www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News New Melkite Archbishop named for the USA

Archbishop Cyrille Salim Bustros, S.M.S.P., up to now Archbishop of Baalbeck (Lebanon) of the Greek-Melkite Catholics will be the new ordinary of Newton, MA.

The official Italian announcement from the Vatican may be seen at:

http://www.vatican.va/news_services/bulletin/news/14972.php?index=14972&lang=en

RINUNCIA DELL�EPARCA DI NEWTON DEI GRECO-MELKITI CATTOLICI (U.S.A.) E NOMINA DEL SUCCESSORE

Il Santo Padre ha accettato la rinuncia al governo pastorale dell�Eparchia di Newton dei Greco-Melkiti Cattolici (U.S.A.), presentata da S.E. Mons. John Adel Elya, in conformit� al can. 210 � 1 del Codice dei Canoni delle Chiese Orientali.

Giovanni Paolo II ha nominato Arcivescovo-Vescovo dell�Eparchia di Newton dei Greco-Melkiti Cattolici (U.S.A.), S.E. Mons. Cyrille Salim Bustros, S.M.S.P., finora Arcivescovo di Baalbeck (Libano) dei Greco-Melkiti Cattolici.

S.E. Mons. Cyrille Salim Bustros, S.M.S.P.

S.E. Mons. Cyrille Salim Bustros, S.M.S.P., � nato a Ain-Bourday nell�Arcieparchia melkita di Baalbeck (Libano) il 26 gennaio 1939. Ha compiuto gli studi presso i Missionari di S. Paolo e nel Seminario Sainte-Anne di Gerusalemme ed � stato ordinato sacerdote il 29 giugno 1962 nella Societ� dei Missionari di S.Paolo.

Nel 1976 ha conseguito, nella facolt� di teologia nell�Universit� di Lovanio, il titolo di Dottore in S. Teologia ed � autore di diversi scritti in arabo e in francese, molto apprezzati e di larga diffusione nel mondo medio orientale.

E� stato Rettore dell�Istituto di Filosofia e di Teologia di "Saint Paul" a Harissa (Libano) e Professore di Teologia Dogmatica all� "Universit� Saint Joseph" dei PP. Gesuiti a Beirut.

E� stato eletto Arcivescovo di Baalbeck (Libano) il 25 ottobre 1988.

E� stato nominato dal Santo Padre Vice-Presidente della Commissione per l�Informazione durante l�Assemblea Speciale per l�Asia del Sinodo dei Vescovi che si � svolto nel 1998.

E� membro del Consiglio Speciale per il Libano della Segreteria Generale del Sinodo dei Vescovi.

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The English language announcements often are delayed a day or so.

Three questions come to mind with this.....

1) I thought that the old eparch of Newton was a Bishop.... Are they elevating this eparchy to an archeparchy?

2) Why is this coming from Rome instead of from Patriarch Gregory of the Melkite Church?

3) Why someone from the "old country"? Wouldn't it have been a good thing to elevate an American or at least someone who serves in America?


David, the Byzantine Catholic

"Every evil screams only one message: 'I am good.'" Fr Alexander Schmemann

David,

1. I would guess the Archbishop will retain the title of archbishop but will Newton remain an eparchy.

2. The Pope retains the right to nominate bishops for the diaspora but in this case I believe the Synod did make the selection and the Pope simply confirmed it.

3. Who knows? Perhaps the Synod felt he was the right man at the right time.

Fr. Deacon Lance

Many years for the new hierarch, but at the same time I am saddened that Bishop Nicholas [Samra] was again overlooked. No one knows the American Melkite flock as he does.

And not to mention that Bishop Nicholas Samra is an outstanding candidate, and would be a very visionary Bishop to led the Melkite Church in the United States.
But then again unfortunately the Pope didnt ask me
Stephanos I

Wait, wait, wait! I'm sorry to admit I've been a bit "out of the loop" on the Eastern Catholic Churches lately (except for my visit to the Melkite church last Sunday).

Why did Bishop Elya resign?

Logos Teen

Teen,

the announcement states that Bishop John submitted his resignation in accordance with canon 210 � 1 of the CCEO- when a bishop completes his seventy-fifth year of age, he is requested to submit his resignation. Bishop John celebrated his 75th birthday last year (?). So I guess he resigned because he could.

This has always been a fascinating idea - of asking a churchmen to resign. May I ask the more wise of you from when this idea came?

I guess I am used to the traditional view that someone remains a bishop until death unless there is a reason for resigning, such as ill health. It seems weird that the Pope will not resign but canon law requests bishops reaching 75 to tender a resignation. Is it compulsory or can a cleric say that they still feel the Holy Spirit wants them to be a leader in the Church? Can Rome force someone to resign?

Many thanks

Anton

Axios! Axios! Axios! Sayedna Cyrille,
Ton Despotin ke arhierea imon!
Kyrie filate!
Eis pola aeti, Despota!

David,

Archbishop Cyrille has been serving an Archeparchy since 1988; he will retain the title of Archbishop ad personam, as did Archbishop Joseph (Tawil) of blessed memory. Newton remains an Eparchy at this time.

