www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Bishop Theodore G. Romzha

Dear Christian,

What you say is not surprising. There is much about current life in Ukraine that has simply not changed from Soviet times.

Not only are ethnocultural groups and minorities suffering, but other Ukrainian religious groups are as well. Economically, well, let's not talk about economics . . .

The process of "Ukrainianization" is, to be sure, a government initiative that reflects other poliicies in other, undemocratic countries.

Ukraine would need some more years to mature and develop from its independent "experimental" stage it is in now.

Having grown up in a Ukrainian family, I know how heavy-handed and absolutistic the imposition of a Ukrainian identity can be.

As someone who has taught religion in a Ukrainian school, I know that whether or not one speaks Ukrainian to the kids is more important than whether they are learning anything about religion.

My cousin began attending a Roman Catholic church. He died at the age of 40. Well, we had two funerals, a lot of arguing and bickering that will, I regret to say, never heal.

Let us pray to Theodore Romzha for his intercession, along with Paul Goydich, and others.

I was wondering whether His Holiness will beatify anyone during his Ukraine visit.

I think there should be an official explanation from Rome as to why the beatification process of Andrew Sheptytsky has been put on indefinite hold.

If anyone, Andrew Sheptytsky deserves to be beatified, along with his brother bishop-martyrs and confessors.

God bless,

Alex

Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!

Orthodox Catholic, Christian, Lance, and Dr. John,

Thank you for your replies. Regarding icons of Bishop Theodore, there was at least one iconographic image on a pamphlet published by Byzantine Seminary Press in 1987. A few years earlier the same image had appeared as part of a cardboard triptych also sold by the Seminary Press. The triptych icluded a letter signed by the four American Carpatho-Rusyn bishops. The triptych was intended to 1) promote the cult of Bishop Theodore and 2) served as an official protest from the Pittsburgh Metropolia against the 1949 supression of the Mukachevo Eparchy by the Moscow Patriarchate and reaffirmed support for the 1646 Union of Uzhorod. Bishop Theodore is depicted without a halo.

It seems that the His Holiness will beatify our Martyred Bishop Theodore http://rferl.org/nca/features/2001/01/26012001113920.asp



[This message has been edited by Doulos of Fatima (edited 02-20-2001).]

Dear Doulos,

Thank you for your post.

May I ask you about the significance of "Doulos of Fatima?"

You obviously have a great devotion to Our Lady of Fatima.

Could you share with us something about that?

God bless,

Alex

Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!

Orthodox Catholic,

Thank you for your kind invitation. Yes, I do have a great devotion to the Theotokos of Fatima. She has led me deeper into the Treasury of the East. I will post something about her in the future on another thread. You might want to look at this website http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/fatimabyzantinecatholics Take some time to examine the links and messages as well as the icon of Our Lady of Fatima.

Most Holy Theotokos of Fatima, save us!

[This message has been edited by Doulos of Fatima (edited 02-21-2001).]

Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!

I have just learned that the miracle required for the beatification of Sr. Josaphata has been accepted by the Congregation of Saints. Does this mean that His Holiness will announce the beatification of two saints, Bishop Theodore and Sister Josaphata during his upcoming visit to Ukraine?

Doulos,


Help me out. Who's Sister Josaphata?

Sharon

Sharon Mech, SFO
Cantor & sinner
sharon@cmhc.com

Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!

Sharon,

Sr. Josaphata (Michaelina Hordashevska) was the foundress of the Ukrainian Byzantine Catholic nuns, Sister Servants of Mary Immaculate (SSMI) (1869-Apr. 7, 1919.) See this website http://www.ssmi.org/who.html

[This message has been edited by Doulos of Fatima (edited 02-23-2001).]

Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!

Bishop Theodore Romzha (1911-1947) of the Mukachevo Eparchy will be beatified in Rome not in Ukraine. His Holiness is following the request of the bishops of the Pittsburgh Metropolia. What do you think?

Really? What interest is it of theirs? They "handed off" the Cause for Canonization to the home eparchies of the bishops, several years ago after the fall of Communism & breakup of the Soviet Union.

I have trouble believing the bishops of the Pittsburgh Metropolia have any opinion about it whatsoever.

What are the wishes of the Mukachevo Eparchy in the matter?

Dear Doulos,

Do you have any more information? Where did you see this? Is there a date yet for the beatification?

Thanks,

Elias

How glorious that this holy man's glorification is being recognized as a call to great joy for the universal church and not just one narrow jurisdiction!!!!

Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!

I suspect that his beatification in Rome is being done for political reasons. In Ukraine there is something of a struggle between , on the one hand, the Greek Catholics of the Ukrainian Eparchies who strongly identify with being Ukrainian and , on the other hand, the Greek Catholics of the Mukachevo Eparchy who have a distinctly Rusyn identity. The Ukrainians wanted His Holiness to beatify Bishop Theodore at Lviv along with the other Ukrainian martyrs. In their minds this would have effectively "Ukrainianized" him.

The Carpatho-Rusyns of the Mukachevo Eparchy wanted His Holiness to beatify their martyred bishop in Mukachevo. In the minds of some this would have further justified the ecclesial distinction between Carpatho-Rusyns and Ukrainians. The Carpatho-Rusyns of the Mukachevo Eparchy and of the Pittsburgh Metropolia (and perhaps other jurisdictions) want to maintain this disticntion. Many Ukrainians hope that Carpatho-Rusyns will "wake up" and realize that they are really Ukrainians.

I suppose that His Holiness feared that this kind of infighting would detract from the peaceful nature of his upcoming trip to Ukraine. Upon reflection this does seem to be a healthy compromise. I do hope that this does not mean that His Holiness will not visit the Mukachevo Eparchy.

[This message has been edited by Doulos of Fatima (edited 03-29-2001).]

Dolores,

Might it be better said the Holy Father is doing this to de-politicize this matter and keep the focus on holiness and not the national question?

K.

And how many of those would there be? A handful.


What evidence do you have of this? In the days of Bps. Kocisko, Bilock and Dudick that was pretty clear. However, those days are over. I am fairly sure the only interest our hierarchs today have in this matter is that they are not lumped in with one of those "ethnic" jurisdictions or another.


He is not going to visit the Mukachevo Eparchy. His visit includes "the Carpathians" but is for R&R and he will not be going to Zakarpattia anyway.

Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!

RichC,

Thank you so much for the information. I am sorry to learn that His Holiness will not be visiting the Mukachevo eparchy. Perhaps you could help me understand more about the nature of this ethnic conflict in Ukraine.

Is it not true that most of the inhabitants of Carpatho-Rus' consider themselves to be Rusyns and not Ukrainians?

Is this not the reason why the Bishop Ivan Semedi of Mukachevo does not meet with the Ukrainian Synod and is not under the jurisdiction of the Ukrainian Patriarch Lubomyr?

If the bishops of the Pittsburgh Metropolia do not consider themselves to be Rusyns, at least in some sense, then why did they get involved in the controversy? Could it simply be that the cultus of Bishop Theodore is very strong among American Carpatho-Rusyns?

(I am quite aware that most Ruthenians in the U.S. do not consider themselves to be a diaspora church in the same sense that the Ukrainians do. I believe that Metropolitan Judson stated as much at the 75th anniversary.)

[This message has been edited by Doulos of Fatima (edited 03-30-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Doulos of Fatima (edited 03-30-2001).]