3,000 Assyrians Received into the Catholic Church

Rorate Caeli ^ | MONDAY, MAY 12, 2008

[trisham]

Now I am going to write something that will cause all sorts of consternation to the Orthodox here and everywhere: It seems to me that Catholics can’t do ANYTHING without the Orthodox finding something to complain about.

**********************

I can't say that I have noticed that to be a problem. To whom are we closer than the Orthodox? Yes, we may disagree at times, but we Roman Catholics also disagree at times.

[Biggirl]

In other words do not egg it on.

[Petrosius]

I am convinced to the depths of my soul that as I said, the Orthodox laity don’t want it and in any event will never allow it to be imposed on us by our hierarchs. We simply have neither the need nor the desire for it.

The Orthodox should stop the search for unity of the apostolic church because the laity are opposed? This hostility, or ambivalence if you will, on the part of the Orthodox laity is not praiseworthy. Nothing should be imposed but it is the role of the bishops, after the theological disputes have been resolved, to act as pastors and lead their flocks. Even now the bishops should be preparing the ground work of eventual union should the theological disputes be settled. Jesus Christ founded one Church and we should all be seeking to do his will to be united in faith.

[Kolokotronis]

“The Orthodox should stop the search for unity of the apostolic church because the laity are opposed?”

Not at all. But its not going to work now or in the foreseeable future. It is the laity’s role to ultimately approve or disapprove what the hierarchs do. In this sense we are very, very different from the Latins. Bishops indeed do lead. That is their proper role. It is also their skulls which pave the floor of hell. In any event, P, this is the way it has always been in Eastern Christianity. In the end, the laity has the say. We believe that it is our obligation to defend Orthodoxy from some of the more “out there” antics of the hierarchs. Many believe that the dialogs have pushed matters into the “out there” stage and its time to rein the hierarchs back in. We think that is very praiseworthy. The quiet adverse reaction to the Vatican’s actions in this Assyrian case indicates to me that perhaps things haven’t gone too far, that our hierarchs still recognize and it would seem reject, what we see as an over extension of Papal power and authority.

[CTrent1564]

True on the point of Sacraments. The Anglicans were ordained as Catholic priests, thus the Anglican orders were not recognized. So, on that point you are correct.

[NYer]

I was thinking the same thing when watching Fr. Geldard and Marcus on the Journey Home last night. When the Anglican Church was debating whether to ordain women, Marcus asked why didn’t the Catholic Church make contact with the Oxford Movement/Anglo-Catholics in the Anglican Communion. Fr. Geldard’s response was enlighting, Rome’s policy was not to get involved at this point as Rome did want to be seen as causing division within the Anglican Communion. Rome, for its part, as Fr. Geldard put it, would rather deal with the entire Anglican Communion as long as there was an intact “Anglican Communion”. However, at the point when the “situation on the ground” changed as in the case where the Anglican-Communion agreed to ordain women, a large number of Anglicans approached Rome about reconciliation. Only at this point did Rome enter into negotiations and how the various options were discussed was really interesting such as 1) Should there be an Anglican-Usage in the UK, 2) Should it be sui juris Church, etc, etc.

Thank you for verbalizing his statements so well. I too was most impressed with the process, especially why the Anglican-Use Rite would not work in the UK. Wish I could find a transcript of the interview. It covered to much territory.

[Petrosius]

I was not addressing any particular theological issues. Rather I am filled with sadness at what seems to be a lack of desire for unity. Without compromising on any of the issues in dispute, the Orthodox should still be trying to instill in the laity this desire to reunite the apostolic church. We need this so that we can benefit from their prayers for this goal. Also, without this desire I can see the tragic possibility that were the bishops of our two churches, lead by the Holy Spirit, to reach a true understanding of the faith that could lead to unity that it could be rejected by a hostile or ambivalent laity; that any agreement with Rome must be, per se, a surrender and a compromise of the faith.

The saying is where there is a will there is a way. Unfortunately I sense from many Orthodox that there is no will; and tragically no prayers.

[Kolokotronis]

“Without compromising on any of the issues in dispute, the Orthodox should still be trying to instill in the laity this desire to reunite the apostolic church.”

P, the hierarchy is trying to do just that, at least most of it is. The problem is that the laity and monastics see compromise on issues of ecclesiology. Theology has little to do with it.

[annalex]

Here it is: EWTN - Journey Home - 5/12 at 8pm - Fr. Peter Geldard - Former Anglican (Conversion Story); however, the transcript doesn't go in every detail that I, too, remember from the radio interview.

[CTrent1564]

Thanks for the transcript. I see where in two weeks, I think, Fr. Geldard and another former Anglican who is now a Catholic Priest will be on a Roundtable with Marcus in England discussing Anglicans with Catholic leanings and how more of them can be reconciled with Rome and the Universal Church.

Thanks again