Light of the East

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This unique program reveals how the riches of the Eastern Catholic Churches - their liturgies, spirituality and relevancy - are a gift to the whole Church and to today's world.

Father Thomas Loya


    • Jun 2, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 27m AVG DURATION
    • 786 EPISODES

    4.7 from 77 ratings Listeners of Light of the East that love the show mention: rite, lungs, thank you father, eastern, catholic church, teachings, messages, faith.


    Ivy Insights

    The Light of the East podcast is a valuable resource for anyone interested in learning more about the Byzantine tradition and Eastern Catholicism. Led by the knowledgeable and engaging Father Loya, this podcast offers a wealth of information on liturgy, spirituality, theology, and praxis. As someone new to the Byzantine tradition, I have found Fr. Loya's pastoral tone and his ability to engage with American and global culture through a lens of faith to be both refreshing and enlightening. Through his teachings, I have gained a deeper understanding of scripture and tradition.

    One of the best aspects of The Light of the East podcast is Fr. Loya's ability to bridge the gap between Eastern and Western traditions within the Catholic Church. He emphasizes complementarity between the "two lungs" of the Church, highlighting shared saints and spiritual practices. This approach fosters unity among Catholics of different rites and helps to dispel any misconceptions or divides that may exist between them. Fr. Loya's deep respect for both Eastern and Western traditions is evident throughout his teachings, making this podcast an excellent resource for anyone seeking a broader understanding of Catholicism as a whole.

    Another positive aspect of this podcast is its inclusion of traditional chant during teachings. The beautiful hymns that accompany Fr. Loya's messages add depth and richness to the overall experience. They create an atmosphere conducive to reflection and prayer, enhancing the listener's spiritual journey.

    One potential drawback of The Light of the East podcast is its length. Some episodes could benefit from being longer, as they often leave listeners wanting more in-depth exploration on certain topics. However, this can also be seen as a positive aspect as it leaves room for further exploration on one's own or encourages listeners to seek out additional resources.

    In conclusion, The Light of the East podcast is a treasure trove for those interested in delving into the Byzantine tradition and Eastern Catholicism. Father Loya's teachings provide valuable insights into the liturgy, spirituality, and theology of the Eastern Church, while also fostering unity and understanding between Eastern and Western traditions within Catholicism. The inclusion of traditional chant adds an extra layer of beauty to the podcast. Although some episodes could be longer in order to explore topics more extensively, overall, this podcast is a gem that enriches the spiritual lives of its listeners.



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    Latest episodes from Light of the East

    Light of the East 1080 The Council of Nicea

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2025 27:29


    On thousand seven hundred years ago, 318 bishops gathered in a town in what today is the nation of Turkey to make a statement that is as relevant today as it was one thousand seven hundred years ago.

    Light of the East 1079 Two Ascensions

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2025 27:29


    As a new Pope has ascended the Chair of St. Peter, Our Lord ascends into Heaven. We will Look at these two "Ascensions" from the perspective of Eastern Christian spirituality.

    Light of the East 1078 Celebrating Annunciation Parish's 25th

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2025 27:29


    Today the parish that has brought you the "Light of the East" is celebrating its 25th anniversary. We will look at the character of an Eastern Catholic Church through Annunciation Byzantine Catholic parish in Homer Glen, IL.

    Light of the East 1077R A Week filled with Apostles, Martyrs and Miracles

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2025 27:29


    We are halfway through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and the sending down of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles. It is a week filled with miracles, martyrs and Apostles

    Light of the East 1076 The Pontificate of Pope Francis

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2025 27:29


    The story of the Pontificate of Pope Francis will likely unfold for some time. We will look at the legacy of Pope Francis in respect to the Eastern Catholic Churches.

    Light of the East 1075R Divine Mercy Sunday -Thomas Sunday

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2025 27:29


    On the Sunday after Pasca, both lungs of the Church converge at the theme of God's mercy. For the Latin rite, it is Divine Mercy Sunday. For many Eastern churches it is the Sunday of Doubting Thomas.

    Light of the East 1074R Christ is Risen!

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2025 27:29


    As we have died with Christ, we now rise with Him in his bodily resurrection making all things new not just 2,000 years ago, but even at this very moment and forever.

    Light of the East 1073R The Week of the Bridegroom

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2025 27:29


    In many Eastern Catholic Churches Lent has ended. But a separate and more ancient period of fasting has begun, the Week of the Bridegroom.

    Light of the East 1072R St. Mary of Egypt

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2025 27:29


    On this Sunday of Lent in many Eastern Catholic Churches a woman is put before our eyes who is a model of repentance, reverence for the Eucharist and hope for women experiencing shame.

    Light of the East 1071R The Ladder of Divine Ascent

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2025 27:29


    The Great Spiritual Master, St. John Climacus will take us higher and higher on his Ladder of Divine Ascent. The first two rungs of this ladder will be renunciation and obedience.

