What is different between the RC and the Orthodox Church?
Welcome to my page! I will be adding more in the future, but I hope you like what I have so far.
I will start by telling you a little about myself. My name is Cecilia and I am 20yrs old. I was recently received into the Orthodox Church through the sacraments of Chrismation(annointing with holy chrism),Confession and Holy Communion on Palm Sunday April 8, 2001.
My Conversion Story
The first time I heard about Orthodoxy was from one of my friends. When he was first talking to me about Orthodoxy I really didn't know what to think because I was always told that the Roman Catholic Church was the only Church and all others were "wrong". There was something about Orthodoxy though that just made me want to know more. He kept telling me about Orthodoxy but I still didnt get why he wanted to convert, I kept asking him why and I didn't really understand what he was trying to say, one thing led to another and I was just ready to hear what he was telling me and to actually hear it, and understood completely. At that point I just wanted to know more so he sent me to an Orthodox website and told me to just read it and then ask any questions I had. I did read and ask questions but I still was unsure about all of this.
The first time he had told me that he was converting to Orthodoxy I was a bit upset about it and I tried to talk him out of doing it. I saw he wasn't going to be easily convinced so I decided I'd e-mail one of the priests that I knew would convince him to change his mind. When he replied back to me though there was just something that didn't seem right about the whole thing. The one thing that really pushed me to come to Orthodoxy was when I was being conditionally Confirmed on June 3, 2000. After the Confirmation I began having a lot of doubts in my head and a lot of questions that just confused me more.
I began to ask myself then at that point why did I get Confirmed again and if what the SSPX(Trad. Latin Mass) said were true about the modern Mass having invalid sacraments then what about the other things I was taught. I couldn't even receive the sacraments at that point with a clean conscience because I was afraid of being a hypocrite, and I just didnt think it'd be good to receive Communion while having all those doubts inside my head.
Once I stopped receiving the sacraments, I didnt even want to go to church anymore at the SSPX, or any RC church but I just went with my friend to the SSPX and pretended nothing was wrong because I knew that they'd want to know why I had so many doubts and didn't want to receive Communion, I just couldn't put any thoughts to words at that point.
I just didnt know how to feel at all, I felt really empty inside at this point and I didn't know what to do next. The emptyness was so strong that it felt like someone just picked me up and turned me upside down and emptied everything inside me out and it was all gone.
This was all a very big shock to me to suddenly find out (this is the way I felt) that everything I was ever taught in Catechism classes growing up in my old Church were all lies. I just didn't know what to believe anymore at that point, I had a lot of unanswered questions and the only one I could talk to was my guy friend because he understood what I was thinking. He told me to not worry and that it would all come together soon and told me I needed to go and call the phone number of the Church that he was just going to give me.
I called up St Michael's Orthodox Church that day, didn't get anyone the first time, but didn't give up because I knew I needed to speak to the priest there. I finally reached the priest and I asked him if he knew of any way that I could come to visit the Church because I really needed to see for myself so he found me a ride. I was so glad at this point that I finally had a way to go see for myself the Orthodox Church, when my ride picked me up he quickly answered a lot of my questions and I felt like a great weight was just lifted from my chest. At this point, almost two months have passed since I began speaking to my guy friend about Orthodoxy. My first visit to the Church was the feast of the Holy Transfiguration, Sunday August 6, 2000.
I hope you come back to view my page soon, I will be adding more to it as I find new things. Please sign my guest book before you leave! Thanks! I am still studying about the Orthodox Church so please be patient with me. God bless
In the Most Holy Theotokos, (Theo=God tokos=bearer)
Mary-Cecilia Ann
The Symbol of the Orthodox Faith:
I believe in One God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only-begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages; Light of Light; true God of true God; begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father; by(through) Whom all things were made; Who for our salvation, came down from the heavens, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man; And was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried; And arose again on the third day according to the Scriptures; And ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father; And shall come again with glory, to judge both the living and the dead; Whose kingdom shall have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life; Who proceedeth from the Father; Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; Who spake by the prophets. In One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the age to come. AMEN†
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My Links
Cecilia's MSN community page
Part 2 of my page
Part 3 of my page
Part 4 of my page
Part5 of my Page
What is the Orthodox Church?
Orthodoxy FAQ
Frederica Matthews-Green (author of Facing East...)
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese main page
Orthodox Church in America
Holy Transfiguration Monastery(Convent)in Ellwood City PA
site on how to make Prosphora
more info. on Prosphora
The Antiochian Church
Orthodox.net ROCOR website
POMOG(Protection Of the Mother Of God Church)--ROCOR
ROCOR
Saint John Chrysostom
Orthodox Prayers
Akathist to the Holy Virgin
my Orthodox friend, Ksenia's home page
Justin's homepage :)
ROCOR cafe' web forum
