"Come and See"
Jesus teaches us about East and West
Jesus Christ from Nazareth established His Church and said, "The gates of hell shall not prevail" is a promise from Jesus in Matthew 16:18, guaranteeing that his Church will endure and ultimate victory over evil is certain. We are teaching priests about the Eastern Rite Divine Liturgy and this is wonderful way for the West to learn about the East.
Five Day Retreat
If you are a priest in the Roman Rite, this is an opportunity for you to learn about the Eastern Rites and we show you how to offer the Divine Liturgy and teach about all of the Eastern Rite Sacraments which the Roman Catholic Church accepts as valid. The Eastern Rite bishops and priests are equal to the Roman Rite clergy. We will reach out to your ordinary to receive the necessary permission to teach you about the East.
The Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV and His All Holiness Bartholomeus are working on uniting East and West. The more the parish priest knows about the East and shares it with his parishioners, the more support the Shepherds have in working for unity. If the Church unites it will take the whole Church to make it possible with the Holy Spirit.
Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen - Bi-Ritual
Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen was indeed bi‑ritual, meaning he held faculties to celebrate liturgy in both the Latin Rite (the Roman Rite) and in the Eastern Rite of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church.
Being bi‑ritual does not mean a priest can celebrate in all Eastern rites — it means they have been granted special permission (often through a papal indult) to serve in one of the 20+ Eastern Catholic Churches. In Sheen’s case, this was the Melkite Church, which is part of the Byzantine tradition.
What “bi‑ritual” means
- Latin Rite: The Roman Rite, used in most of the Catholic Church, including the Diocese of Rochester where Sheen served as bishop.
- Eastern Rite: In Sheen’s case, the Melkite Byzantine Rite, which uses the Byzantine liturgical tradition, including the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom.
- Faculties: These are the official permissions from the Church to celebrate certain rites or sacraments in a particular rite.
- Scope: Bi‑ritual status is specific to one Eastern Rite Church, not all Eastern Churches.
Why it matters
Bi‑ritual status reflects the Catholic Church’s communion with Eastern Catholic Churches, allowing bishops and priests to serve in both traditions. For Sheen, it was part of his broader mission to evangelize across liturgical and cultural boundaries, while remaining fully committed to the unity of the Church
In short, Fulton J. Sheen was bi‑ritual because he had papal faculties to celebrate the Byzantine Liturgy of the Melkite Church alongside the Latin Rite, enabling him to serve in both traditions. (Wikipedia and Catholic Questions)
How to unify the Churches
Understand why the split happened
1054 was the date of the split.
Did it ever unite? Yes!
200 years
What are the main issues?
The issues are many
How is working on East and West
Besides the Institute for Easter Christian Studies, these people are working on unity.