Light of the East

We congratulate Bishop Nicholas Samra of the Melkite Byzantine Catholic Church and look at how the Eastern Catholic Churches can respond to his plan of action for real evangelization.

Among the many gifts of both lungs of the Church, east and west, we here at Light of the East have our ten favorite gifts that the Eastern Churches offer to the whole Church and the world

Are daily Mass, daily Communion, and daily Rosary part of the devotion of Eastern Catholics? If so, how? If not, why not? The answer will reveal much about east and west.

Monastic spirituality was called by St. John Paul II, "The reference point for all of the baptized." Through their holy, ascetical lives, the Eastern monastics have bequeathed a wisdom relevant and urgent for our day.

The elaborate preparation for the reception of the Sunday Eucharist begins Saturday evening in the Eastern Churches and gives ample witness to the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

The upcoming Amazon Synod is leaving many Latin Rite Catholics apprehensive about the possibility that Pope Francis may allow married priesthood in the Latin Rite. The Eastern Christian Churches can be very helpful in this discussion.

Publisher, videographer, and ecumenist extraordinaire, Jack Fiegel. of Eastern Christian Publications will join us to tell us about some historic events during his most recent Orientale Lumen trip.

The differences between the the theologies of east and west are more a matter of emphasis, perspective and expression than fundamental belief. In the end, east and west arrive at the same place but from different directions

Every Eastern Christian church has its own ancient and indigenous chant which is sung by the faithful during liturgical services. This gives cantors a special place in Eastern Christian Liturgy.

Of all of the virtues that belonged to the desert spiritual masters of the Christian East, one virtue in particular is the most characteristic and far too scarce in our modern age - humility."

There were may times when the gifts of the western lung of the Church were there to assist the Eastern Churches, Now, the Eastern Churches offer gifts to their Latin Rite brethren

Living in the "real world" is not about living in pain and hardship. The Feast of Our Lord's Transfiguration is our immersion into the "real world" and it is a glorious one indeed.

It is no secret the Latin Rite Church is experiencing some particularly confusing and painful times. In light of this, the Eastern Catholic Churches may have something to offer our Latin Rite brethren.

"Why do Latin Rite Liturgies have periods of silence and Eastern Rite Liturgies do not.? Why do Eastern Catholics stand and Latin Rite Catholics kneel? The answer lies in the question."

Eastern Catholics often wonder: What is our place in the world, the Church at large, and in ecumenical dialogue? The Holy Father's own representative provided an encouraging answer to those questions during a recent visit to the U.S.

There is saint spelled with a small s and saint spelled with a capital S. The life of a baptized Christian is a journey toward turning the small s into a capital S.

There is a hole in the very soul of modern western civilization and Eastern Christian spirituality with its sacramental liturgical world view and monastic rhythm can supply the healing balm for the modern world.

Devotional practices between the Eastern and Western lungs of the Church are often different from each other yet they arrive at the same point. These differences are not deficits but rather, complements.

The Sunday of All Saints occurs in the Eastern Lung of the Church on the Sunday after Pentecost. From this observance we learn that to be human is simply to become a saint. A saint is just a normal human being.

Are the services in Eastern Catholic Churches really very long? Can Eastern Catholic priests get married? Why are there different rites? We will give you the straight story on these questions and more on this Pentecost Sunday.

Let's face it. We all need to read the Bible more and to actually become the Bible. The Liturgy, art and architecture of the Eastern Churches can actually immerse us into the Bible.

Young adults can be the most vital population in the Church and the most elusive. Our special guests will tell us about a FIRST EVER opportunity offered by the Byzantine Catholic Church for young adults.

The Liturgical prayers and themes of the Church during the Pascal Season are rich and multi layered. Then seem to draw us into the Samaritan woman had with Jesus, a genuine encounter.

Holy Days in the Church that occur within the week, it may be inconvenient to our schedules and other interests. But this is precisely why they are relevant to our lives.

It was Providential that women were the first to hear of Christ's Resurrection. In their example, together with Joseph of Arimathea, we learn much about our own relationship to the Body of Christ.