Why is the Virgin Mary feeding St. Bernard with breast milk? [ https://aleteia.org/2019/08/20/why-is-the-virgin-mary-feeding-st-bernard-with-breast-milk/ ]
I got this crucifix from an old rosary and Ive been googling and it said its not traditional to add this although western rite orthodox can incorporate Catholic elements such as crucifix.. The answers i get online are vague so I was wondering if someone can give me a clarification if this is acceptable
Today I attended my first Divine Liturgy and overall it was a BEATIFUL experience. As someone discerning conversion from Catholicism to Orthodoxy i genuinely felt spiritually at peace, it was an Orthodox Church in America parish so everything was in English which made it much easier to follow the service.
One thing I didnt realize beforehand was that the congregation generally doesnt verbally respond to every part of the liturgy in the same way I'm used to. Out of habit i quietly prayed along with some of the prayers I already knew.
Then came the Nicene Creed. During Lent in the Catholic churches im accustomed to reciting it frequently and because of that the Filioque has become almost second nature for me. When the chanters says "who proceeds from the Father," my muscle memory took over, and I accidentally uttered "and the..." before immediately stopping myself. I never even finished the phrase, so few members of the chanting group looked over at me including the friend who had driven me there. After the service I apologized to him explaining that it was an honest mistake and simply years of habit. He responded that he thought I had probably done it on PURPOSE. That hurt because it truly WASNT intentional. If it had been I would have finished the phrase instead of catching myself almost immediately. after that, I couldn't stop replaying the moment in my head until the end of the liturgy which removed the peace and tranquility of my head while being in the service.
There was a coffee hour afterward and I had hoped to introduce myself to the priest and talk with him but I felt too embarrassed. I just I grabbed a coffee, stepped outside and sat by myself. i know this probably seems like a small mistake, but it weighed heavily on me. I'm worried that I made a POOR first impression especially since I'm trying to get to know the community and I'm relying on others for rides to the parish. I cant help but worry that people now see me differently because of what happened and not drive me anymore…
as catholics we believe that we possess the fullness of truth that Christ entrusted to His Church HOWEVER, after reading Two Paths I began to seriously reflect on the differences between Catholicism and Orthodoxy and found myself drawn to many aspects of the Orthodoxy, especially the liturgy, SPIRITUALITY (i lean into eastern philosophy more), and preservation of ancient Christian practices.
At the same time I struggle because Catholic teaching emphasizes the deep reality of belonging to the church including the INDELLIBLE mark received through the sacraments of initiation so being Catholic is not something I see as a simple identity that can be changed without thought because it has shaped my faith and my relationship with God + my understanding of the Church.
I also have a special devotion to a saint who helped lead me closer to Christ and His Church which is st. therese of Lisieux and she was a faithful Catholic, and she became one of the reasons I found my way into the faith so she is my spiritual inspiration and someone whose love for Jesus continues to guide me (with her little ways).
Because of this my discernment is not a rejection of my Catholic faith or a decision made lightly. It is a serious spiritual struggle im having.
Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Estelí, Juan Abelardo Mata, was abducted by the dictatorship on June 30, 2026
Canada's passes anti-Christian Bill C-9, which threatens to criminalize quoting parts of the Bible, including on homosexuality and marriage.
Canadian pro-life and faith groups, as well as a Catholic cardinal, sounded the alarm over the legislation. Indeed, in a recent letter to Canadian senators, Cardinal Frank Leo, the metropolitan archbishop of Toronto, said that while the Catholic Church recognizes “the importance of addressing hatred and protecting individuals and communities from violence,” changes are needed to the bill. Constitutional experts have blasted the bill, saying that it will allow empowered police and the government to go after those deemed to have violated a person’s “feelings” in a “hateful” way. The bill was introduced by Justice Minister Sean Fraser last year.
Specifically, Bill C-9 would remove Section 319(3)(b) of Canada’s Criminal Code This section protects the good-faith expression of a person’s religious views based on religious texts such as the Holy Bible. Campaign Life Coalition (CLC) previously blasted the passage of Bill C-9 in the Senate, saying that “God will not be mocked.”
“This is a dark day for religious freedom and free speech in Canada,” said Jeff Gunnarson, national president of CLC.
Pope Leo XIV meets with representatives of the United Jewish Appeal-Federation of New York on Monday, thanking the organization for work to help vulnerable populations, and stressing that in a world still wounded by division and conflict, the Vatican II Declaration 'Nostra aetate' called us "to move beyond past misunderstandings toward collaboration for the common good."
The meeting took place during the pontiff's official visit to Spain and Benito's residency at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano stadium.