30 December 2009, 14:52

http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=6792

Kiev, December 30, Interfax – Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Lubomyr Cardinal Husar said he was ready to leave his post, but did not name the successor as such decision was not in his competence.

“I’m not immortal. It seems I’d better delegate my authority now, quietly, so that work can go on. The Church is living and no one is indispensable. Our Church has greatly progressed for the recent fourteen years, but a long way to complete organization is still in store for us,” the UGCC head told journalists at Lvov press conference on Tuesday.

Husar stressed it was not up to him to decide who would succeed him as this question in the Synod competence, “Such things are done calmly without any super emotions. I don’t have exact date, it’s a kind of process.”

Husar has been the UGCC leader from January 2001. He was the first head of this Church elected in independent Ukraine.

Is this a mandatory retirement ?

This may help...he is older than I thought


http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bhusar.html

It's mandatory he offer his resignation within a year of his 75th birthday. It's not mandatory it be accepted (by the synod nor the pope)....

Though one does wonder where the Pope gets off demanding something like this from a brother Patriarch, when there is nothing in our Tradition that requires the primate of an autonomous Church to step aside on account of age. If he is no longer competent to fill the role of Patriarch, the Synod can vote on his retirement and replacement. After all, last time I looked, the Patriarch of the West was well over the canonical limit--but, as always, "do as I say, not as I do".

SB has not had the greatest run with his health and he is it seems getting people used to the idea that someone else is to take over his role in the Church.

This sounds like more of a preparatory message to the Ukrainian Church than a response to instructions from Rome.

It's a formality of Canon Law for all bishops except the Pope.

Then again, many popes would serve a decade or less from election if so restricted...

Seriously, the 75 is a mere formality for the Patriarchs, and for bishops under patriarchs or major archbishops, it's their primate they offer it to, and my uderstanding is that it's an excuse to retire bad bishops, a formality that is politely declined for the good bishops still capable of serving well, and a way out for tired bishops.

There is no such requirement applied to Patriarchs and the equivalent (a Catholicos or a Major Archbishop) - Patriarch Maximos V of holy memory was in his nineties when ill health forced him to retire (he died a few months later) and even then his successor, Patriarch Gregory III always commemorated Patriarch Maximos.

There was never any attempt or suggestion that Patriarch Joseph the Confessor should retire - and, in the event, he did not do so.

Fr. Serge

The Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Pierre Sfeir is 89
The Chaldean Patriarch Emmanuel III Delly is 82

The retirement age has been introduced by Paul VI to get rid of the conservative generation. It's by no means any tradition.

As ye sow, so shall ye reap.

In both the Latin Code and the Eastern Code, the "mandatory" retirement age of 75 is required only of diocesan and eparchial bishops.

Metropolitans (of provinces and of sui juris Churches) and Archbishops (of Archdioceses and Archeparchies) and above seem to be "exempt" from this injunction.

Accordingly, Cardinal Husar, being a Major Archbishop, does not have to submit his resignation to the UGCC Permanent Synod or to the Pope now that he is past 75 at 76 years of age.

Cardinal Husar can lead the UGCC until his death or upon his resignation due to ill health or for other grave reasons. (He remains a Cardinal for life unless he resigns from the College of Cardinals or is removed for cause by the Pope.)

Amado

In the CCEO there is no mandatory retirement age for bishops period. They are requested, not required, to submit their resignation.

Canon 210

1. An eparchial bishop who has completed his seventy-fifth year
of age or who, due to ill health or to another serious reason, has become less able to fulfill his office, is requested to
present his resignation from office.

I think this is called "an offer one cannot refuse".

I am reminded of a time when I was consulting for a large aerospace firm. They brought in some outside "facilitator" for "sensitivity awareness" training. Everybody went down to the auditorium, and I tagged along because everyone with whom I was working was going, too. The facilitator was introduced, and looking out over the room, where every seat was filled, he gushed, "Wow! This is such a wonderful turnout. I don't know what to call it">

And from the back of the room, an anonymous voice called out, "Mandatory!"

This is not mandatory, as has been demonstrated by at least two of our hierarchs in North America in the past two decades.

Fr. Serge

We will believe it when we see it!

My, my. Has no one heard of Bishop Isidore of Toronto?

Fr. Serge

One of the difficulties that I have heard that Patriarch Lubomyr has to deal with is very poor eyesight. I am told that he is "legally blind". Not an easy life!

Dn. Robert

I think it is terrible that some people who do not have enough knowledge of the Canons are using this "provision" as an excuse to bash the papacy.

Blessings,
Marduk

It's a bad canon for the Latin Church as well.