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Pittsburgh, PA - The Byzantine Catholic Seminary
was proud to welcome His Grace, Bishop Kallistos (Ware), Bishop of
Diokleia, to deliver the 2nd Annual SS. Cyril and Methodius Lecture.
His Grace addressed over 300 members of the clerical, religious and
academic communities of western Pennsylvania on the topic, "Orthodoxy
and the Eastern Catholics: Problem or Opportunity?" This
lecture, which took place on Thursday, April 11, 2002 at St. Paul's
Seminary in Pittsburgh, PA, attracted representatives of nineteen
different eparchies, dioceses and jurisdictions. |
Bishop Kallistos begins his lecture by relating
a story to engage his audience.
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Bishop Kallistos is well known among the Eastern Catholic
and Orthodox communities alike. He has written widely on the history and
faith of the Orthodox Church, and he is particularly interested in the
mystical theology of the Christian East. His numerous books and articles
have been a source of enrichment for many people and have likewise had a
profound influence on them.
Reactions to the evening lecture were overwhelmingly positive among the many
participants. "The assembly of people from a variety of
jurisdictions, Orthodox and Catholic, was edifying," one person
said. "The Bishop made me believe that tolerance of Eastern
Catholics is possible and desirable to at least some Orthodox leaders and
that the healing of these centuries' old rifts are a duty of church
leadership in the love of Christ. This duty applies to local Orthodox and
Eastern Catholic Churches that are in the same neighborhoods as well."
Another person remarked, "We always read in the paper that dialogue
between Rome and the Orthodox takes place without the presence of Eastern
Catholics at the request of the Orthodox. One gets the impression that the
Orthodox leadership does not want to acknowledge the existence of Eastern
Catholic Churches. Sessions that bring clergy and leadership of Orthodox and
Eastern Catholics together in public, like this event, helps build those
bridges."
Most who attended the session felt that Bishop Kallistos offered a vision of
a strong unified church. He made a number of practical suggestions of what
Catholics and Orthodox could do together in the local community to further
promote ecumenical unity.
| It was heartening for one attendee to see one of His
Grace's suggestions already in action at the reception that
followed. According to this participant, "During the
reception pastors of Orthodox Churches approached pastors of
Byzantine Catholic Churches, introduced themselves and offered to
jointly sponsor programs such as vacation bible school." |
Eager participants sign in at the registration
table.
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Another remarked, "As a Byzantine Catholic, it is
sometimes tempting to feel as if our Church is only an obstacle in the path
to Christian unity. It was truly refreshing to hear a prominent Orthodox
bishop affirm that our Church has a crucial role to play in ending the
schism. Indeed, I left the lecture with a renewed sense of purpose and hope.
I am optimistic that this lecture will renew in our hearts the understanding
that this schism is not the will of Christ, and we Eastern Catholics have a
unique role to play in ending it."
Supporting that opinion, another attendee remarked, "Bishop
Kallistos exhibited an obvious desire that our sister churches may someday
be one. He identified with the desire of Jesus, who in speaking to his
disciples the night before He gave himself up to death, prayed to his
Father: '...that they may be one just as you and I are one.' (Jn.
17:11)"
For some Eastern Catholics, the lecture served to a further understanding of
our sister churches, represented by His Grace, Bishop Kallistos. One person
said, "As we follow the instruction of our Holy Father and seek to
restore our authentic Eastern Church practices, we come to discover our true
identity; we come to realize how similar we are in faith and in worship to
the Orthodox Churches."
Regardless of their church affiliation, most attendees expressed what one
individual said, "The fellowship occurring among our local Eastern
Catholic Churches and the various Orthodox Churches before and after the
lecture was very cordial and heartwarming and gives us hope for more
cooperation among our churches. It is becoming more apparent that we are not
only sister churches, but separated twins who long for reconciliation."
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Distinguished guests pause for a picture with
Seminary rector, Very Rev. John G. Petro. Left to right: Very Rev.
John M. Kudrick, Administrator of Archeparchy of Pittsburgh; Most
Rev. Basil Schott, Eparch of Parma; Bishop Kallistos, Metropolitan
Nicholas, Bishop of Johnstown Carpatho-Russian Diocese; and Very
Rev. John G. Petro.
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At the question and answer session, Anthony Dragani
asks Bishop Kallistos for his comments on a matter.
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