www.byzcath.org

I should have been more specific. Bishop Milan didn't use that phrase; the interviewer did. Here is a link to the whole interview:

http://www.risu.org.ua/ukr/religion.and.society/interview/article;3074/

Dave

Dear Dave,

Ah, the term "Ukrainians-Rusyns" is placed in parentheses and that makes all the difference. It is correct, that way.

The bishop sounds like a very astute man, a very wise man and someone who is totally dedicated to the work of the Church of Christ.

The Ruthenian Church, the UGCC and others need more like him.

Alex

I noted in his bio that his Grace is a member of the Lazarists, or more commonly known in this country as the Vicentians. Granted he has served in the Greek Catholic Church and he is restoring proper liturgical practice, but why would Rome consecrate a Latin priest as bishop and then name him apostolic administrator of a vacant Eastern Catholic eparchy?

Fr. Deacon John,

I would venture a guess that it was easier to appoint a neutral outsider than a Rusyn or Ukrainian. I also here there are not many celibate priests in the Eparchy of Mukachevo. And as a bonus, whether intended or not, it is probably speeding up de-Latinization in the Eparchy.

One parishioner who often visits Slovakia and Ukraine and is quite fond of the Rosary and Stations and often bemoans the fact they are not used here always argues that Pre-sanctified and the Akathist are not done in the Old Country but Stations and the Rosary are. Now I can inform that is no longer the case.

Fr. Deacon Lance

It's ironic that the Rosary and other Latin devotions are seen as "traditional" by some, and vernacular liturgies, Vespers, Presanctified, etc. are seen as modernistic innovations.

These were some of the complaints of those in the Rusyn and Ukrainian GCs who approached the SSPX and Trans-Alpine Redemptorists for priests.

I have noticed that. Do anything for long enough, and it becomes an almost unbreakable tradition. Even when it was something questionable in the first place.

Dear Friends,

One reason why Rusyn and Ukrainian Greek Catholics across the pond affirm Latin devotions is, in the first instance, because they are used to them.

But also because these devotions have come to form part of their religious identity as Greek-Catholics.

Historically, under the Tsars, when the Russian Orthodox Church came into Greek-Catholic territories to begin the process of uniting the EC's with the ROC, they started by decrying Latin practices and finding GC priests (a religious version of Lenin's "useful idiots?") who would carry the banner of "get rid of the Latinizations" in their parishes.

In fact, Russophilism was very prevalent among GC priests - and these prepared the way for later forceful "repatriation" of the GC Churches to the ROC.

Now with the GC Church back in those areas, things like the three-bar Cross are regarded as "Russian" symbols by many and devotions like that of the Sacred Heart have become very much a part of the religious landscape.

I understand that even Orthodox churches in Poland and western Ukraine sometimes have images of the Sacred Heart in their Churches, and I have an Orthodox publication that promotes the Stations of the Cross.

The service begins, "Blessed is our God . . ." and adds a 15th station of the Resurrection.

All this may make our Byzantine flesh crawl, but that's just the way it is.

I've heard visiting priests from there chastise priests here for having three-bar Crosses etc.

But not all.

Alex