Glory to Jesus Christ!
I’ve put this collage together in tribute to Our Holy Father Benedict Pope of Rome’s general prayer intention for the month of November.
If you haven’t read it yet, it is as follows:
That the Eastern Catholic Churches and their venerable traditions may be known and esteemed as a spiritual treasure for the whole Church.
We may be only ~1% of the US Catholic Church, but this intention from the Pope makes it clear to those who may not even know that we exist, that we are on his heart, and he wants more Catholics to have us on his heart. According to this intention, and numerous writings from previous Popes/Vatican 2, etc.(which you can check out here), we are a treasure for the whole Catholic Church, and it’s up to us to share this great and venerable set of traditions to all people.
As a general rule, I try to breathe from the Latin Lung once a month or so, and I would hope that more cross-pollination can occur for people who are Greek Catholics, as well as from those Roman Catholics who may have never been to a Divine Liturgy.
So, If you’re a Roman Catholic who has never been to an Eastern Catholic service, I’d ask that you take this month where we have this intention from the Pope, and make it a point to visit a local Eastern Catholic parish. We are a communion of distinct Churches, but if we never experience that intercommunion, the reality of the intercommunion is not as beautiful, for it would merely be theoretical. If you don’t know where to find one in your area, leave a comment and I’ll let you know. Alternatively, check out this link to find a parish.
Have a great November!
In XC,
J. Andrew
Prayer of Saint Ephrem 