Msg Base:  AREA 5  - ASK FATHER            CIN ECHO   AMDG
  Msg No: 317.  Wed  6-17-92 22:58  (NO KILL)  (MAILED)
    From: Father Mateo
      To: Mike O'donnell
 Subject: Byzantine Divine Liturgy

MO|Hello, Father:

MO|     Do you know of any books that give an outline of the Russian
  |Orthodox Mass?  I recently went to a Russian bookstore in our area,
  |and got into a conversation with one of the sales people.  She
  |described their Mass and there are parts of it which really sounded
  |beautiful.  I would like to read more about it.  Also, Trinity's
  |5th grade religion class does an intensive study of the Mass
  |lasting a full semester.  I would like to offer to give a short
  |presentation next year this class (my daughter Maureen will be in
  |it.)  Or better yet, suggest that Maureen give it.  The
  |presentation would go over the Russian Orthodox Mass from
  |Preparation of Gifts through Communion, and compare it with ours.

MO|     Any reference could be in English or Russian (preferably
  |English), but hopefully would have lots of pictures.

MO|Thank you,
  |Mike

MO|##MMR 2.41á.

MO|  Route: 33/110sa13 33/0sa18 22/5su2 44/7
  |.ORIGIN: 033/110 - + Maryland Catholic + Columbia, MD - (410) 997-5262 +
  |                   + Catholic Information Network Node 10              +


Dear Mike,

The Pastor of the local Russian Catholic Center tells me it is
improper to speak of the "Russian Orthodox Mass".  The word "Mass"
is used of the Eucharistic Sacrifice in the Latin rites.  In Eastern
Christendom, Catholics and Orthodox call the Eucharistic Sacrifice
the "Divine Liturgy".

Russians use the Byzantine rite, developed by St. John Chrysostom and
others in Constantinople (Istanbul). This rite is used both by
Catholics and Orthodox in many countries: Greece, Syria, Yugoslavia,
Ruthenia, Ukraine, Russia, et al.

The Pastor mentioned above is trying to find where you can purchase a
video-tape, which you can run for your 5th graders, of the whole
liturgy.  I'll get back to you on this.

I suggest you consider a FIELD TRIP.  Pile the kids into the old,
yellow bus and take them to the Divine Liturgy in one of these
churches near you:

1)  Baltimore, Md. 21227 -- 1260 Stevens Avenue --
        Church of the Patronage of the Mother of God,
        Rev. Conan Timoney, pastor. Tel 301-247-4936.
        This is a Ruthenian Catholic Church.

2)  Silver Spring, Md. 20904 -- 115 Quaint Acres --
        Formation Community, Rev. James Carrol. O.F.M., Director.
        No telephone listed. This is a Monastery/Seminary of the
        Ruthenian  Catholic Byzantine Rite.

3)  Baltimore, Md. 21224 -- 2401 Eastern Avenue --
        St. Michael's Church,
        Rev. George Markewycz, pastor, Tel 301-675-7557.
        This is a Ukrainian Catholic parish.

Your best bet, I think, for a field trip might be:
        Ukrainian Catholic Shrine of the Holy Family --
        4250 Harewood Road, N.E. Washington, DC 20017.
        Tel 202-526-3737.
        Very Rev. Thaddeus Krawchuk, C.Ss.R., superior.

I'm sure you can set up a trip by calling ahead a few days. The
children should be diligently  instructed that:
   1) They will be attending a Catholic church in union with Rome;
   2) They may receive Holy Communion;
   3) The Divine Liturgy is very LONG, much  longer than a Roman Mass.

Again, these are Byzantine rite churches. The Russian Orthodox use
the same rite, but in a different language.

                               Sincerely in Christ,


                                        Father Mateo