Orthodox Christian Blogger Converts to Catholicism!

[@benjaminjohn675]

Thanks for having me on! I pray that my story is received well among both those who celebrate my decision to become Catholic, and those who lament it.

[@catholicconvert2119]

Everyone celebrates it, and not a single person laments it. Remember to focus on kicking PROTESTANT ASS more though, Orthodox are so much better than they are and no one should ever get confused and think Orthodox isn’t infinitely better

[@nightshade99]

We lament it because it is a false path.

[@catholicconvert2119]

@@nightshade99 nah your path is the false one.

[@EricAlHarb]

The faith is a living faith. Have you seen their clown masses?

[@NicoFTWandMichael]

​@@EricAlHarbClown masses? You seriously point that out? Dear brother, please, be honest with yourself and before God, you know how rare that is and how the average priest condemnds that, that is one of the most absurd anti-Catholic arguments. I've been to many parishes and churches, many, as sedes say "Novus Ordo churches", and many times I was overcome with awe and beauty, and the priests probably even weren't aware of the traditional movement. Liturgical abuse happens, sadly, but that is a horrible argument.

[@fatherteodosy5607]

Beautiful! Thank you Ben for your articulate and candid testimony. As a hieromonk of the Ukrainian Greco-Catholic Church, I ask your forgiveness for the scandalous lack of welcome you experienced in one of our Eastern Catholic parishes. But now: WELCOME HOME WITH ALL US SINNERS IN THE FULNESS OF ORTHODOXY IN THE ONE HOLY CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH!

[@luisrios3446]

Amen!!!🙏 ☦️❤️🇻🇦

[@benjaminjohn675]

Thank you father, God forgives and I forgive

[@henrytucker7189]

Makes me jealous as a boring old Latin Rite Catholic. Seems like you Ortho-Catholics get the best of both worlds: your beautiful history, liturgy, and distinctions, and yet communion with the bishop of Rome-- like the rest of us "normies." Like I said... jealous. 🙂

[@fatherteodosy5607]

@@henrytucker7189 Well Matt... take heart, the words of Chesterton fit well for you as a 'normie' RC: "'The most extraordinary thing in the world is an ordinary man and an ordinary woman and their ordinary children.'" In other words, there is nothing common about the common man, nothing normie for the 'normal Catholic'!

[@paulr5246]

The “Ukrainian Greco Catholic Church”? I’m so glad that I’m just Orthodox, and I don’t have to differentiate myself from my mother Church.

[@tonyjames9016]

As someone who has struggled between Catholicism and Orthodoxy for years, now back in communion with Rome, this was a wonderful discussion. God bless all of you.

[@nightshade99]

Why did you choose heresy?

[@nogoodusernames100]

@@nightshade99 Stop accusing others of what you do yourself.

[@nightshade99]

@@nogoodusernames100 Prove your claim; you don't know anything about me

[@nogoodusernames100]

@@nightshade99 I don't need to prove anything, there's no salvation outside the Catholic Church.

[@nightshade99]

@@nogoodusernames100 YOU: I don't need to prove anything, ME: Of course you do. You made a truth claim based on no evidence. Are you usually THIS sloppy with your arguments? YOU: there's no salvation outside the Catholic Church. ME: Prove THAT claim too. So far, all you are doing is barking opinions.

[@goodbanter4427]

Was Orthodox for five years, I'm now Byzantine Catholic. I sacrificed a lot, but it was worth it

[@t.l.ciottoli4319]

ouch, very bad move. repent and return to the True Faith

[@zealousideal]

@@t.l.ciottoli4319says who? You?? To each his own. I was orthodox and Catholic both for many years each. I bounced between both as well. But finally came back to Rome. Everyone will prefer one over the other for their own reasons. So just serve God in either one as best you can. But EO isn’t under Rome/Pope. Which is a big boo boo. Even several of the early saints and early fathers admitted this and that Bishop of Rome was supreme Pontiff. Try again.

[@metrab8901]

​@@zealousidealThe original Churches had their own Bishops

[@CarsonWeber]

@@metrab8901 Each Catholic diocese has its own bishops.

[@metrab8901]

@@CarsonWeber congratulations buddy

[@CatholicDwong]

Awesome conversion story Ben. Thanks for the shoutout!

[@servus_incognitus]

Shout-out to our boy dwong!

[@Mike-tz4cm]

As a Catholic who became Orthodox and looking potentially to return to Rome this was a great video

[@TheCatholicBrothers]

God bless you, brother. Thanks for tuning in.

[@jordanmiller3927]

I’ll be praying for you 🙏

[@luisrios3446]

The Church will always be waiting for you, we are all waiting for you🙏🙏🙏with open arms to receive you again!!! God bless you brother!!! I’ll pray for you.

[@jakajakos]

May God bless and guide you 🙏🏻

[@OrthodoxJoker]

I’m stuck too I feel you brother

[@theomimesis]

Everyone's spiritual journey is unique. I was raised in Protestantism; and converted to Roman Catholicism in my mid-20s; then in my late 30s I became Eastern Catholic, and finally, I converted to Orthodoxy. I wouldn't change anything about my journey, because it has defined my life.

[@jackdaw6359]

And the same for the journey of those who went the other way

[@zealousideal]

Same. Except I went back to RC. Haven’t been happier and more fulfilled. That’s why I don’t usually attack others or try to convert them back. Because faith is a journey for everyone and everyone I believe is where they are supposed to be by divine guidance and authority.

[@crunchycousin5986]

My family was originally protestant, converted to Orthodoxy, then after 8 years became Catholic. It was hard leaving behind a priest we really liked and there were no hard feelings for why we left. I just couldn't shake the feeling I was only Orthodox because I didn't want to get my hands dirty with Catholicism. Once I couldn't discount the Papacy I knew I was just rebelling if I didn't convert to Catholicism.

[@masterchief8179]

And that’s one reason (not the only one, sure) for some people to convert to Eastern Orthodoxy from Protestantism: to arguably manifest - all over again - they are opting out of the Catholic Church. The difference is that now they lost confidence Protestantism could be true, but they emotionally and ideologically can’t even stand the idea of siding with Catholics (maybe for fear of their families) because they could have been indoctrinated to hate or despise whatever they learned Catholicism was. Once many find out that you can actually carry somewhat a heavy anti-Catholicism from their previous Protestant tradition to Eastern Orthodoxy, mostly its online world, they may rush to it promptly, without further (and I mean deep) investigations. Only when they study the divisive issues with honesty and humbleness, with true emptiness of the self, and finally study ecclesiology from the true Biblical, historical and universal perspective, they can be (maybe) ready to see they were mistaken the whole time - and finally embrace the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church that Our Lord built upon Peter.

[@crunchycousin5986]

@@masterchief8179 I often found myself deferring to the Catholic teaching when I couldn't find the answer in Orthodoxy. The covid year was a turning point because I couldn't attend services so was doing my own research. I inevitably found I agreed with Catholicism on almost every argument between East and west. Being raised that the Pope was the antichrist definitely hindered me from converting early on. I also had a big fear of the church caused by listening to some trad/sedi Catholics who made me not want to be a part of the church.

[@Kitiwake]

It's ABC syndrome. Anything But Catholic.

