Light of the East

The growing popularity of icons is a good thing in the Church today both east and west. This is all the more reason to preserve the integrity of how icons are seen, used and created.

People often make Pope Francis out to be what they want him to be. At the risk of doing the same, we will look at Pope Francis in light of Eastern Spirituality.

The Sacramental-Liturgical world view of Eastern Christianity can help the world understand one of the most controversial teachings of the Church in modern times. The author of a new book will help us understand how.

It is often asked if the Eastern Churches acknowledge things like Lourdes and Fatima. There is a particular way that the Eastern Churches do approach visions and revelations especially in regard to the Mother of God.

There are implications for the church and for civilization from the stream of refugees pouring into Europe from the Middle East. Our special guest will provide insight into the situation that will not be heard elsewhere.

It is not, "Go west young man! but, Turn east young man!" as one fine group of young men are doing and we will see how this can make a difference in the Church and for society.

As both lungs of the Church liturgically place the triumph of the Cross in full view, so too does the complementary nature of both lungs of the Church come into full view.

Moral relativism and the rejection of absolute truth is leaving many people of good will confused and restless. The Liturgies of the Eastern Churches, so ancient yet so relevant, can provide a constant for answers.

The history of the Eastern Catholic Churches should not remain just history lessons. The spirituality of the Christian East is also a reservoir to be tapped to confront the hot button issues of our day.

Are we beginning to prepare or preparing to begin? The prayer of the Eastern Churches models and reminds us of something essential for every endeavor of life, most espeially for proper prayer and worship

The story of Jonah and the Ninevites like all stories in the Bible are not just history lessons. They are our stories today, our lived experience. This is particularly true today.

The Feast of the Assumption or Dormition of the Mother of God is a sterling example of how the church East and West breathe together. Yet this feast is also profoundly relevant for our times.

On top of Mount Tabor, Jesus Christ revealed to his apostles and to us, not only his divinity but the true origins and destiny of the human person.

What is the diffenece between a Roman Catholic and Eastern Catholic Church? This simple question cannot be answered simply. But there are some comparisons that can be helpful.

Throughout history when the teachings of the Church were challenged, it was always the work not of a single person, but of entire councils which established and preserve the true belief passed down to us today.

Marriage is the primordial sacrament. It is our sharing in the way God loves.To attempt to redifine this in any way will have disasterous effects for civilization and humanity to redefine marriage. We will see how and what we can do.

What do the words economy, ecumenism and ecology all have in common? We will find out with the help of a Byzantine theologian and the words of the Ecumenical Patriarch as he comments on the Pope's encyclical.

The Sacrament or Holy Mystery of Matrimony in the Byzantine spirituality is not so much a covenant between a couple as it is an entrance of the couple into the life of the Trinity and of the Church.

It is June, the lazy, hazy days of summer, those days of ordinary liturgical time, but also applying the Eastern liturgical version of what not to wear.

Summertime can feel like a desert. But, the desert is more than a hot, dry place. It is something we encounter on various levels and in every aspect of our lives.

People often look for that one book where they can learn more about the Eastern Churches. While this requires more than just one book, there is one particular place that has much to offer.

The examples of the saints point to our true human origin and our true human destiny. Among the many virtues of the saints are seven that can be particularly helpful to our own growth and holiness.

Our joy in the glorious feast of the descent of the Holy Spirit is yet tinged with a bit of sadness to see the conclusion of the Pascal season. None the less, the Spirit still breatheslife into the Church.

From our most glorious actions to acts of terrorism, all behaviors are ultimately determined by the correct or incorrect understanding of God and our relationship and his creation.

he question of which calendar ought to be followed to the date of our Lord's resurrection is a complicated issue. So we turn to a liturgical theologian of the Byzantine Ruthenian Catholic Church.

All baptized Christians have been given the mandate to preach the gospel to the whole world. Father Thomas Loya and Father Joseph Loya together discuss their thoughts on the necessity and techniques of effective preaching.

As this week of mid-Pentecost unites the Resurrection with the Ascention of our Lord, our special guest will unite Christians who are free with those who are persecuted.

The examples of Joseph and Nicodemus together with the ointment baring women call us to renew our own approach to the Body of Christ in the Holy Eucharist.

The Church, East and West breathes with the breath of mercy this day, Divine Mercy Sunday. For the Eaast, it is Thomas Sunday which springs from the side of Christ.

The fragrances of the the blessed foods collide the frangrance of incense. The faithful sing in jubilation; shout one to another, Christ is Risen, Indeed He is Risen!!

We have come to the week of the Bridegroom in which we witness not only Christ on the Cross, but individuals who themselves are willing, in their own time, to go to the cross on behalf of the Bride of Christ.

Pope Francis has called for a heightened emphasis and availability to the sacrament of confession and for us to have a deeper understanding of sin and to understand the relevancy of confession which can help us to confess the best and far surpass the rest

During the 4th week of Lent we climb the Ladder of Divine Ascent through the wisdom and examples of 3 great ascetics: St. John Climacus, St. Andrew of Crete and St. Mary of Egypt.

Mysticism is something that keeps men sane. This is something the Eastern Churches have known for centuries. But a sense of the mystical is not the only gift of the Eastern Church.

On the 2nd Sunday of Lent, St. Gregory of Palamas will help us retrieve an indispensible virtue of the spiritual life, but one that is far too rare in today's modern world.

The Crusades is a highly explosive word that comes up from time to time. And it is of special interest to the Eastern lung of the Church. But what exactly does this word Crusades mean?

The journey through the Great Fast has begun. And, the liturgical life of the Church will fill our nap sacks with everything we need including a recipe from Theodore the Recruit.

The journey through the Great Fast has begun. And, the liturgical life of the Church will fill our nap sacks with everything we need including a recipe from Theodore the Recruit.

It is like a liturgical baton, the approaching season of repentance has already started running while the end of the season of Christ's Incarnation runs to catch up to hand off the liturgical baton.

Ahh, the good ol' days when people argued about something it was about who was the greatest saint or what was the true nature of Christ. To keep peace, the Church came up with an interesting proposal.

The very same churches that have the venerable custom of married priests are the same churches that gave the world celibacy. Marriage and celibacy are not diametrically opposed.

Mysticism, it's what keeps men sane and this is something the Eastern Churches have known for centuries. But, its sense of the mystical is not the only gift of the Eastern Church.

In the Eastern Churches, Epiphany is the observance of the baptism of Christ; it is called Theophany. And water is blessed on these days and is used to sanctify many things.

The coming of the Prince of Peace into the world was contrasted by violence and bloodshed for innocent children. But what is happening in our times make the bible story, indeed our story as well.

All families have their stories, from sinners to saints. So it is with the family of Jesus Christ. But God works out His divine plan which is the miracle of this season.

During the two Sundays before Christmas, we look into the family heritage of Christ which also becomes our own family heritage in which God works in mysterious ways.

During the liturgical season of conceptions and births, we will look at two issues that remain controversial between the two lungs of the Church, East and West... contraception and the Immaculate Conception.

As we approach the season of giftedness, the Eastern Catholic Churches are greatful for a gift from Pope Francis that will contribute towards ecumenical relationships.

The differences between the Orthodox churches and the Roman Catholic Church are often a matter of perspective rather than theology as we will hear from Orthodox Theologian Metropolitan Timothy Kallistos Ware.

All baptized Christians have been given the mandate to preach the Gospel to the whole world. Father Thomas Loya and Father Joseph Loya together will discuss their thoughts on the necessity and techniques of effective preaching.