I will stick by my hypothesis that it was the loss of parishes to the Orthodox that finally motivated Rome to give us our own jurisdictions.
I assume that we agree that losses to the ACRGCOD of Metropolitan Orestes could not have been part could not have been part of this motivation.
I agree with you that the earlier losses would have been a factor in Rome's action. But, I don't concur with your previous suggestion that if St. Alexis had not left union with Rome - or for that matter, if there weren't large losses to the Orthodox - then Rome simply would not have erected our exarchates. As you point out, the process was very slow and evolved through a succession of stages. It seemed more like the Vatican bureuacracy was plodding along oblivious to the losses.
I find your comments on the Križevci Diocese very interesting. While original Greek Catholics in the territory may be as you stated, it seems that presently the diocese is predominatly comprised of Rusyns who are descendants of those who immigrated there in the decades preceeding the the establishimment of the eparchy. But I don't know the numbers of that immigration. So it may be, as you suggest, they did not contibute much to the critical mass that led to the formation of an eparchy there, that it may have been formed anyway.
djs