[@masterchief8179]

@Whatintheworlt No problem, brother. I like your generosity. But I feel you are in the minority, I guess. Personally I am Catholic because I am, not because I was convinced or muscled out by someone else. But I am actually 100% convinced. It’s something I couldn’t have missed. God bless you!

[@andrewpearson1903]

You’re onto something. The first chapter of Vlad Soloviev’s “Russia and the Universal Church” is a long metaphor about how the Catholic Church “got its hands dirty,” participating in the good and bad of history, in an attempt to expand the kingdom of God.

[@ethanbobeethan]

ive had the pleasure of being able to talk to ben a bit and learn so much about the church from him through our online interactions during my own recent journey of conversion. its great to finally be able to put a face and a voice to one of the most well versed young catholics i have ever met. thanks for the inisghts ben, and thanks to the catholic brothers channel for hosting! i look forward to tuning into more good content.

[@makedonas_ellhnas]

I am greek , I was baptized an eo but I wasnt ever rrly that inclined into orthodoxy. I researched almost all of the religions of the world at my late puberty trying to see wich fits me. Almost in all of these religions I was initially excited to learn about them but over time they didnt quench my spiritual thirst. Then I started studying about catholicism and the more I got to know about the church the more convinced I was. Only thing I have to say is that I love Jesus for everything he has done for me

[@Yasen.Dobrev]

Hello. The Filioque is untrue. As the Holy Spirit descended after Jesus prayed by his human will to the Father, so that the Spirit may descend (Luke 3.21-22), then since the Son prayed the Father to send the Spirit here (Luke 3.21-22) and the Holy Spirit did not come to proceed through the human nature of the Son but descended from heaven, that means that if the Filioque is true, here (Luke 3.21-22) the Spirit was sent by the Father to proceed temporally through the Hypostasis of the Son. But if by divinity the Spirit already proceeds eternally through the Hypostasis of the Son, He could not begin to proceed temporally through the Person of the Son. Therefore, here (Luke 3.21-22) the Father directly sent the Spirit from Himself, hence by origin the Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father alone and directly. Otherwise, if both the Filioque and its rejection are true, there would be two eternal processions of the Spirit - from the Father and from the Father through the Son but that would lead to two Spirits which is impossible.

[@michaelwachira8484]

@@Yasen.Dobrev watch a KZbinr called dwong on the filioque and will clarify everything

[@Yasen.Dobrev]

Just to add something very important. If one becomes a member of the Eastern Orthodox Church and then leaves it, he or she comes to be in a dire state which is the state of the unforgivable sin (Matthew 12.32) because they have left the True Church.

[@FaithfulComforter]

You had a poor catechism to leave orthodoxy. You really joined the church that killed people “for heresy” and its abuse caused the Protestant reformation. Lord have mercy.

[@BassemBoumaraf]

The Eastern concept of the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father through the Son is another legitimate way of getting at the idea of the Son’s essential involvement in the procession of the Holy Spirit. In fact, there are some among Orthodox leaders today who acknowledge the essential agreement between Catholics and the Orthodox. Eastern Orthodox Bishop Kallistos Ware is one of these. He has actually changed his mind on the matter: Qualifying the firm position taken when I wrote [my book] The Orthodox Church twenty years ago, I now believe, after further study, that the problem is more in the area of semantics and different emphases than in any basic doctrinal differences (Speech to a Symposium on the Trinity: Rose Hill College, Aiken, South Carolina, May, 1995).​@@Yasen.Dobrev

[@banimanFJ]

39:36 Ben provides multiple pieces of evidence for Catholicism that many Orthodox either aren't aware of or choose to avoid/ignore.

[@OrthodoxChristianTheology]

Its very disconcerting that the meat of the reason for being convinced of RCism was essentially being disconnected from the "real world" during the Covid lockdown, and imbibing in the theoretical aspects from faith and in so doing trusting open source english translations of popes agatho and adrian i which use the Latin instead of more reliable Greek renderings. Lord have mercy!

[@USDebtCrisis]

I've never seen an EO answer Agatho's letter

[@OrthodoxChristianTheology]

Try to look harder, the Greek minutes of the council are different.@@USDebtCrisis

[@NicoFTWandMichael]

I think that every side will always argue back and forth, debate back and forth, it's just how life goes. Folks like Ubi or Truglia could make dozens of videos of the length of 100s of hours, but that doesn't make you a winner automatically, much less the truth, because what if a Catholic.apologetics group started making dozens of 5hour videos in response to Ubi? You get my point? There'll always be attacks and counterattacks. I'm Catholic, and whenever I meet people studying for the true Church, I just tell them, be honest with yourself, God and the data, and pray a lot, and have great trust in God. Why does God allow people after much study to convert and be convinced by EO? I don't know. Or in your perspective, why are there people who study and becomr convinced by our position and not Orthodoxy? It's a mystery for both of us. But I know one thing, we must never doubt in the love, wisdom and power of God.

[@OrthodoxChristianTheology]

@@NicoFTWandMichael I agree. I dont think people are swayed nearly as much by evidence as they are by spiritual influences. This is why the admission in this video that the doubts started when being divorced from worhsip and the sacraments i found to hit the nail on the head.

[@jakajakos]

Wow. Big shoutout to Classical Theist! He was one of my reintroductions to my faith as well. Very smart guy

[@edwardmartinez631]

I was looking east myself, but a great miracle experience kept me firmly planted in the Catholic church. I have nothing but love for eastern churches.

[@tompalm64]

Great video! I wasn’t expecting this to be so in depth! God Bless Ben and I will continue to pray for him 🙏💕✝️!

[@kuu2856]

It's funny that he mentions both Classical Theist and Mathoma because both of them helped me in my belief in God as well.

[@kaiseruhl]

A very powerful testimony. Thank you for sharing!

[@frankperrella1202]

Love the story, I have a Family in my parish that Is ex Eastern Orthodox & Came to the Catholic Faith by reading Dr James Lukidus, God bless 🙏🙏🗝️🗝️💯 Catholic, love the channel. I really love his story to.

[@gerardducharme2146]

I attended a Traditional Latin Mass before this I was an attendee at the local NO. I never left been a member of the SSPX for over 30 years now. I had uncle who was a Maronite priest for over 40 years and fell in love with the different branches Im 63 and continue to enjoy the different rites. I thought of going over to the Maronite, but just make the Move. Thank you enjoyed the program. God Bless

[@SATMathReview1234]

Really appreciated Ben’s video on the significance of the conversion of the center of the world pagan empire into the empire of monotheism. Always thought it was an excellent argument for the Roman primacy!

[@EricCastleman]

Great conversation. Very similar to my journey through Catholicism and Orthodoxy.

[@BasedWinduuu]

Classical Theist videos always leave me feeling the same way… Reading Aquinas is a whole new level! Glad you came home

[@tusolusdominus]

Finally got to watch this video after it was in my watch later purgatory, excellent presentation, I never cease to learn from your channel about the early church.

[@FredTonelli]

After listening to Ben, I need to go back to learning my Catholic catechism. :(

[@nightshade99]

No, read your Bible

[@martinarooney228]

Yes, please do. It will draw you closer to God in the Body of Christ, the church set up by Christ which has been kept since the times of the apostles. It will enlighten your understanding on what is true (not what those who assume without knowledge of it believe (deliberately or undeliberately).

[@FredTonelli]

@@martinarooney228 I agree.

