 100 other Houston congregations from over a dozen denominations have signed up their churches to listen through the New Testament.

Jackson expects that more than one-third of the 3,000 Houston area churches will participate in this Bible engagement outreach.