The Eastern Catholic Pastoral
Association of Southern
California

What is the Eastern Catholic Pastoral Association of Southern California?

The Eastern Catholic Pastoral Association of Southern California is an association of pastors and other ministers in the great Southern California area who belong to various Churches in communion with Rome but whose origins stem from a non-Latin history and tradition.  The association includes representatives from the local Roman Catholic Dioceses and other clergy and ministers who are affiliated with the Eastern Churches.

What is an "Eastern Catholic" Church?

The term "Eastern Catholic" is commonly used in reference to very diverse groups of churches whose historical origins began in Apostolic times and developed over the centuries according to the cultural, linguistic and theological world views of their respective milieu.  These include 3 main Traditions:  Constantinople (Byzantium), Alexandria, and Antioch-Edessa.  These great centers of Christianity, along with Rome, evangelized the world.  (The church of Jerusalem, though it inspired many Liturgical practices in the East and the West, lost its uniqueness early on due to great political turmoil and eventually become the conglomeration of churches that it is today.)

Why do the Eastern Churches exist in the West?

Just as the Roman Catholic Church exists in the East and is culturally and ethnically diverse, the Eastern Catholic Churches exist in the West.  The singular cultural focus and ethnic concentrations characteristic of the Eastern Churches today is a more recent historically conditioned occurrence and not part of their original essence and evangelical spirit.  The Eastern Churches welcome all people.

What about the Orthodox?

If used as a noun the term "Orthodox" refers to those Churches of eastern origin that are not in Communion with the Bishop of Rome (the Pope.)  Used as an adjective, the word "orthodox" means true faith (doctrine) and in this sense is used by Catholics.  Just as the word "Catholic" as a noun refers to all those churches in communion together and with the Church of Rome.  But as an adjective, the term "catholic" means "universal" and in this sense is used by the Orthodox and some Protestant churches.  The Orthodox and Catholics were once one church, but in the first millennium there were schisms.  These events are long, complex and tragic.  It is the hope of the Eastern Catholic Pastoral Association to aid in the healing of this wound in the body of Christ that we may all be Catholic and Orthodox as well as "catholic" and "orthodox."

Why was the Eastern Catholic Pastoral Association formed?

The purpose of the association is to have a forum of fellowship and discussion among members and to address issues of common concern touching on the local eastern churches and on ecumenical affairs.