I recently came across a British site which was about the Redemptorist Order, I couldn't find the page now but if I see the link I'll post it. It said that the Redemptorists are an order which celebrates both the Traditional Latin Mass and the Ukrainian Byzantine Rite (clarifying that it's celebrated only in Church Slavonic) claiming that they have clergy in Ukraine and Bulgaria, and a new "Society of St. Josaphat" recently formed by Greek Catholic priests, but that there are some priests from other Eastern Rites.

What got my atention was the way Greek Catholicism and the martyrs of the Byzantine Catholic Church are defended and justified (showing a real opposition to Orthodoxy), and a fierce opposition to the Balamand Agreements and other acts they see as a betrayal against the Eastern Catholic Churches by the Latins. Other phrases were displayed against "latinization" and "modenism", specially when they refer to the treatment given to Eastern Catholics by Latins, the concessions to the Orthodox (like the Pope's visit to Romania, which seemed to strenghten Patriarch Teoctist and the Orthodox, and not the GCC), and the dismissal of the sufferings of Eastern Catholics because of their faithfulness to Rome, for example.

Do you think that these grievances are legitimate, in a time when many Greek Catholics seem to reject their past and some even seem to be ashamed of being "Greek-Catholics"?

In a certain way, it is probable that some of what they claim may be acceptable. But I got really surprised when I saw that the priests of that order are trained in seminaries of the Society of Saint Pius X (and if I'm not mistaken, this was the community founded by Archbishop Lefebvre, a Traditionalist Latin). My question qould, be, how can these priests become true guardians of their eastern identity, if they study in a seminary where Traditionalist Latin Catholicism is taught (including all that philosphy of St. Thomas Aquinas, Trent, Vatican I, etc)? Would that be compatible with Eastern Christianity, I mean, that way of formation of priests? And there's also a contradiction, it seems that in those seminaries, the Orthodox Church is not well seen, and that the Latin Rite is seen as the best, so how can they avoid latinizations?

And there's also one thing. It's probable that the presence of that clergy would cause confussion among the faithful of the UGCC and the Orthodox too. What is the status of groups like the Society of St. Joasaphat in Ukriane? I suppose it will be quite difficult for the "normal" UGCC to explain the faithful what is the difference between that group, the UGCC, and the Orthodox.

What do you think?

Dear Remie,

I believe that what you have found was the Transalpine Redemptorists, whom I think are considered schismatic. While they revere the Ukrainian Martyrs and Patriarch Josyf Slipyj, they are connected with the SSPX.

There is a Basilian Order of St. Josaphat. Some information is available here:

http://www.stnicholaschurch.ca/index.html

Information about Ukrainian Redemptorists can be found at:

http://www.yorktonredemptorists.com/who%20we%20are.htm

If I remember correctly, four of the Martyrs beatified by Pope John Paul II in Lviv in 2001 were Redemptorists.

Have a Blessed Day!!!

John
Pilgrim and Odd Duck

I found the site:

http://www.redemptorists.org.uk/mag/scontent.htm

the section about Russia and Ruthenian rite are interesting, they have the biography of the martyrs. At least, in spite of being connected with the SSPX, they llok quite traditional about the Eastern Rite (I wonder how they survive within the SSPX!)

what I meant is that it's unfortunate for Greek Catholics not to want to revere and give propper veneration to their martyrs and saints, only because "it would offend the orthodox"; or for the orthodox not to venerate St Athanasius of Brest, or the martyrs of Latvia.

Very interesting site Remie, though I have to admit that I could only get it in English by searching through Google.

However I think I should say that the name of their website has been very carefully chosen

www.redemptorist.org

is the Official Site of the Redemptorists in the UK. By the addition of the ".uk" I think it is confusing. They certainly admit their origins.

I wonder how many others have been confused. When they set up here in Scotland they had a good deal of publicity but they are rarely mentioned now.

Dear Remie,

I think you have not seen the veneration of the Ukrainian Martyrs.

The Church of Winnipeg displayed quite a celebration at the opening of Blessed Vasyl Velychkovsky's Shrine in September.

750,000 people attended the Papal Liturgy in Lviv for the beatifications in 2001. As one priest put it, they formed the largest choir in history. Many Orthodox attended to bear witness to our servants of Christ.

