Light Of The East

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

We go back to basics and answer questions like: What is an Eastern Catholic? Why are there Eastern Catholics, and are the Eastern Catholic services always longer than Latin Rite services?

The Liturgical life of the Church calls us to something that is vital to both the rhythms of our lives and to worship. It is the spirituality of preparation which even has its very own rite.v

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

Asceticism... a strange sounding word to our modern culture. I will take the desert monks of the Eastern churches to shed some timely light on the meaning and relevancy of asceticism.

The Feast of the Assumption, or as the East calls it, the Dormition is a magnificent event with beautiful liturgical customs. But why really do we have to go to Church on days such as these?

Two major feast days converge this week and they convey for us the true nature of our lives as human beings. An old but young friend will join us and give testimony to the process of divinization.

The question is often asked, "What is the place of Women in the Eastern Churches?" A perspective on this question itself and it's answers lies in the context of the Eastern Liturgy.

Teenagers hold a special place in salvation history and in the Church. In ministering to teens the Eastern Catholic Churches do best through their own liturgical and ascetical traditions.

The Eastern Catholic Churches are relatively small and few in America. There are ways to ensure their growth and vitality and the first place to look is to Liturgy.

As our nation celebrates the gift of its independence and freedom, we here at Light of the East are mindful of those whose story of persecution is not nearly enough.

Pope Francis made a few eye opening statements recently about the validity of many Christian marriages. The marriage ritual of the Eastern Churches can help us understand the Pope's message.

Fasting and Penance is the way to prepare for any great Feast day. This includes Confession which is similiar yet different to the form practice in the Latin Rite.

For the first time in 80 years the prayers of Islam will be permitted to take place in the mother of all Byzantine Christian Churches. This provides opportunity for awareness and enlightenment.

Our efforts extend to non-Christians such as the followers of Islam. Dialogue in thei area could be significantly determined by a single ancient building in the country of Turkey.

While the separation of Church and State has been enshrined in modern western culture there is one particular Eastern Church that can show us that this may not totally be a good thing.

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.

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

As we look forward to the Descent of the Holy Spirit, we will see how the Eastern Christian Churches are naturally charismatic.

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