Vee goes to the Divine Liturgy

VEE:  The Ukrainian Catholic Church celebrates the Divine Liturgy according to the Ruthenian tradition of the Byzantine Rite Translation they are Eastern Catholic/Byzantine and are in union with Rome.  Further translation...  ICONS!!!

Im not Ukrainian at all however due to the paths of life I have had the chance to attend the Ukrainian Divine Liturgy on three occasions.  Saturday made it four.  I long for reverence and respect when at Church.  No priest talking about football or trying to ham it up for the kids.  No loud talking before or after Mass etc.  Unfortunately there aren't many Catholic Churches where I live so it's either my Roman rite parish where things were getting on my nerves too much and proving a distraction, or the Ukrainian Catholics.  I know it's important to pray for our priests and talk to them about problems at Mass but when nothing changes I need to.

The Ukrainian rite calls their Mass the Divine Liturgy and the prayers are arranged a bit differently.  There is much more making the sign of the cross, from right to left btw, at the sign of peace no one shakes hands the prayers simply continue.  There is less music and if any it is simple chant.  There is incense, and the censure has bells.  At Communion ONLY the priest distributes the precious Body and Blood.  These are mingled together in a chalice, yes leavened bread in small cubes with the wine which then becomes Our Lord.  This cube is dropped onto ones tongue by the priest using a small ornate spoon.  I felt like a little bird being fed. 

Now some pics I took