Have a Blessed Day !!!

John
PIlgrim and Odd Duck

Dear Friends,

Perhaps at this historical juncture, we might all consider how the saints of all the Churches can become a common heritage of us all!

The fact is that St Athanasius of Brest was martyred by Catholics and honoured by Eastern Catholics as a national saint before the Jesuits got wind of this and interfered.

The fact is that Orthodox visiting the body of St Josaphat lying in state were seen to kiss his exposed hand after seeing that his relics were incorrupt etc.

There is no Orthodox saint that I would not honour.

But perhaps it is time for the Redemptorists, of whatever mountainous range , to regroup themselves as Studites?

Alex

From my understanding the Society of St. Josaphat is directly under the Society of Saint Pius X, in communion with the so-called Transalpine Redemptorists, but not directly under them.

Very little information is available about them in English. The Society of St. Josaphat does have a small minor seminary called "Immaculate Heart of Mary" in L'viv.

In my opinion, they seem to be concerned about the above mentioned issues of relations with the Orthodox, liturgical language, the modification of religious habits (i.e. garb), and abbreviations in the Liturgy (such as the shortening of some litanies as we commonly do in North America.

There is also a female community of Basilian nuns associated with them.

Everything I have heard or read about them is from SSPX literature which a friend of mine receives, usually short blurbs which are very heavily influenced by SSPX ideology and traditional Latin theology.

I don't fully understand their beef against the mainstream UGCC.

With Best Wishes to All!
Stefan-Ivan

Dear All,

Even Polish Lefebvrists are very interested in
"Uniate" affairs. Their official's second issue
of 2001 was almost exclusively about this.
You may see it at:
http://www.piusx.org.pl/zw/39/nr39.html

The only interesting thing in that issue is a long
interview with "Father B. from L'viv", a Greek-Catholic priest, supporter of current Ukrainian
lefebvrism:

http://www.piusx.org.pl/zw/39/39rozmowa.html

Anyone interested in researching their position
should read this.

Latest scandals in L'viv church of Sts. Olha and
Elisabeth (former Latin of St. Elisabeth), when
a priest, supported by a group of laypeople offended publicly Bishop IHOR (Voznyak) and was
suspended by His Beatitude (see His Beatitude's
letter to the parishioners of that church: http://www.ugcc.lviv.ua/ukr/press-releases/article;366/ ) - perhaps are somewhat connected with lefebvrism too.

Sincerely,
subdeacon Peter

Dear Subdeacon Peter,

I am not surprised - some of our Greek Catholic people are more papal than Pope Pius X!

I have an Akathist to the Martyrs of Pratulin in Polish which I can certainly read.

Is there one online in Ukrainian?

Are there new Akathists in Ukrainian?

Alex

I don't know about ANY Akathist to Pratulin Martyrs in Ukrainian.
The Polish text was written along with the Old
Slavonic one by Fr. Roman Pietka MIC, titular
Archimandrite, pastor in Kostomoloty (see parish
website at: http://www.kostomloty.prv.pl ). So
in a way both are original, I suppose.
The only translation I know about is a Byelorussian one. I heard it sung in Pratulin in 1999, night before papal Mass in Siedlce.

Sincerely,
subdeacon Peter

Dear Subdeacon Peter,

Whenever you have a moment, please do have a look at some of the Akathists I've written and that are here.

Let me know what you think!

Alex

Piotr:

The last link doesn't seem to work.
That situation was quite interesting, why did they suspend that priest?

Stefan:

about the modification of eligious habit, does this mean that they are opposing latinization? and that's why the protest? (I don't know how they can ask the SSPX to de-latinize them )

Dear Subdeacon Peter,

I've just finished reading the Polish interview with that "Greek Catholic" priest!

The Latinization is incredible!!

His idea of a "true Catholic Church" is the image of the Sacred Heart, the Stations of the Cross and statues!

Such people should RUN, not walk, to the Roman Catholic Church and leave the Christian East alone!

Alex

I'll read them definitely, but not soon (now I am
busy with my students as the first semester ends).
And my opinion cannot be of high value as my English is a "pidgin". Could you provide an
Old Slavonic text?

Sincerely,
subdeacon Peter