    Light of the East 1070R Lent Bring Us Back to the Norm

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2025 27:29


    Does abstaining from meat, dairy, sweets, wine, oil, iPhones and entertainment and adding more prayer seem unreasonable? It is actually the norm that Lent seeks to bring us back to.

    Light of the East 1069 The Prayer of St Ephrem

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2025 27:29


    Short but mighty, brief but powerful, the Prayer of St. Ephrem is the official prayer of the Great Fast in the Byzantine Catholic Church exposing our demons yet pointing to virtues.

    Light of the East 1068 Holy Images Connect Heaven and Earth

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2025 27:29


    If one picture is worth a thousand words, then the worth of a holy icon is priceless. Through the ages those who defended holy images against detractors are heroes of the True Faith.

    Light of the East 1067 Lent Begins in the Eastern Catholic Churches

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2025 27:29


    'Hide not your face from your servant; for I am in distress.' The words of Adam and Eve as Lent, the season of the Great fast, now begins in the Eastern Catholic Churches.

    Light of the East 1066 The Eastern Catholic Churches Respond

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2025 27:30


    A loving God would not really send someone to hell forever, would he? Why do Catholics pray do dead people? Learn what the Eastern Catholic Churches say about these and other related questions.

    Light of the East 1065R The Prodigal Son

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2025 27:29


    The Scripture parable of the Prodigal Son is our story - a choice for the delusion of ideology or a choice for reality, right reason and our ultimate glorious destiny.

    LIGHTEAST 1064R The Church Breathes with Both Lungs

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2025 27:29


    Pope St. John Paul II reminds us that the Catholic "breathes with both lungs east and west." There are actually 21 different, ancient and venerable ways to be Catholic

    Light of the East 1063R The Elder Simeon

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2025 27:29


    In a temple, the Elder Simeon holds Christ in his hands and then asks to be dismissed from this world. What do we say with God entering our entire being.

    Light of the East 1062 The Good Old Days of the Church

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2025 27:29


    Ah yes, the good old days of the Church, bar fights over who was the greatest among three great Fathers of the Byzantine Church. I know! Let's celebrate all three of them on the same day!

    Light of the East 1061 The Season of the Nativity Has Passed

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2025 27:29


    The calendar of the Church seems to be in a lull at this time, and, we are in the dog days of winter. Yet, in the Byzantine Liturgical calendar this time sparkles with brilliant saints.

    Light of the East 1060R Benedict XVI and the Monastics

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2025 27:29


    Almighty God raises up in each age, certain persons who turn the Church and the world on its axis. Pope Benedict XVI in our age and the desert monastics in an early age are some examples.

    Light of the East 1059R The Baptism of Christ

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2024 27:29


    As though being born and laid in a manger in Bethlehem was not humbling enough, Our Lord chose to lower himself in the lowest spot on the Earth's surface, the river Jordan. There he would be baptized for our sake and God as Trinity would be revealed.

    Light of the East 1058 Iowa Byzantine Mission

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2024 27:29


    There was no room at the Inn for the Holy Family traveling to Bethlehem. Is there room in Iowa for a Byzantine Catholic priest and his community? Find out, from our special guest.

    Light of the East 1057 The Miracle of the Incarnation

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2024 27:29


    All families have their story, from sinners to saints, so it is with the family of Jesus Christ. But God still works out His divine plan which is the miracle of this season.

    Light of the East 1056 Return to Baptism Thought Monasticism

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 10, 2024 27:29


    St. Pope John Paul II described monasticism as the "reference point for all the baptized." During this season, we return to our baptism through, monasticism. Our special guest will explain.

    Light of the East 1055R Do Not Celebrate Christmas

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 10, 2024 27:29


    Do not celebrate Christmas. That's Right. Do not celebrate Christmas. Rather, rely on the Church's preparation for Christmas to help you enter the mystery of the Incarnation and be transformed by it."

    Light of the East 1054R Christ Prefigured in the Old Testament

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2024 27:30


    As we draw near to the Nativity of Our Lord, we look back on the ancestry of Christ and the many foretellings and prefigurements of Christ in the Old Testament.

    Light of the East 1053 So Which Are You?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2024 27:29


    So which are you...? A 'Rad Trad', a Pro-Popolo Novus Ordo or maybe Ad Orientum Novus Ordo, or just plain confused and fed up? The Eastern Catholic Churches are here to help.

    Light of the East 1052 The Eastern Catholic Form of Confession

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2024 27:29


    Those who Confess best will far surpass the rest. So, how do we Confess best in the Eastern Catholic form of this healing Sacrament of Confession?

    Light of the East 1051R Two Giants Lost to the Church

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2024 27:29


    With only a few weeks of each other, two giants have been lost to the Church in these modern times. How does this concern or impact the Eastern Catholic Churches?

