Replies

“Nothing could be farther from the truth!! Where did you get that notion?”

Oh, please, NYer. Don’t tell me I have a better and fuller understanding of the ecclesiology of the Latin Church than you do. The pope has the absolute authority to appoint and remove all bishops and even parish priests sua sponte. In fact, NYer, he could remove the Patriarch of the Maronites tomorrow if he wished, though contemplation of the consequences would likely dissuade him from such a course of action.

“In the Eastern Catholic Churches, the respective Patriarchs select their own bishops.”

In Orthodoxy the Patriarchial or autocephallous synods do that. No one plays the role of sole arbiter in Orthodoxy, whether of the whole Church, a Patriarchate or a diocese. The fundamental nature of The Church in the East is concilliar and it is often remarked that the destruction of that concilliarity in those Eastern Churches which submitted to Rome stands as an example and a warning to the rest of The Church in the East of what, among other things, to be wary of when Rome comes courting. It is for this reason that the subject of that Ravenna document of 2007 and the status of the EP at the recent synaxis at Rome is so important to unity on a go forward basis. Just recently I was speaking with a Latin close to these issues and talks who remarked to me that he thought the Latin hierarchy, from the pope on down, fully understands and appreciates the Orthodox position. The problems they anticipate, he says, will come from an uniformed Latin rite laity AND some of the Eastern Rite hierarchy who, rightly or wrongly (I suspect rightly) fear the loss of their positions in the fallout of a reunion of Rome with the Orthodox patriarchates.

“The pope, to the best of my knowledge, has never challenged any appointments made by a Patriarch or Metropolitan.”

If you mean +BXVI, I suspect you are right, otherwise with all respect I suggest a good church history course, NYer. Start with the Ukrainians.