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1. The ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH is proposing and END TO THE SCHISM AND A UNION. The Moscow Patriarchiate is NOT PROPOSING ONE. They are being PETETIONED TO BY CATHOLICS SAYING WE ARE ALREADY ONE CHURCH. You cannt say WE ARE ONE and simutaenously be converting the converted and challanging ownership of church buildings. That is completely against the spirit of union and it is tearing faithful communities apart out of a selfish desire for more funds and more political influence by the Uniate church. You cannot say you are working to heal when you are tearing things apart.

2. If Rome had intervened early and absolutly in the clergy abuse scandal thousands of Catholic faithful wouldn't be leaving the church or just not going. That scandal has done the most to weaken the Catholic faith since Catholicism came to America.

The Orthodox DO NOT want unification they really don't give a hoot one way or the other. Moscow didn't send Metropolitan Kirill begging for union with the Catholics. The pope send Cardinal Kasper asking the Moscow Patriarchiate for unification. The burden is on the Catholic church to prove it wants healing not more hurt.

In one sense, we are "already" one Church, just as we are "one" with the Protestant communities. The Church says that we are imperfectly united with such communities as the protestants who share in some of our beliefs, read our Scriptures, and in some cases, partake in our practices. Regarding the Orthodox, we share that much more because we are both Apostolic, and we can also call each other "Church" because we have the Eucharist. But in another sense, we are NOT one, because the Orthodox are NOT in union with the keeper of the Keys, the man given authority over the sheep in the absence of Christ. In the Gospels, Christ tells of several parables that talk about the servant who is left to watch, who will be held accountable, to watch while the Master is away. Christ gave this authority to all the Apostles, and to Peter in a special way. By leaving the Church founded by Christ, founded on the Rock, we cannot be one in the Catholic sense of the word.

I personally don't know enough of the situation regarding the "Uniate" churches. All I can say is that man should have freedom of religion, to choose his faith in coming to God. If a Russian wants to be Catholic, why is he persecuted? He cannot of good faith even receive the Body of Christ, for heavens sake! I see the Orthodox bullying the Catholic "Uniate" Churches into being disbanded so there is a monopoly of belief. If man is to have freedom of religion, doesn't it make sense that they be allowed to co-exist? If there is a reunification, then we can talk about tearing down redundant churches. But until then, they are serving the people who desire to be Catholic and not Orthodox. How would the Orthodox react if the Catholic Church was the state Church in the US and began to complain about the Orthodox Churches being built here?

If Rome had intervened early and absolutly in the clergy abuse scandal thousands of Catholic faithful wouldn't be leaving the church or just not going. That scandal has done the most to weaken the Catholic faith since Catholicism came to America.

Those of weak faith have certainly been scandalized. But those who believe that the Catholic Church was established by Christ and that there would be weeds among the wheat in the Church did not lose their faith. We were disappointed, but our faith is based on the historical claim made by the Apostles, not having to be reaffirmed every year by the holiness of the priests. That heresy (Donatism) was refuted 1500 years ago by St. Augustine and others.

Should the Vatican have responded more quickly? The question I ask you is why do you complain about the Vatican's supposed micromanaging, but when some heresy or moral problem surfaces, and you desire a quick response? Why the hypocrisy? This is the typical response from someone who has the attitude that "I don't need the Papacy", until there is a heresy... Look to our history, brother. Apparently, the Vatican expected the American bishops to take care of the problem. Who could have known that the Bishops were a major cause of the problem? Don't blame the Vatican, blame the American Bishops who see their office as a business manager rather than a guardian and protector of the faith.

The Orthodox DO NOT want unification they really don't give a hoot one way or the other.

If that is really true, then the Orthodox are not concerned with Christ's desire that we be one. The Catholic Church is reaching out. It must be admitted that the Schism was the result of BOTH sides. Thus, admitting this, BOTH sides should be holding out the hand of forgiveness and accepting forgiveness. Recall the Lord's Prayer - forgive us our trespasses AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US. How many times does Jesus tell Peter to forgive? Again, if Orthodoxy claims to be following Christ, they need to consider that Christians are called to forgive those who ask for it, not to continue to hold 1000 year grudges.

Regards