The announcement appears to have been timed to coincide with the Patriarchal Synod, which is presently meeting. Speculation has been that the announcement would occur during the Synod to assure that the Eparch would be named before the Melkite Convention (scheduled to be held in New London, CT a month from now). As His Beatitude, Patriarch Gregory, will be attending the Convention, it is most likely that the new Eparch will accompany him, be introduced - and possibly be installed - at the Convention; if not then, certainly during the duration of the Patriarch's stay in the US. Additionally, it offers the opportunity for the Synod to possibly name a successor to Archbishop Cyrille during this session.

As to why the announcement was made by Rome and not His Beatitude, what can I say? Neither the official website of the Patriarchate nor the shared OpusLibani site makes any reference to the appointment (although the former has not been well-maintained since its inception a couple years ago and the latter is not a site that's noted for dealing with change on a "breaking news" basis). Of course, it is difficult to achieve a breaking news effect with all the principals away at the Synod, not a site likely to be covered by US news agencies. Press releases could certainly have been sent to US news outlets from the Patriarchate, but wouldn't exactly be front-page material - so a simultaneous release from Rome, with its own news service, would be much more noticeable.

The Eparchial website does contain a posting; it looks to be a translation of the VNS notice, although it's not credited as such - I'll post it below.

Deacon Lance's speculation is correct; sources have reported right along that Archbishop Cyrille was one of the three names submitted to Rome by the Synod and it's been fairly accepted that he was the front-runner. As to why someone from the "old country", one possibility lies in the influx of immigrants to our parishes over the past couple of years. The Synod likely gave consideration to the need for at least one of our hierarchs to be foreign born if the immigrants were to feel completely comfortable in their new land (and, off-hand, I can't think of any strong foreign-born candidates presently available among the US clergy). There will be some resentment though that the appointee was not American-born, considering that it's almost 40 years since erection of our first canonical jurisdiction in the US.

Diak and Stephanos,

Yes. Your regrets that Bishop Nicholas was not elevated will be shared by many. He is, as you say, a visionary leader and is very popular with both clergy and laity.

Deacon John is correct. Bishop John celebrated his 75th birthday last September 16th (my patron saint's feast day) and submitted his resignation at that time.

It is interesting to note that Archbishop Cyrille is of the Missionary Society of St. Paul. Our beloved Patriarch, Maximos IV, of thrice-blessed memory, was of the Society. Archbishop Cyrille will be the first hierarch in the US to have been a priest of the Society.(Bishop Justin, of blessed memory, was a Basilian Aleppian; Bishops Ignatius, of blessed memory, was a Basilian Salvatorian, as is Bishop John; Archbishop Joseph, of blessed memory, was of the secular clergy, as is Bishop Nicholas.) As best I can recollect, no priest of the Missionaries of St. Paul has ever before been assigned to serve in the US in any capacity.

Many years,

Neil

Anton,

You Bulgarians are trouble-makers :p (but you concoct what appear to be wickedly delicious recipes for chocolate cake )

The policy was established by the bishops at Vatican II and implemented by Pope Paul VI in 1966. It was formalized in the Western Church in 1983 with publication of the revised Code.

Under the Eastern Code, as published in 1991, it is "requested" (Eastern bishops of Patriarchal Churches submit their resignations to their patriarch, but I suspect that - like all else - that doesn't apply to those in the diaspora. i.e. outside the historical geographic bounds of the patriarch's authority).

The Pope has the option of declining to accept and a lot seem to be held over until sometime near their 76th birthday. Rome could certainly force a resignation in any of several ways.

Many years,

Neil

This is the text of the announcement posted to the Eparchy of Newton's website by Patriarchal Exarch Joseph Hagger, Pastor of Saint Basil the Great Parish in Lincoln, RI. It appears to be a translation of the VNS bulletin.

Neil,

Trouble-makers? Moi? Me...innocent as the pure driven snow. No. Surely not.

Anyhow do Patriarchs and Major-Archbishops need to tender resignations as well? And still I am curious as to why it does not apply to the Pope alone amongst Western clergy?

Curious here you know!

Anton

Anton,

I see nothing in the Code applying this provision to Patriarchs and, thus, by extension, I would presume it is also not applicable to Major Archbishops.

As to the Metropolitan Archbishops/Archeparchs who are principal hierarchs of their respective Churches sui iuris, I don't know. I suspect however that someone will have an opinion on it.

I do believe it applies to those of the order of bishop who are the principal hierarchs of the "episcopal" Churches sui iuris (e.g. Albanian, Greek, Hungarian, Italo-Grieco-Albanian), as those hierarchs exercise minimal to no truly independent jurisdiction.

Many years,

Neil

This isn't the first time the Aux bishop was overlooked for succesion. In fact, wasn't Bishop John overlooked when Archbishop Tawil retired in 1989?

Learner,

Yes, that's true. Archimandrite Ignatius Ghattas, B.S.O., of blessed memory, then pastor of Saint Elias in Cleveland, was appointed as Eparch after the retirement of our beloved Archbishop Joseph, of blessed memory. Bishop John, then Auxiliary (as he had been under Archbishop Joseph) was appointed to succeed Bishop Ignatius when the latter died a couple years after his ordination to the episcopacy.

Many years,

Neil