[@halleylujah247]

​@@nightshade99you assume not both.😏

[@nightshade99]

@@halleylujah247 No, I can prove "not both"

[@octuple505]

Really appreciated your perspective. We have inherited this schism. I pray we can come into communion some day. East and West each holds the deposit, it's painful that we cannot celebrate each other.

[@Antonius1102]

I pray for this also and refuse to submit to the schism. I am Eastern Orthodox. I do not look at a Catholic any different. ☦️ ❤ ✝️

[@timothyjordan5731]

Florence employed the hermeneutic of continuity amongst the Church Fathers. If the Eastern Fathers did not explicitly express the Filioque, they were on a trajectory towards it and were seeking the proper expression of the doctrine. Maximos the Confessor and John of Damascus would have been quite satisfied with the Florentine synthesis.

[@sfappetrupavelandrei]

Florence was strictly for political reasons. Don't you care about that at all? People in the Eastern Europe wanted to get some help from Western Europe because of the Ottomans so they tried to force the Eastern Orthodox to accept Catholicism. That was it.

[@pop6997]

Thankyou so much for this conversation & how honest & articulate you guys are. Wonderful!

[@shamuscrawford]

Praise God!

[@johncollorafi257]

We wish Ben well and pray for him.

[@andrewpearson1903]

God bless Seraphim Hamilton for his work, but he definitely “stops short” at a few points, like Ben said of the Orthodox ecclesiology. I remember one video where he talks about biblical political theology, saying that the Bible builds up to an ideal universal monarchy - and then he mentions the Church, but he conspicuously refrains from applying this monarchical-unification principle to it. Pray for him, we may get him yet.

[@ludivinabentadan1243]

God bless and protect you all. Continue teach and proclaim our Catholic Church teachings. Amen

[@HipHip_Jorge]

The way he dipped into those letters from Church Fathers confirming the catholic view of the bishop of Rome was 🔥🔥🔥

[@halleylujah247]

This was a beautiful testimony. Thanks for sharing.

[@eyesee9715]

First, as an Orthodox Christian I feel quite comfortable that I am in Christ’s one holy Catholic and apostolic Church. The grace of God is very apparent in Orthodox saints, sacraments, and dogmas and I’ve experienced Christ profoundly in my life in Orthodoxy. Secondly, I pray for all Christians, and for all people. May we all grow closer to the Lord. He loves us all, whatever our circumstances and the Holy Spirit works in all our lives to bring us to Him. Thirdly, as Christians, especially today as society moves more away from Christ and against Christianity of all forms, we Christians should seek to get to know one another, help one another and cooperate in good works that glorify God. We shouldn’t be tearing one another down and calling one another names as so often happens. May the Lord help us all to repent. Fourth, the Orthodox and Roman Catholic communions both have many good attributes as well as sins since both are made up of human beings in addition to the divine element which is present. Fifth, these two have been engaging in formal dialogues for many years to work out their differences. They have been making strides in this regard, which is a good thing. This process continues. You who have advanced knowledge of the issues should contribute your gifts toward this end. Sixth, each of us should follow where the Lord calls us to work out our salvation. For me it is in the Orthodox Church. For others, lit is the RC Church.

[@TheCatholicBrothers]

Well said

[@pop6997]

Amen 🙏

[@sempelpang]

Amen! ☦

[@albertaowusu3536]

Orthodoxy is protestantism. They've been doing it for a thousand years ❤😊

[@eyesee9715]

@@albertaowusu3536 I guess you could see it as a protest against the innovation of papal supremacy, against a terrible distortion of proper papal primacy, against a terrible abuse of power, against a schismatic departure from the Holy Tradition of the undivided Church of the first millennium. This issue....papal supremacy...is perhaps the main issues that remains to be addressed in the official dialogues. The schism will heal when the papacy gives up its false assertion of universal jurisdiction and returns to its proper boundary. It's interesting that Ben, the Catholic Brothers, and so many RC commentators here, like you, don't seem very aware of that issue.

[@Dustin_Quick_Holy_Smokes]

God bless you, brothers. Welcome home Ben!

[@MarDuBronx]

Idk how old this guy is but it’s cool to hear a similar journey to mine. Baptized and raised Catholic, went to mass almost weekly as a kid. Around middle school I stopped. Only cared about friends, girls and video games. Religion was this separate outdated concept and something which wasn’t needed in this modern age. Started listening to Tyler the creator in like 6/7th grade and he made being an atheist sound cool and like it’s the reasonable non delusional thing to do. This is what people who accept reality believe. And I was on ifunny too lol following conservative type pages. I wasn’t initially political, around 2013-15/16 when social liberalism was starting to become this nationwide mainstream thing and everyone was on board with It I found myself disagreeing heavily with them. Not sure why, my faith growing up had nothing to do with it, I was just heavily opposed to it(I should also add around 2016 I was actually confirmed, my younger cousin was doing it so my mom decided I should too, so I did… unfortunately it was mostly for her, I actually enjoyed it as well but after that was done I wasn’t involved with religion yet again) but yea Many times I even questioned why I had these bad beliefs and that it would be easier if I could just go along with (being a latino closet trump supporter as a 15/16 year old) their lib ideas, but it’s not possible. The world they want with their ideas is not a good one… anyways I was extremely restless during this time with politics and kinda ignored it for 4 years (yea until 2020). 2016-2020 was my “worldly phase”, all I cared about was self pleasure. During these times I feel my fetish for destructive behavior caused permanent damage. Stopped going to school, barely graduated, ate out everyday, high everyday, porn everyday, messing with as many girls as I could, focused on buying expensive clothes and shoes, etc. Even entertained Islam because my favorite hood rappers were “Muslim” and I thought it was cool to say those Arabic phrases… well yea fast forward 2020 and the initial year I’m scared and isolating like most young secular non political adults probably were… the following year I start to notice the ones who call the shots are pretty fucking weird. Then when i see reactions to BLM and roe vs wade (I was always against abortion but had a weak mindset of “well I don’t agree but woman’s choice”) I start putting things together. The same people forcing masks and vaccines and isolation are the same ones who push lgbt, BLM (race tenions), pro abortion, etc. (I also found it concerning that me a 20 year old man at the time had seen so much lgbt propaganda that I despite never agreeing with homosexuality, thinking about it unless it was brought up and having a natural desire to seek women, was almost convinced thru experimenting with thoughts and porn that I was possibly sexually attracted to men, I could tell this was harmful and if I were not 20 and male I probably would’ve accepted such a thing as true and apart of me, our children and especially the girls/young woman have no chance in this environment to grow up to be normal people, these perverted lies will deceive many) and I realized I didn’t want that. Not for me or my future family. I was attracted to religion because i saw it as the counter to whatever this shit was. So initially I saw it as good but probably not true. My new journey started summer 2022. Thank God since than everything has changed. The world is still corrupt and there is much evil and sin destroying it but God is real, Christ is king and I trust Him completely

[@aridas4798]

I feel that no human interaction bit. As I was discerning I went to Mass almost every Sunday for 2 years, and I had one person, in two years, say hello to me, and that was only because he was someone I'd worked with previously. It's a good thing I wasn't looking for a real warm welcome, or I'd have been in trouble.

