www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Hardliner Uniate wants to build EC Church in Ukraine

Dear Friends,

On the News section of www.byzcath.org [byzcath.org] there is a story about the protests raised by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate - or is that redundant?) about a "hardliner Uniate mayor" in Sumy who wants to build, horror of horrors, a Greek Catholic Church.

Alex (Uniate)

Wish there were a few "hardline Uniate mayors" here in the U.S. Then, we wouldn't be debating whether or not men should be required to marry only women!

Dn. Robert

tHEY Moscow Patriarchate always hated us and persecuted
God with us!

The UGCC has lived a virtual crucifixion over the years, suffering at the hands of both Polish Roman Catholic and Moscow Patriarchate hierarchy, clergy, and laity.

Dn. Robert

I just read the news story - interesting. One could argue (tongue in cheek) that by building our Church near the railroad station, we are maintaining a venerable tradition!

But just why does the Moscow Patriarchate attribute some sort of mystical, nefarious, and probably demonic intention to the building of a church near a train station? I've never really thought of a train station as a notable center of sin - or of religion, for that matter (well, maybe the train station in Amsterdam). If the Greek-Catholics were planning to build right next door to the Moscow Patriarchate parish their could be reason to object, but the train station?

As I am not familiar with that part of Polish history, being Polish and Latin Catholic, I would like to hear more about it.

I would like to think Poland has moved past that thinking now.

As for the "hard line Uniate" favoring the construction of a Church, God bless him.

My impression is that there is still some animosity toward Ukrainian Catholics by the Polish hierarchy. The UGCC has an Archeparchy in Peremyshel-Warsaw. Just a few years ago, the Polish RC bishops complained about the presence of so many married priests in that Ukrainian jurisdiction in Poland. Cardinal Sodano, former Vatican Secretary of State, (who, from what I am told, although he is "retired", he is presently refusing to vacate his Vatican apartment in favor of his successor-rather odd behavior) issued an order to the effect that all of those married priests had to "go back to Ukraine" (despite the fact that most of them were born and raised in Poland!), and that they should be replaced by RC priests who could be trained to celebrate according to the Byzantine Rite. To his credit, when told about this, Patriarch Lubomyr simply responded "that's odd!". Needless to say, those priests are all still in place. If you want to get a more "in-depth" historical perspective, I suggest you send a PM to "Orthodox Catholic", otherwise known as Dr. Alexander Roman, a Canadian-Ukrainian Greek Catholic man with a lot of background on this issue (along with many other issues), who also happens to be the originator of this thread.

In Christ,
Dn. Robert

Dear Father Deacon,

I don't recognize the gentleman you describe above!

However, Patriarch Lubomyr and the Polish Catholic hierarchy have worked hard to reconcile hard memories together. In Przemysl, now part of Poland, the Polish RC hierarchy and Greek-Catholic hierarchy have agreed on a common patron of the city - the Blessed Hieromartyr Emilian Kovch, martyred by the Nazis in a death camp for baptizing (and therefore saving) Jews during the war.

And Poland and her government has been a great friend to Ukraine nowadays.

It's time to heal our mutual schism and work together for a better future for the peoples of Poland and Ukraine!

Chest!

Alex

(1.) As President Ronald Reagan used to say, "Trust, but verify".


(2.)Blessed Hieromartyr Emilian Kovch, martyred by the Nazis in a death camp for baptizing (and therefore saving) Jews during the war.

No doubt, the anti-Pius XII crowd will, if they haven't already, see "anti-Semitism" in all of this. I give credit to the respective hierarchies in Poland for not worrying about being "politically correct".

Dn. Robert

Am I the only one who finds it odd that Moscow-controlled Churches are never seen to be making much of a fuss over the numerous protestant groups operating in Eastern Europe?

That is very "Odd" indeed!

I can hardly see why Blessed Omeljan would be a rallying cry against Venerable Pius XII as I thought Blessed Omeljan was declared "Righteous Among the Nations" by the Jewish body who declares as such.

I wonder if they picked up on the fact that he was baptizing?

The Nazis knew he was baptizing.

That was the only way to make sure they were spared, as they were no longer "Jewish."

I'm fairly certain they do.