    LIGHTEAST 1050EG 21 Different Ways to Be Catholic

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2024 27:29


    Pope St. John Paul II reminds us that the Catholic Church breathes with both lungs East and West. There are actually 21 different ancient and venerable ways to be Catholic.

    Light of the East 1049R The Timeless Wisdom of the Church

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2024 27:30


    Do you want to remain hopeful, faithful and negotiate through the strife, division and confusion of our times? Look into the timeless wisdom of the Church's liturgy and saints.

    Light of the East 1048 Catholic Voter Conscience

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2024 27:29


    In America, it is difficult for Catholics to vote with a complete sense of peace and confidence due to life issues, In this regard, Eastern Liturgy and the Catholic Catechism can bring some perspective.

    Light of the East 1047 Art & Architecture of the Catholic Church

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2024 27:29


    When an evil force seeks to destroy a culture, it destroys the imagery of that culture. Imagery makes present the soul of a culture, just as it does in the Catholic Church

    Light of the East 1046E So Ancient and Yet So New

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2024 27:29


    'So ancient yet so new. How late have I found Thee.' The words of St. Augustine to Our Lord might also be the words of those who have found a place within the Eastern Catholic Churches.

    Light of the East 1045R Cantors in Eastern Christian Liturgy

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2024 27:29


    Every Eastern Christian church has its own ancient and indigenous chant which is sung by the faithful during liturgical services. This gives cantors a special place in Eastern Christian Liturgy.

    LIGHTEAST 1044R Back to School

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2024 27:29


    Our children have gone back to school and so are we. We begin our school year with the question: What is the THE difference between the Eastern Rites and the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church?

    LIGHTEAST 1043 What is the Difference Between East and West

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2024 27:29


    An often aske question is "What is THE difference between an Eastern Catholic Church and the Roman Catholic Church?" We will attempt to offer a simple answer for this not so simple question.

    LIGHTEAST 1042 Where the Bars of the Cross Converge

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2024 27:29


    As the horizontal bar and the vertical bar converge to form the Cross, ancient Byzantine liturgical texts converge with a modern era prophet to explain the mystery of the Cross.

    LIGHTEAST 1041 The Eucharistic Congress

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2024 27:29


    The Eucharistic Congress has passed. So where are we now in terms of a... Eucharistic revival? And... what might the Eastern Catholic Churches contribute to this question?

    LIGHTEAST 1040E A Good Read

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2024 27:29


    The spirituality of the Eastern Christian Churches although ancient influenced the writing of the contemporary science fiction book. Author Mary Jessica Woods will be with us to talk about her new book and the influence behind it.

    LIGHTEAST 1039E So Ancient and Yet So New

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2024 27:29


    'So ancient yet so new. How late have I found Thee.' The words of St. Augustine to Our Lord might also be the words of those who have found a place WITH the Eastern Catholic Churches.

    LIGHTEAST 1038R So Which Are You?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2024 27:29


    So which are you...? A 'Rad Trad,' a Pro-Popolo Novus Ordo or maybe Ad Orientum Novus Ordo, or just plain confused and fed up? The Eastern Catholic Churches are here to help.

    LIGHTEAST 1037R Are the End Times Near

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2024 27:29


    The raging of the sea, the raging of nations, fire in the sky just some of the warnings of the End Times. Are the End Times really near? The answer is both yes and we don't know

    LIGHTEAST 1036E EWTN We Are Not PC at LOE We Are BC

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 22, 2024 27:29


    We are not PC here at 'Light of the East Radio.' We are BC, Byzantine Catholic. But there are some questions from RCs that are not very PC to pose to a BC. Is this making sense?

    LIGHTEAST 1035R A Big Round Painful Hole

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2024 27:29


    There is in our times a big round painful hole in the very soul of Western civilization. It could very well be that is the Eastern Catholic Churches that can help fill that hole.

    LIGHTEAST 1034R The Ecumenical Councils

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 9, 2024 27:29


    We can have full confidence that a Church whose dogma's came about from Councils and not from a mere person is indeed the fullness of the Body of Christ on Earth.

    LIGHTEAST 1033R The Eucharist

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2024 27:29


    The once common in the understanding and devotion to the Eucharist in both the Eastern and Western lungs of the Church are today vividly retained in the Eastern Catholic Churches.

    LIGHTEAST 1032R So Ancient and Yet So New

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2024 27:29


    'So ancient yet so new. How late have I found Thee.' The words of St. Augustine to Our Lord might also be the words of those who have found a place within the Eastern Catholic Churches.

    LIGHTEAST 1031R The Difference Between the Rites of the Church

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2024 27:29


    We revisit a fundamental question that is often asked and often not well understood. What exactly is meant by the different Rites of the Catholic Church? How and why are they different?

    LIGHTEAST 1030 The Eucharist

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2024 27:29


    The once common in the understanding and devotion to the Eucharist in both the Eastern and Western lungs of the Church are today vividly retained in the Eastern Catholic Churches.

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