The big thing seems to be "where we are" rather than where we've been.

Of course, we are going to see differences in our past histories, but the reality is: what are we doing now? With the exception of those who are indomitably "ETHNIC" and who avoid any and all contact with 'aliens', then we should be working together to promote the Gospel. As Children of the Constantinopolitan patrimony, we have got to be both aware and cooperative with our brethren in order to promote the Gospel.

Although I am terrified by the 'quote' Nazis who have a verse for every occasion, I am recalled of the verse: "by their works shall you know them". Good folks are good folks. Bad folks are to be avoided.

Those who were part of the Unions of Uzhorod and Brest/Litovsk were obviously concerned with the well-being of their people and their survival.

What else can one say about this reality? Theologizing is fine; but it doesn't reflect the day-to-day reality of daily life of the people. And a true pastor is most concerned with the survival and well-being of the people who are committed to his care. The administrative stuff is only one part of the clerical responsiblity. The critical thing is when one is called to the Judgement Seat: "did you do everything to serve My people?". If the answer is "yes", then regardless of the Church ID card, the Lord is going to be welcoming. Hey! He TOLD us to love each other; what's unclear about that?

Blessings (and TONS and TONS of graces) to all.

Christ is Risen!!!

Not only do the Subcarpathian Rusyns and Galician Ruyns/Ukrainians both use (or used) Church Slavonic, the Church of Rossia, Moscow Patriarchate use Church Slavonic. There only exists a slight pronounciation diffence. While the Rusyns and Ukrainians say "Hospodi", Muscovites say "Gospodi". They say "Mnogaja L'eta", we (Ruyns, Ukrainians) say "Mnohaja L'ita"! It truely is politics that is keeping the East Slavic heirs of the Constantinopolitan Church divided.

X.B.! B.B.!

Ung-Certez

Robert,

You state:
"The only reason that they exist in the west is so that they may administer to their own flocks, not to set up a rival Catholic Church to steal souls away from the Latin rite. This is, after all, Latin territiory by right of evangelization. WE have no right to act as anything more then shepherds to our own flocks.

Imagine the chaos and the uproar that would occur if a Roman rite Church in a particular Eastern rite territiory would try to muscle in on the uniate fold? Would that be fair to us? No, and we wouldnt like it either. So why treat the Latin rite in such an un dignified manner?"

You could not be more wrong. First, we not only have the right, but have been charged with the duty to evangelize. Please read Orientalium Ecclesiarum, Orientale Lumen, or the CCEO all mention this right and duty. In fact evangelization is a primary mission and reason for any Church to exist. If that is taken away, a Church is something less than a Church.

As for the Latin Church muscling in on Eastern territory I suggets you take a trip to India, Ethiopia, or Ukraine. In the first two the Latin Church shouldn't even exist according to your own logic. And the Latin Church in Ukraine has no problem stealing sheep from the Ukrainian Catholic or Orthodox Churches. And I will admit that just because they are doing it does not justify our reciprocating. However, in the US, Canada, and Latin America, the Eastern Churches have every right to evangelize the many unchurched masses or even fallen away Latin Catholics and Protestants. We may speak in a spiritual language that makes the Gospel more real to them than did their native tradition. Please don't reduce our Churches to second class jurisdictions that only exist to keep the ethnics from going Orthodox.

In Christ,
Lance, deacon candidate

I have agree with Lance about this one. I think that days of the territorial nonsense are long gone. There is so much evangelization to be done in every part of the world, that there is room for all jurisdictions. Here in the USA that is especially true. I am not of Ukrainian descent and was formerly a Roman Catholic as well. I have no ax to grind against the Romans, but when I was ready to return to the Catholic Church I felt that the Eastern way of life, thought and customs were what suited my personality. That and I had fallen in love with the Ukrainian parish where I had been taking an elderly friend for Liturgy. If there are people who are unchurched, even fallen away Romans, it is our duty as Catholics to do our best to bring them the Good News of Christ. If they, like I, feel more at home in an Eastern Catholic Church, then God bless them and lets do all in our power to help get them settled in. But if they are more at home in the Latin tradition, then we should steer them in that direction.
Don

I'm not quite ready to give an Orthodox commentary to all this, but I do find it interesting. Can we have a few more thoughts on this matter?

Axios