[@petermelegh5767]

E Michael Jones gave a very logical explanation to one of the reasons the Roman Church declared the filioque was due to the Arian heresy

[@joshuagilmore7522]

Was Catholic for 35 years. I’m so thankful I found the Orthodox Church. Would never think of going back.

[@thecatholicman]

Great video.

[@TheCatholicBrothers]

Thanks Robert! Ben was a great guest

[@josephjude1290]

Great interview

[@ryanturner8577]

Yea this is along the lines of thinking that made me choose catholicism over orthodoxy as I was researching before choosing to convert from protestantism. I didn't go as in depth as him, but there were a few things I couldn't let go and I couldn't agree with the EO church. I'm in RCIA now and am at peace with my choice knowing I made the correct one.

[@OstKatholik]

Welcome home!

[@patrickhewitt1988]

I will be joining too soon.

[@rosythomas3267]

Welcome to the Body of Christ. You are in the right place. Thank the Holy Spirit for leading you to all Truth, Grace and fullness of life.

[@Catmonks7]

Welcome home bro 🙏🇻🇦✝️🇺🇸

[@kevinninja787]

It sounds like Ben joined the Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Church where congregational singing is encouraged. They came out of the Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Church which also has excellent congregational singing.

[@paulodasilva7701]

Thanks chaps!

[@billlee2194]

Benjamin made a comment that really spoke to me...' Orthodoxy (and Protestants by extention) have to edit out controversial issues while Catholicism can just absorb them'. That is something I discovered on my own.

[@davidbraun6209]

Out of the gate: I don't really use the "new rite" of Reconciliation/ confession,. I learned how to make my confession in 1964 (I am 65, about to turn 66). If I am "doing it wrong," do please excuse me but I basically open with "bless me Father, for I have sinned; it has been X weeks since my last confession; these are my sins" and then get into what I regard as my mortal sins. "And for these and all the sins of my past life I am sorry." Then I listen to the priest in counseling and giving a penance, and make the (old-style) act of contrition and the priest gives absolution i will say, "For His mercy endures forever only if the prest says, "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good." And I still say "God bless you, Father, and thank you, Father." Yes, I'm old school.

[@TheCatholicBrothers]

I literally follow the exact same pattern

[@vintage53-coversandorigina37]

Amazing discussion with tons of facts. Well done!

[@mauricevandijk3009]

I pray that catholics and orthodox become one holy apostolic church. I am and will remain catholic, but I love the orthodox church, because of their beautifull liturgy and my beloved saint seraphim of sarov and many other beautifull orthodox saints.🙏

[@drkarenhanson]

Great interview!

[@truthhurtsalways4u]

The EO has no Fatima,Lourdes ,Guadalupe,Divine Mercy, and all other shrines. So, i will stick with RC !

[@grizzly_8917]

Holy fire never works for rc

[@Brezel647]

​@@grizzly_8917holy fire is the only thing you can bring? The patriarch prolly has just a little lighter in his mouth or sum

[@dollarbar1]

Fatima girls said Russia will be Orthodox

[@LucF362]

@@dollarbar1 You got this information from Father Josiah, right? I watched his video too, but I need to warn you that he clearly never read the documents of the Apparitions of Fátima and even makes absurd mistakes in that video, saying Sister Lúcia died "last year" when she had actually been dead since 2005. There were two girls and one boy: Jacinta died in 1920, and Francisco died in 1919 (they did not even know what is eastern orthodoxy to say something about it). Also, he based his conception of converting to Orthodoxy on a friend of his who thought it would be the case, not on an public affirmation from Sister Lúcia. The Fátima apparition speaks about papal supremacy, purgatory, and praying the Rosary. It is the most Catholic apparition ever. I will cite each Catholic point of the apparition for you: 1) Role of the Pope and Consecration of Russia → "God asks that the Holy Father make, in union with all the bishops of the world, the consecration of Russia to My Immaculate Heart." (Memoirs of Sister Lúcia, Fourth Memoir, p. 200) 2) Immaculate Heart of Mary and Reparation → "Jesus wants to establish devotion to My Immaculate Heart in the world." (Fourth Memoir, p. 200) → "To all those who, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, confess and receive Holy Communion [...], I promise to assist them at the hour of death." (Apparition of December 10, 1925, Pontevedra) 3) Dogma of the Immaculate Conception → "Our Lady appeared to us with a heart surrounded by thorns." (Fourth Memoir, p. 201) → Connection with the dogma defined by Pius IX in Ineffabilis Deus (1854). 4) Vision of Hell and the Need for Reparation → "You have seen Hell, where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wants to establish devotion to My Immaculate Heart in the world." (Fourth Memoir, p. 199) 5) Prayer of the Rosary → "Pray the Rosary every day to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war." (Apparition of May 13, 1917, Fourth Memoir, p. 198) 6) Purgatory and Prayer for the Dead → "She is in Purgatory until the end of the world." (Regarding the soul of Amélia, Apparition of May 13, 1917, Fourth Memoir, p. 198) → Confirms the Catholic doctrine of Purgatory as defined in the Council of Trent, Session XXV. 7) Private Revelation and the Magisterium → The official recognition by the Catholic Church took place in 1930 (Pastoral Letter of the Bishop of Leiria). 7) Conversion and the Mission of the Catholic Church → "If my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted, and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world." (Fourth Memoir, p. 200) God Bless you. Take care.

[@NatureMichael]

There are so many miracles in Orthodoxy that just simply don’t get mass attention, but I can assure you just talking to local parishioners miracles abound

[@DontRockTheCradle]

Thanks for sharing Ben! My journey had a short time looking into the Eastern Orthodox Church. It was actually when I was looking into some things Francis Chan has been doing and that led me to his conversations with Hank Hanegraaff and K.P. Yohannan , who I believe are both Eastern Orthodox. Also Nathan Jacobs and Fr. Josiah Trehnam but was ultimately was led back to the Catholic Church after 23 years in Protestantism. Erick Ybarra was and is instrumental for the deeper dives when someone arrives at the crossroad. You mentioned St. Francis de Sales, The Catholic Controversy and that work was so incredible to me. It was like being a law student and studying an old case and when you read his opening arguments you immediately know someone is about to get there you know what handed to them. That brother went after sheep that he knew in his heart of hearts were led astray and it is said 72,000 reverted back. I pray for that heart!!! Thanks again my brother and will be praying for you.

[@genemyersmyers6710]

No east or west in Christ. ❤❤❤

[@genemyersmyers6710]

Second time watching this and wow ❤

[@patcandelora8496]

Why do the orthodox come across as angry all of the time?

[@Jbarnes1]

I have no clue why

[@susand3668]

Because they are?

[@dominikdurkovsky8318]

​@@susand3668 dude no? Just because there are so many orthobros on KZbin doesn't mean that every orthodox christian is now mean.

[@susand3668]

Dear@@dominikdurkovsky8318, okay. I did not intend to imply anyone is *mean*. But if some people appear to be angry, maybe it is because they really are angry and not faking it.

[@elitecaosuk3141]

@TheCatholicBrothers what Protestant sources did you dive into at the seminar you referenced? As a Protestant it would be interesting to know the depth and quality of resources you dug into.

[@jacobsullivan9847]

This is an awesome story. What parish do you guys belong to?

