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Blessed Fiest of St John of Valaam! Siunattua Pyhittäjä Johannes Valamolaisen muistopäivää! Pax et Bonum!

Just to add some relevant info to this thread: I discovered today that the relevant OCA Pastoral Change Documents [oca.org] have been released, so it is confirmed that Fr John is no longer a priest of the OCA. A cursory google search did not yield anything confirming his reception into the UGCC. We should all continue to pray for him during this presumably challenging time.

Christ is in our midst!!

Chauntsinger,

Welcome to the forum. We hope your time with us is spiritually beneficial.

Bob
Moderator

Christ is in our midst!!

orderlyprinciple,

Welcome to the forum. We hope your time with us is spiritually profitable.

Bob
Moderator

Christ is in our midst!!

Climacus94,

Welcome to the forum. We hope you rtime with us will be spiritually profitable.

Bob
Moderator

Since I first posted this question, I have become aware of an older thread, lasting four pages, concerning this issue. The thread dates from 2009, and I have found it very informative. Here is the link to the first posts/ page:

https://www.byzcath.org/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/324564/1

New Chaldean Patriarch has officially been installed.



It's nice to see the 6 Eastern Catholic Patriarchs together. Many times in the past, there would be a notable absence of Patriarch Sako whenever the Eastern Catholic Patriarchs meet together.

The presence of other Eastern Syriac Patriarchs being together is cherry on top too. It's nice to see the 2 Catholicos-Patriarchs of the Churches of the East being cordial with each other despite the recent failed attempt at reunification. It's also nice to see the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch being cordial with them, despite apprehension from the more conservative members of Oriental Orthodoxy, particularly the Copts.

Our family spends more time in the local Orthodox Church than we do at our Ruthenian parish as well. They have been very gracious to our family and only once or twice has anyone tried going after us in a mean way for being Catholic.

As Catholics then -- at the least -- it is not outside our patrimony.

My two cents: Even if it were true, the Catholic church has historically been a political church. This means it has offered as well as denounced certain political positions at least since American history. For instance, it has called socialism a heresy if I'm not mistaken. At the same time, you have certain theologians that espouse things like liberation theology. On another note, St. Gaspar del Buffalo in the Western Rite was vehemently anti-Masonic and against the French Revolution. It's good for Jesus' people to "Be wise as serpents, and innocent as doves."

*shrugs* It's weird that you almost imply a separation of Church and State.

Now what may be concerning is if those CIA operatives put a Papal authority in that undermined the historical-theological tradition of Christian church by what they enacted while in the office. You might have a point there.

Christ is in our midst!!

Hutsul,

I don't think there is any disrespect meant here; nor do I think Fiducia Supplicans was issued without thought. I do think it was deliberate, but is the fruit of a long developing shift in philosophy and theology that transcends the 20th century.

In the midst of one of the two controvesial documents is the idea that our understanding of these issues has "evolved" from what it was. That word strikes me because of an analysis of the Modernist movement in the Catholic Church's philsophy and theology that slowly shifted thinking during the 20th century.

The philosophy allows for shifts in meaning and does not admit of an absolute truth or an absolute dogma. My limited underestanding is that it is like a shape shifter: a truth or dogma can mean anything that the person speaking wants it to mean. It remind me of my time teaching public school students in religious education. Those children already had the idea that there was your truth and my truth, and that words could be made to mean anything a person wanted them to be.

Cardinal Fernandez made a comment in an article I read wherein he was trying to explain what was happening with the Church's shift in this whole area.

I don't have a more profound understanding of the Deposit of Faith than Rome has. But I am disturbed at some of this recent shift that has caused so much confusion among Catholics I know and live with. The whole idea of "you don't have to do (put in whatever you want) that any more" or "you don't have to believe (put in whatever you want) that anymmore" has become a way to stop conversations in group study sessions of each any ever kind I have been part of.

OTOH, several Bishops' Conferences and some Eastern Catholic sui juris Churches have objected to Pope Francis' teaching in this area, not to mention the entire African continent's collection of Bishops Conferences. It's disturbing because we don't seem to speak with a united voice as has been the case for the previous two millenia.

It has come down to this for me. What do we believe? Is it the same thing we were taught in our youth? What has shifted in catechesis that has left so many with so poor an understanding of what it means to be Catholic? What of the attitude that there are no consequences for any actions or lifestyles? With all of this, is it any wonder so many have a "take it or leave it" attitude?

I am haunted by the Lord's question. Will I find faith on the earth when I retrun?

It's good to become acquainted with the Eastern Catholic Churches in general, and I doubt it can ever cause any harm, provided that one has good will. Absolutely, you should aspire to receiving the Holy Sacraments when you do attend their Liturgies, since Christ is present in these Holy Sacraments.

Sometimes, this can be an interesting experience for Latins - to take one example, with the Melkites, we habitually give the Sacrament of the Sick to all the faithful during some of the most solemn Liturgies of the year, and we will sometimes find it given after the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In Roman Catholicism, this Sacrament will not usually be given under such circumstances.

Personally speaking, having come from Roman Catholicism, and having recently made an official transfer to the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, I occasionally made an effort to visit other local Eastern Catholic Churches. This was to broaden my knowledge, and to appreciate the riches that the different liturgical Rites have to offer. During this period, I attended Liturgies with the Chaldean Catholic Church, the Russian Greek Catholic Church, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the Syriac Catholic Church, and the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.

I am fortunate to live in an area where all of this Churches are represented. It is surprising how much is shared across these different liturgical families, and it is equally fascinating to experience the differences.

Christ is Risen!!

The statement of the Coptic Holy Synod follows:


It seems to say the Pope Leo has assured the Coptic Church that the Catholic Church DOES NOT bless same-sex couples. I wonder how this squares with the blessings going on in Germany and some other places in the world, including the United States. Is His Holiness unaware of these blessings or . . .?

Your daily rule of prayer should be set by your father-confessor. All spiritual endeavors should be done under his obedience and guidance.

His Grace, Demetrius Gallaro, fulfilled the role of Bishop of Piana degli Albanesi for a little less than five years, from March 2015 through February 2020, when he was transferred to the position of Secretary for the Congregation of Oriental Churches although he remained Apostolic Administrator of the diocese in Piana degli Albanesi through June of 2023. The Rev. Presbyter Raffaele de Angelis, a celibate priest from the Diocese of Lungro, replaced him as bishop. Fr. Raffaele had been serving at St. John the Baptist in Aquaformosa in addition to his various roles teaching theology when was appointed by Pope Leo XIV on 30 August 2025, consecrated a bishop on 8 November 2025, and enthroned on 16 November 2025.

Many years! Xronia Polla! Per Shume Vjet!

Reading this, I recall the practice of the Fermentum [en.wikipedia.org].