To the various readers who have very kindly sent me links to the plethora of recent news reports on Ortho-Cath relations, my thanks. I have seen many of them, though several were new. My silence should not be interpreted in this case so much as ignorance as rather ignoring. The vast majority of these reports are from the Catholic press, which to be frank, has a rather unfortunate reputation for making rosy predictions of pending meetings between Moscow and the Pope or even talk of imminent restoration of communion every time there is any contact between the Orthodox and Rome. Indeed I shudder to think of the forests laid waste by this repetitive ritual. It seems that they are unable (or unwilling?) to discern the difference between our legitimate interest in closer relations and cooperation with Rome on matters of mutual interest from evidence of serious progress in healing the schism.
Just for the record; my silence on the latest wave of fluff reporting is simply because I have already addressed this silliness so many times that I don't see any point in going over it every time the Catholic press (sadly the secular press too often takes their cue from them) decides to start trumpeting the latest thaw in relations with us. The facts have not changed. No progress worthy of mention has been made on the very serious theological issues that divide Rome from Orthodoxy. If/when that changes it will be a story worthy of front page coverage. Until then we would all be well advised to calm down.
For now I am glad H.H. is traveling to Cyprus and wish him a pleasant and safe trip. One hopes he will have some time to relax a little. I am reliably informed that Cyprus is very beautiful in the spring.
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8 comments:
This is pie-in-the-sky from hierarchs. First, we Orthodox must figure out how to be one Church among ourselves, then we can start thinking about reconciliation with our brothers and sisters in schism.
John-
In line with our prior exchanges, I agree with you 100%. Basically, the articles are celebrating the fact that Catholics and Orthodox can be civil to one another. Of course, that is a good thing, but it is hardly a breakthrough.
What I did find cool are pictures of Metropolitan Hilarion celebrating the Divine Liturgy at St. Peter's crypt in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.
Some of the pictures are here:
http://tinyurl.com/27pelkf
All the best!
Lawoski
Why they keep sending you this links is beyond me, in your other post you talked about Catholic who fall in the either; Kumbaya "can't we all just get along" wing, or the polemically anti-Orthodox who have little use for the "schismatic Easterners"
You forgot to mention, that there are Eastern orthodox internet posters who mirror such attitudes. Of course you are of the anti-catholic crowd, although you do a good job of pretending not be extreme.
Anonymous,
You obviously haven't been around here long. And I am going to guess you did not read the comments section in the post to which you refer. Half my family is Catholic. I am not of course, and it is perfectly reasonable to infer in that a disagreement with the Roman Church. So if disagreeing with Catholic theology and desiring no compromise in Orthodoxy makes me anti-Catholic then I guess I will plead guilty. But I am not sure that definition is one to which most reasonable people would subscribe.
Yours in ICXC
John
I've actually been reading your blog for quite a while, believe it or not, half you family being Catholic, does not mean you can't be anti-Catholic.
I laugh everytime i hear you go on about the theological problems that seperate Catholics and Orthodox, like the Filioque e.t.c. I laugh because 1.)Because it reminds me of yougetting your head handed to you by Dr. Tighe and others a while ago i know you're no theologian and this so called problem is one you decided to adopt as soon as you chose to go into schism.
2.)Because i wonder what you will do, when at the prompting of the Holy Spirit, the whole Russian Orthodox church should decide to submit to the Bishop of Rome.
I wonder if you will let go of that prideful spirit, decide to join another schismatic group, due the problems with the filioque and other "theological" problems......
Anonymous, (the most recent one)
After reading your response carefully, I am content to let it stand on it's own merits while merely noting that you do seem to prove the point of many of my posts about online Catholics. Readers can draw what conclusions they will about your prediction of Russia's imminent submission to Rome.
In ICXC
John
For the record i never claimed anything was imminent. i said when,..when could be next year could be 30yrs from now.
Rather mean-spirited of you, Anonymous, to denigrate someone as you do John here. And cowardly to boot, as you won't reveal your name. I guess if I was so rude, I wouldn't want anyone to know who I was either.
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