20 Answers: Eastern Catholicism

The Church’s Other Lung

Do Eastern Catholics follow the pope?

What is it like to visit and worship at an Eastern Catholic parish?

How can there be many different “churches” in the one Catholic Church?

What are some aspects of Eastern Catholic theology and practice that differ from the West?

The rich history and theological, liturgical, and artistic traditions of the twenty-three Eastern Catholic churches are such an indispensable part of the global Catholic communion that, along with the Latin West, these churches are said to form one of the two “lungs” by which the Church breathes and lives. Yet even though Pope St. John Paul II called on the faithful to appreciate the treasures of the Christian East, far too many Catholics remain ignorant of them. 20 Answers: Eastern Catholicism provides an invaluable primer, explaining the origins of the Eastern Catholic churches and how they fit into the one Church of Christ, their distinctive prayers and practices, and some of the common misunderstandings and controversies that even today can cause unnecessary division and confusion.

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