[@TheCatholicBrothers]

St Mary of Perpetual Help in Chicago

[@jacobsullivan9847]

@@TheCatholicBrothers What a stunning Church. I've only been to Chicago once and I wasn't able to visit any of the Churches. Are all the Masses celebrated ad orientem?

[@TheCatholicBrothers]

@@jacobsullivan9847 yes. There is no post-conciliar altar. Only the original high altar.

[@jacobsullivan9847]

@@TheCatholicBrothers That's awesome. They're doing great work. I go to the only Institute of the Good Shepherd parish in the US. We're going to be doing a restoration of our sanctuary. Say some prayers that it'll be successful. We need more beauty in the Church today.

[@johnbanasiak3720]

What parish do you guys belong to? At first I thought you were talking about Fr. Tom Loya but now I’m confused haha I’m in Illinois as well.

[@TheCatholicBrothers]

@@johnbanasiak3720 St Mary of Perpetual Help/All Saints St Anthony in Bridgeport

[@jperez7893]

"...I believe in one baptism for the forgiveness of sins..."

[@TheCatholicBrothers]

Me too

[@PeterCooke-xm6dj]

When the two asked Jesus, “where do you live rabbi?” And Jesus said “come and see” you think his house has all the smells and bells? Or a humble straw bed, maybe some off cuts of wood he worked on and somewhere to go to the toilet. lol Enjoyed your journey very similar to mine. And I was meant to view this as I’m currently thinking on the Filioque a lot. And reconciling the styles of worship I been through, orthodox and catholic. I am Catholic now I’m just sharpening up to get to mass again 😊 God bless you all thanks for the vid.

[@Piranesi-gc8gn]

As orthodox like i understand some arguments but there are like blatant misrepresentations and bad arguments as well.

[@frankperrella1202]

Read Dr James Lukidus he's ex Eastern Orthodox to Catholic & his son is doing the apologetics because Dr James Lukidus he's in his 90's but most of his Family is now Catholic & they grew up Greek Orthodox, I also have a family in my parish that Converted to the Catholic Church, God bless 🗝️🗝️💯 Catholic

[@jan6485]

Good for you Ben, Good for you ✝️❤️ welcome home

[@jessamynreforsado6172]

The true church is one,the Holy Catholic church.

[@miuitest5272]

But papacy, immaculate conception, supererogation. How is you ok with this?

[@carlo6226]

Don't let misrepresent that it only represented the RC. The four marks of church are present in orthodox church ever since..

[@michaelwachira8484]

@@miuitest5272 did you even watch the video or are you still coping out???

[@Foxthefox-gv5cu]

​@@carlo6226yeah orthodox church is universal

[@vaderkurt7848]

​@@carlo6226 No it isn't you guys can't come to an agreement over moral issues. No offense

[@susand3668]

Thank you, all three. This was a very thoughtful conversation, and thoroughly enjoyable! It is good to hear the Truth that these are not easy questions to answer. (I hope the recent better -- at least slightly better -- coverage of Pope Francis is making life a little easier!) And thank you for the reminder, the essence of the Church is her Bridegroom.

[@paulodasilva7701]

Please may you do a video on Jesuits. There is a growing trend amongst non Catholics, blaming the Jesuit order for being behind the new world order!

[@jonatasmachado7217]

Very interesting content!

[@devinlawson2208]

The Orthodox Church will be here, when you are ready to return to your Father. The robe and ring will be here for you. Praying for you Codex.

[@SAHOVNICU]

Praying for him? To whom are you praying to? To the unknowable Super Essence of God or the knowable uncreated energy of God. Your sect is nothing more than a band of Polytheist heretics

[@SAHOVNICU]

The Orthodox Church is here? Show me one document from tradition or Ecumenical council where the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church identified itself as the Orthodox Church.

[@USDebtCrisis]

Which one?

[@devinlawson2208]

@@USDebtCrisis I guess I’m confused which Catholic Church you are in then. The one that’s ok with the butt stuff or the one that isn’t?

[@USDebtCrisis]

@@devinlawson2208 RCC has always been against homosexuality. Eastern churches not only bless adultery, but have an entire liturgy affirming it a maximum of twice after your first marriage when your spouse is alive.

[@Bzn14]

There's lot of orthodox who became catholic like queen of Spain

[@Havoc2317]

As an orthodox Christian, my main historical argument against the papacy is that after the schism all the other patriarchs sided with Constantinople and not Rome. If Rome was meant to be this centre of unity, why did the rest of the church side against it? This is a genuine question I have and I haven’t yet found an answer. I’m not looking for an argument, I’m genuinely interested in the catholic view on this. God bless.

[@TheCatholicBrothers]

That’s a respectable argument, brother. I have my own responses to it, but I definitely think that that is one of the stronger objections to Catholicism for an Orthodox to hold.

[@Havoc2317]

@@TheCatholicBrothers could you please share your thoughts on it, or tell me where to look at a catholic response to this objection? Thank yog

[@lyterman]

​@@Havoc2317 I wish I were knowledgeable enough to give you a good answer on this, brother, but I can offer you a prayer. God bless you, and may you find peace.

[@achilles4242]

I would say 2 things: (1) Look at the state of the patriarchates at that time. It wasn’t as if there were 5 equal patriarchates. It was pretty much Constantinople as the richest and most powerful. Then Rome as the primate of the Church. Then the other 3 which had come under Muslim domination. (2) Antioch, after the Melkite Schism, is now with Rome, no matter how you slice it. Wish you the best; God bless.

[@Havoc2317]

@@achilles4242 thank you for your reply, will look into this. God bless

[@genemyersmyers6710]

That is why orthodox refers to saint Augustine as blessed Augustine.

[@TheCatholicBrothers]

What do you mean?

[@PadraigTomas]

"What made me take Orthodoxy more seriously was when I started to go to mass on Sunday..." The reaction was eloquent.

[@servus_incognitus]

Almost as if there's something obviously, glaringly wrong with the Novus Ordo rites...

[@dr.tafazzi]

@@servus_incognitus There isn't though. It wasn't anything about the liturgy, he just said he wasn't shown around by the people there.

[@servus_incognitus]

​​@@dr.tafazzithey said in the video that they wouldn't be willing to recommend to a person converting to just "go and see" a regular Novus Ordo parish mass, all the while implying that you could do that with a Traditional Byzantine Liturgy or implicitly with a Traditional Latin Mass. Why is that? There is absolutely a lot wrong with it and with the spirit/intentions that have birth to it. I do not wish to go into the specifics of why here, but you don't have to be a radtrad to acknowledge this, which is as clear to the eye as bright daylight.

[@dr.tafazzi]

@@servus_incognitus It's still not true. 90% of people are annoyed when they don't get what's going on, which is why it's far better to invite your non catholic friend to a normal mass instead of one that lasts more than an hour and in a language they don't understand. It's fine if you have a certain kind if spirituality, but you're the minority. Most people are fine with the normal mass, the radtrad armchair analysis of tjis issue is just unhinged and untethered to reality.

[@servus_incognitus]

​@@dr.tafazziyeah, nevermind, I see we're have no common ground here. Your view of the function of the Liturgy as something subjective, that one might or might not identify with, really skews your view on this and makes it impossible to argue with. I'll just say that if you were correct, Catholicism would have never dominated and converted an entire civilization in the Middle Ages, converting many different kinds of peoples with a liturgical language that was foreign to them, nor is it true what you said about people being annoyed with "not understanding" (not to mention how much worse it is that they think they understand anything when translated, when they actually don't), nor does it matter if most people like it or not from my point of view. If that was the case, the Church would be booming and increasing its influence, especially in NO parishes, but the contrary is true. Anyway, have a nice day.

