In a message to the Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, Pope Francis wrote that “there is no longer any impediment to Eucharistic communion which cannot be overcome through prayer, the purification of hearts, dialogue and the affirmation of truth.”
The Pope’s message to the Ecumenical Patriarch was timed for November 30, the feast of St. Andrew, patron of the Constantinople see. Each year the Holy See sends a delegation to celebrate that feast with the Ecumenical Patriarch, just as the Orthodox leader sends representatives to Rome for the patronal feast of Sts. Peter and Paul on June 29. This year Cardinal Kurt Koch, the president of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity, led the Vatican delegation.
In his message Pope Francis took note of the 50th anniversary of a joint declaration signed by Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras I, which lifted the mutual excommunications that had been pronounced in 1054 and “consigned those painful memories to oblivion.” Church leaders today should draw inspiration from that anniversary, the Pope said.
Having restored fraternal ties, the Pope wrote, the Catholic and Orthodox churches should complete the restoration of full communion. He observed that “the symbol of the fraternal embrace finds its most profound truth in the embrace of peace exchanged in the Eucharistic celebration.”
Source.
The Gospel Preached to the Patriarch Abraham
5 hours ago
11 comments:
More silly rhetoric from pope Francis. Why does Rome insist on treating the "ecumenical patriarch" as some kind of analogous "Orthodox pope?" One wonders whether the pope is entirely innocent of the sentiments of most Orthodox faithful regarding his communion.
Like most liberals, Frankie lives in a fantasy world where everyone holds hands and sings Kumbaya.
The Patriarch sufficeth. We don't need a Pope.
The first thing that came to mind on reading that was the Monty Python black knight fight:
Arthur cuts off Black Knight's left arm
King Arthur: Now, stand aside, worthy adversary!
Black Knight: 'Tis but a scratch!
King Arthur: A scratch? Your arm's off!
Black Knight: No, it isn't!
Nevertheless we continue praying gor communion despite your feelings as a group among Orthodox. Ut unum sint.
Jorge, I think the point is not that unity is undesirable or that it should not be prayed for. For some, perhaps it is undesirable under any circumstances. For most, I would venture to say the issue is that the parameters under which such a unity could occur have not been agreed upon by both sides and such an agreement does not appear to be close. To gloss over that with nice-sounding rhetoric is simply ignorance of reality.
"Prior Martin said...
Like most liberals, Frankie lives in a fantasy world where everyone holds hands and sings Kumbaya."
Yes... Jesus told us about it, it's called the Kingdom of Heaven, may it come soon. You should look into it, Prior Martin, it's awesome.
LIke anything else this pope says, it's going to have to eventually be walked back by the Vatican PR people. Unity for the sake of unity should NEVER be desired. If you want that as the terms of unity, you only have to look at the cluster that is the Anglican Communion where you can be an atheist and a devout believer and the church considers both to be in full eucharistic communion. Though the pope says that he would not insist or demand that the Orthodox sacrifice anything for the sake of communion, history is replete with examples of the popes and hierarchs of the RC imposing "Latinizations" on Byzantine Catholics. it became so bad in the Ukraine in the early 20th century that a group of them left the RC church and became Byzantine-Rite Lutherans! Or look at the Ruthenians. And I think any good self-respecting Orthodox hierarch would demand that Rome repent of any number of innovations and flat-out heresies before there is the return of full eucharsitic communion. Should that be the goal? Yes, but not under the present circumstances.
CJ,
You sound like a prot!
Pope Francis is a mad proponent of the post-Vatican II feel-good pseudo-Catholic Church. If anything, Rome had NO RIGHT whatsoever to add the Filioque to Nicene Creed (we Melkites use the Creed as it was written), and Cardinals have no theological nor connection with the Early Church. They need to be eliminated. Rome MUST restore Holy Tradition....there is scant, if any evidence, that VERSUS POPULUM (Liturgy facing the people) was EVER part of Church Tradition. The pre-1955 Roman Masses had much more in common with Divine Liturgies, much less so than the 1962 Mass and especially that horrible Novus Ordo.
If anything resembling church survives this age, 'global unity' will consist of good Christians everywhere relieving anyone foolish of their duties. The deepest schisms are in our homes (and in our hearts)- there shall be no global unity for there is no local unity.
Post a Comment