[@Alexander_Isen]

You guys should do a video on which of the churches you see more present in the early centuries - catholic or orthodox.

[@brianaalece5314]

Nice!

[@nightshade99]

FORMAL DEBATE BORN-AGAIN COMMENT REBUTTAL # 4: JAVIER: Do you think I'm sinning for asking my father to pray for me? Also keep in mind that in english people often confuse praying with adoration ALAN: I am assuming that your father is alive. Therefore, no The epistle of James emphasizes the power of prayer in the life of believers. It also reminds us that, even if we truly know and love the Lord, we still sin in these earthly bodies. James 5:16 tells us "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." We confess our sins to one another. because a continual relationship of confession and forgiveness among brothers and sisters in Christ cultivates honesty and purity and reflects the unity the church is meant to embody: (Ephesians 4:32) Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you Praying to Mary says that you don't actually know what scripture mandates.

[@lydiaspencer3192]

Incredible young man. Brilliant. Childlike and spiritual -honest and love authors he mentions never heard of. QUESTION: what was the procedure for him to enter the Catholic Church? RCIA🤣 he’s so beyond can’t imagine being his instructor. Was he confirmed by bishop? Was his baptism accepted? I hate to say it but how did he handle the homosexual sin issue in the Vatican and among priests. How does one protect oneself and be vulnerable at same time. I’m Catholic in my theological journey but so hard the nastiness that has been prevalent. I know personally several stories of abuse and one is too many. Hard to step over to become Catholic. Also the subject of purgatory his thoughts? PS as a music major I long for the Russians to come home. Gregorian is great but those bold deep lamenting liturgies are greater than the Italian operas. Timeless and less ethnic than you might think.

[@susand3668]

My dear sister on the journey, yes, it is hard to embrace a holy Church made up of sinners. The teachings of Rome are never going to lead you astray. If you have noticed, the left is trying to change the Church to be more accepting of Sin. And the right is trying to change the Church into a museum, where no living thing lives. It is a hospital. If you are wounded by the world, you will find help to heal, and help to become strong against Sin. PS, many Russians have come home. Do you have a Russian Catholic Church near you?

[@jackisgallant]

This was interesting. I was curious as to the Catholic Brother's interpretation of the wealth of information on a well-known Catholic KZbin channel that also features two brothers speaking on the primary topic of sedevacantism. If you need a link or a channel name, just let me know, but I can't link it without getting my comment deleted by KZbin.

[@eyesee9715]

I notice that a lot of commentators seem unaware of the Orthodox position regarding the Pope of Rome. Ben and the Catholic Bros, if they are more informed, also didn't present the Orthodox perspective. In a nutshell, it's this: The Pope of Rome had a primacy of honor and a role of pastoral care for the whole Church but has no direct power of jurisdiction beyond his region. This Eastern Orthodox view of the papacy is much more in keeping with the realities of the Early Church. Bottom line: the Orthodox Church is the true Church of Christ.

[@TheCatholicBrothers]

Yea, we’re well aware of that position. Problem is, according to even the dictates of ecumenical councils, that is not what the early church believed about the papacy.

[@eyesee9715]

You don’t see the bloating of the papacy over the centuries from what it was, the political expansionism, the assertion of dominance over the other ancient patriarchies, the abuse of power and authority that eventually also gave rise to the Reformation? I suppose even the contemporary Roman Catholic Pedophilia scandal that has done so much damage to the mission of Christ is also a symptom of this perversion of leadership and hierarchical accountability that happened so many centuries ago when Rome broke communion with the rest of the Church

[@benjaminjohn675]

I'm very familiar with the EO understanding of the papacy, I could probably articulate it more robustly and persuasively than many EO out there. It's wrong.

[@eyesee9715]

Yes you are verbally gifted. That’s wonderful. It’s not the same as being right though. One of the risks of being that away is a tendency to miss other data. In your case I sense a lack of historical contextual understanding. And then there’s spiritual understanding.

[@TheCatholicBrothers]

@@eyesee9715 it’s not like he left the Orthodox Church for no church at all. Rome has plenty to say with plenty of spiritual insight as well, and to deny that would be to live in an alternate reality.

[@MamaBearten]

A priest once said that the underlying reason for the split between the Orthodox and Catholics was that the Orthodox wanted divorce and remarriage as an option.

[@clivejames5058]

I doubt it. In the Orthodox Church divorce and remarriage is objectively wrong, but allowable on a case by case basis - not dissimilar to annulments in the Catholic Church. Divorce is never taken lightly. At the time of the schism there were much bigger things at play - the filioque, papal supremacy etc etc.

[@susand3668]

Dear@@clivejames5058, annulments are not "Catholic divorces". A "declaration of nullity" says there was no marriage -- that the union (of these two particular people, at the particular time they made their vows to one another, and in all the particular circumstances at the time of the wedding) was fundamentally flawed. Later events do not -- *cannot* -- change a marriage from good to bad, leading to a divorce. Morally, either we follow Jesus in not having divorces, or we do not follow Jesus. No?

[@clivejames5058]

@@susand3668 It seems you're right. I've just checked. I find that horrendous though that domestic abuse, for instance, is not sufficient grounds. Nevertheless, the Orthodox Church sees divorce as a great tragedy and not something casual.

[@susand3668]

Dear@@clivejames5058 this aspect of the Catholic Church is not "horrendous". *The One Who made the statement that there is no divorce is no mere human being.* It is not that abuse is "not sufficient grounds" for divorce. It is that divorce is as non-existent as a four-sided triangle. In the case of domestic abuse, the first thing to do is separate the victim from the abuser, for the victim's protection. A secular divorce may be necessary to support the victim financially, and to resolve property problems and how to best serve the children. And then comes the request for an annulment. When someone looks for a decree of nullity for a marriage, a tribunal is called upon. The Tribunal that investigates a marriage looks into everything that led up to the wedding. Was either of the parties under duress? Was either of the parties immature, under the influence of drugs or alcohol, keeping important secrets from the other? Did either one have a sexual partner on the side, and no intention of leaving that relationship or life-style, or no intention of having children? Those are just some reasons I can think of off the top of my head for a declaration of nullity. So, while the abuse itself is not grounds for an annulment, it is likely a symptom of something that prevented a real union from taking place. The cause of the failure of the attempted marriage was present before the two exchanged vows. This means that a decree of annulment is proof positive that no victim is guilty of causing an abuser's actions. Abuse was brought into the relationship by the abuser. The victim is not to feel guilty. The annulment process is designed to be healing for each of the members of the attempted marriage.

[@sfappetrupavelandrei]

​@@susand3668So, basically you are able to just delete divorce. 😅

[@Vramonsteroids]

Welcome to the true one true catholic and apostolic church

[@briandelaney9710]

I went the other way. I still love and respect much about Catholicism

[@computationaltheist7267]

He looks like Kyle Alander's older brother.

[@albertaowusu3536]

We should aim to convert everyone into the Catholic church. We lose ground if we skirt around it and try to be pally pally about it.❤That includes orthodoxy😊

[@primuspilushb]

You should probably change this from Orthodoxy to "Orthodoxy" as he seems to have always believed in RC'ism but finally elft after he couldnt shoehorn it into the Church.

[@TheCatholicBrothers]

Please refrain from cynicism. These are not easy issues, and Ben has wrestled with them with integrity. That you take another position is no reason to chide someone else for taking theirs when *both* churches have sinned against each other and created the scandal of schism. Pray for each other’s communions and navigate the situation as best as one can.

[@Crystal_Falcon]

On what basis do you make your claim?

[@Giorginho]

@@Crystal_Falcon On the basis of what Ben said himself

[@servus_incognitus]

​@@TheCatholicBrothers"both Churches" lol really? Last I checked, the Pseudo-orthodox Greeks rejected Rome because of pure pride. History is clear about that. And the Schism remains to this day mainly because of that, and because of the present degradation of the Church which, even though having nothing to do with the Schism, makes people want to leave it. So I don't see where exactly the Catholic Church had "sinned" against the Eastern Schismatics.

[@MAXIMVS_XXXIII]

​@@servus_incognitus Haha the fake Papist Church has left Christianity since 1054 😂😂😂 God created one Catholic Apostolic Church which was ONE until you decided to worship the Pope instead of Christ, I personally attended once a Papist mass and it was disgusting like I was on a theater watching a concert 😂 in the other hand in our Orthodox mass I forget that I'm living on earth I forget my problems because when I enter in to the Temple I feel like I have entered in Heaven and I'm already in the presence of God, so I advise you to do your own research and see the Truth because those who seek will find 😉

[@spyridon7669]

With respect, there were several erroneous assumptions Ben made in this discussion. Time prohibits a lengthy response, but just one example: the concept of validity is a Western/Catholic one. Baptisms outside Orthodoxy aren't "valid" in that there are no Mysteries outside the Church, but the Church has the authority to (baptize?) such imperfect events in the context of conversion to the Orthodox Catholic Church. This is also why (prudentially) Catholic priests who convert can be received by 'vestment', even if they angers certain Orthodox who understand the potential for confusion by doing so. Modern debates over whether converts should be baptized even if 'baptized' in a non-Orthodox faith reflect this - acrivia (strictness) says yes, but economia (permissiveness) says no. It's a prudential matter, since different groups of schismatic Christians have been received with and without rebaptism, and some of the delineations are kinda wild (e.g. Arianism at one point were to be received WITHOUT rebaptism!) Also, the Orthodox they're quoting would be the equivalent of quoting James Martin or even Pope Francis to get the traditionalCatholic position. Zizioulas and Shillbeecx (sp) are not traditional Orthodox Christians, and hold positions that are contrary to the traditional faith. I'm pleased that these men care enough to research where Christ's Church is. I pray they dig more deeply and look to folks like Fr. Spyridon Bailey, Fr. Josiah Trenham and others who adhere to the traditional Faith yet can discuss it in a non-irascible manner.

[@jowardseph]

Big deal! Welcome home!

[@nikocarpenter]

Ben, you mentioned you attended a Latin Mass in Chicago. I'm not sure if you're from the area, or if you traveled to attend Mass (St John Cantius is very well known), but I had the same experience as you going to an Eastern Catholic church around here. The pastor was great, and I very much enjoyed his sermons, and the liturgy was beautiful. But my kids were treated like they were a nuisance by certain members of the congregation, and as a family, we felt very unwelcomed, as if we were bulls in a china shop. Granted, my kids weren't used to church, and weren't behaving, but we've never been treated that way anywhere else. I'm not sure if it's a cultural thing, but it still upsets me to this day, because I had a lot of hope that we could find a home in a place that worships with reverence, and that just didn't happen. If the litergy was terrible, or I didn't like the pastor, or we could just try another Eastern parish down the road, maybe I'd feel differently.

[@TheRomanOrthodox]

I went the other way. I converted to the Roman Catholic Church in college and, as an older adult, converted to Eastern Orthodoxy, for exactly the opposite reasons. The supremacy of the Pope, at least in the modern sense of institutional unity, is simply not something borne out by the life of the early church. When there were controversies, Rome helped, and everyone acknowledged it, but Churches were left to run their own affairs. Instead, in the West, any vestigial acknowledgment of episcopal authority, or patriarchates, or even particular churches (the canonical distinctives of the East having been codified by a Roman congregation) has slowly withered. There is more that could be said, but all I will share is that, having practiced traditional Catholicism for 16 years of my life, I have found nothing as deep or as rooted in the Scriptures and Tradition as the Orthodox faith. Its difficulties do not always suit my human reason, and its leadership may exasperate me, but I met God here. And after I met God, I met my wife, who revealed to me after we got engaged that she had prayed to St. Spyridon and St. Matrona for an Orthodox husband.

[@silveriorebelo2920]

catholic bishops are very much independent in the way they lead their dioceses, with no interference from Rome --- and it seems that there is great confusion in your mind - during the first centuries, within each Patriarchate, there was also no allowance to be at divergence with the Patriarchal decisions - moreover, the Pope is not only the center of unity for the whole Church, but also the Patriarch of the Latin Church - which is 90% of the Catholic Church - indeed, the Pope has nearly no saying in the other catholic Patriarcates of the East...

[@stephengolay1273]

The priority of EED - in defining much - in EO is the dividing line. The great separator.

[@AbuSefein89]

Hey Catholic Brothers I have recently broke myself and my family out of EO, we are headed back to the Latin mass in communion with Rome. I thought I’d ask if you have an email I can message you on? I am not very good at explaining dogmatic differences though I do know what I believe I am just not as eloquent as some men I have observed. My wife is my “Aaron” and I am her “Moses” but I feel that my gift is feeling the heart and knowing what I see and feel more so than what I hear. The senses are definitely fully engaged when in the EO and that can be a distraction from the things of the heart. As soon as I began to question it I saw a side to Orthodoxy that most do not see and this crosses some high esteemed Monasteries and Monastic communities. In short most of my story crosses into Monastic territory. I would like to share my experience but would rather not have my identity out there and would like to keep names dates and places vague enough that I am not painting a target on myself and my family. God bless you and I hope to hear from you guys DEUS VULT ✝️

[@TheCatholicBrothers]

[e-mail]

[@Yasen.Dobrev]

MadreTheotokos Hello. If one becomes a member of the Eastern Orthodox Church and then leaves it, he or she comes to be in a dire state which is the state of the unforgivable sin (Matthew 12.32) because they have left the True Church. That is reversible only if he or she returns to the Church.

[@j_real21]

As a person who is thinking about converting to Orthodoxy, what made you guys switch from the other way around?

[@susand3668]

Have you read Michael Lofton's book "Answering Orthodoxy"?

[@sfappetrupavelandrei]

I'm guessing the Pope. The fact that the Pope had a special place in the ancient Church. Catholicism has a lot of issues and the power given to the Pope is one of them. No single man should have so much power.

[@Motomack1042]

There is a great beauty in Orthodoxy, and Orthodox spirituality can enrich the west. Unfortunately most Orthodox are not ready for unity, they still harbor great anxiety over the shear size of the Catholic Church. I believe they think they will be swallowed up and loose their distinctive culture. While having a severe Napoleon complex makes dialogue difficult. Orthodox no matter how the west will look at something, they feel they must somehow say we are expressing it incorrectly, they can't help themselves. This is why they are not ready for unity.

[@sfappetrupavelandrei]

No. We just don't want guitar blessings, dj priests, clown Mass, etc etc etc

[@Motomack1042]

@sfappetrupavelandrei While those things are few. I guess schism between Moscow and Constantinople, priest blessing missiles, disobedient monks at Mt Athos, and a Patriarch that gives a surmon that sounds like it came out of the mouth of a Nazi is ok. Please spare us the condescension.

[@1952rhjohnson]

All the best. Interesting podcast. Be aware that canonically anyone who converts from an orthodox church and of course, has been baptized or chrismated, should canonically be accepted into a same or similar eastern Catholic Church. The receiving Roman priest and or bishop should know this, however, I have found some time they do not. This is the correct canonical way. Of course, as an eastern Catholic, you can receive communion in a Roman parish as well. Also, if one finds that they are more comfortable in the Roman parish then after a time can petition the eastern Catholic Bishop or Metropolitan and the Roman bishop where the church is to change their rite to the Roman rite. And yes, this is important, especially if you are going to marry and raise your children in a eastern or Roman Parish, and especially if you are moving toward ordination, I just wanted to put this out and you might already mention this during the talk I have not been able to listen to all of it. again appreciate this conversation.

[@OrthodoxCanonFodder]

Lord have mercy

[@olgalichikova9833]

Why are they always laughing? He spent three years in Orthodoxy and considers himself an expert at talking about it. Father Sergiy Bulgakov is considered a modernist in Orthodoxy

[@TheCatholicBrothers]

Eh. Chill out man.

[@revelation20232]

I'm a Roman Catholic but i'm very much on the fence about Orthodoxy. My biggest issue w/ Rome is I see stuff like Pope Francis ex-communicating traditional bishops while allowing Pride masses in America as if the Vatican isn't aware. Not to mention the silent approval and even outright approval of people like James Martin. We're told ignore all of this blatant disrespect for Christ, along with the contradictions between VI & VII, and just "trust the plan". I'll say too i'm not a RadTrad, I attend an NO masses. I simply want reverence for Christ and an enviroment that inspires and fosters spiritual growth. Why do I, and millions of others, have to rely on the Church of old for that? Why do we have to live so far in the past just to get the Faith?

[@christophersalinas2722]

Christ never said it would be easy. There will be problems. I forgot who the quote is attributed to, but someone said that the only way an institution like the Roman Catholic Church could last so long with so much buffoonery in its leadership is by divine protection. Also, the filioque is true, therefore Catholicism is true.

[@drewstinson3901]

That's really too bad. To go from the Truth to clown masses. Hopefully he repents ☦️

[@TheCatholicBrothers]

A very ignorant comment @drewstinson3901

[@Iffmeister]

Asissi was attended by Eastern Orthodox bishops and one of them in the 20th century even called Mohammed an apostle. Orthodox bishops today have even said they're closer to Islam than any other religion. Maybe don't throw stones from a glass house. ​@@SeverusSnape837

[@haronsmith8974]

@@SeverusSnape837 you make an even more ignorant comment. You should read FS and see the Pope condemns gay marriage and that gay marriage cannot be blessed.

[@irishandscottish1829]

@@SeverusSnape837 what 😂 So you think there aren’t Christian’s in the Arab countries who speak Arabic?? Who have Bibles written in their native tongue? Just like how you will have a Bible written in your native tongue or do you only have a Bible written in Hebrew and Greek. I’d be careful about being a hypocrite… It appears you follow a god who limits the countries and areas Christian’s can be

[@michaelwachira8484]

@@SeverusSnape837 Also provide me sources of the pope approving gay marriages???

[@PomazeBog1389]

People who change their faith as routinely as they do socks aren't those we want in the Church anyway.

[@TheCatholicBrothers]

Yea same way you treat St Augustine, so makes sense.

[@PomazeBog1389]

@@TheCatholicBrothersAs if St. Augustine would even recognize the perverted monstrosity you have in Rome.

[@EricAlHarb]

I want to correct something at the 51 minute mark and something that is universally misunderstood. Patriarchs exercise a particular authority over their patriarchy but that compliments the authority of the bishops authority over the priests in their diocese. The bishop isn’t “middle management” between the patriarch and the priest. In that sense, of course we understand there is a need for an ecumenical patriarch. And he is the first amongst servants. And yes in history , by tradition, this is the role of the Bishop of Old Rome. And yes, only Old Rome remains unmolested by worldly force. Our great cathedral The Hagia Sophia is today desecrated. But having said and granted ALL this. Im still not convinced of Roman Catholic Papal claims laid out in Vatican 1.

[@AuthenticityVeritas]

Are you the Antiochian in the Egypt/Middle-East region?

[@SAHOVNICU]

This one letter from Pope Martin debunks your post and the heretical ecclesiology of Autocephalism Pope Martin to Bishop John of Philadelphia: "Correct things which are wanting, and appoint Bishops, Presbyters, and Deacons in every city of those which are subject to the See both of Jerusalem and of Antioch; we charging you to do this in every way, in virtue of the Apostolic authority (auctoritate) which was given us by the Lord in the person of most blessed Peter, prince of the Apostles; on account of the necessities of our time, and the pressure of the nations” Time to repent.

[@EricAlHarb]

@@AuthenticityVeritas I’m Antiochian yes.

[@EricAlHarb]

@@SAHOVNICU my point is that we see the need for a first among brothers in the ecumenical patriarch. Even St Maximus of blessed memory does, BUT the east has never accepted the papal claims of old Rome.

[@SAHOVNICU]

@@EricAlHarb Wrong. There was no such concept as first Among Equals. This is just another heretical innovation from your schismatic sect. Not even your own Patriarchs believe in the heresy of First Among equals as Moscow and Constantinople are currently in schism. The following documents from the early Church dismantles your lie that the early church accepted the heresy of First Among equals. Pope Martin's Letter to Bishop John of Philadelphia Pope Boniface I, Letter “Manet Beatum” to Rufus Pope Gelasius' epistle 26 These documents absolutely demolish your heresy of First Among equals Even St Maximus of Blessed Memory does believed the heresyofFirstAmongequals? Lets see what St Maximus says, was he an Eastern Orthodox schismatic? "If the Roman See recognizes Pyrrhus to be not only a reprobate but a heretic, it is certainly plain that everyone who anathematizes those who have rejected Pyrrhus also anathematizes the See of Rome, that is, he anathematizes the Catholic Church. I need hardly add that he excommunicates himself also, if indeed he is in communion with the Roman See and the Catholic Church of God ...Let him hasten before all things to satisfy the Roman See, for if it is satisfied, all will agree in calling him pious and orthodox. For he only speaks in vain who thinks he ought to pursuade or entrap persons like myself, and does not satisfy *and implore the blessed Pope of the most holy Catholic Church of the Romans, that is, the Apostolic See, which is from the incarnate of the Son of God Himself, and also all the holy synods, accodring to the holy canons and definitions has received universal and surpreme dominion, authority, and power of binding and loosing over all the holy churches of God throughout the whole world"* (Maximus, Letter to Peter, in Mansi x, 692). Eastern Heterodoxy debunked once again