Bishop Tichon
Lots of 'cumenism goin' on right now, folks!
Quite extraordinary!
Posted on 10/23/2009 6:09:05 AM PDT by marshmallow
VATICAN CITY, OCT. 22, 2009 (Zenit.org).- A Bulgarian Orthodox prelate told Benedict XVI of his desire for unity, and his commitment to accelerate communion with the Catholic Church.
At the end of Wednesday's general audience, Bishop Tichon, head of the diocese for Central and Western Europe of the Patriarchate of Bulgaria, stated to the Pope, "We must find unity as soon as possible and finally celebrate together," L'Osservatore Romano reported.
"People don't understand our divisions and our discussions," the bishop stated. He affirmed that he will "not spare any efforts" to work for the quick restoration of "communion between Catholics and Orthodox."
Bishop Tichon said that "the theological dialogue that is going forward in these days in Cyprus is certainly important, but we should not be afraid to say that we must find as soon as possible the way to celebrate together."
"A Catholic will not become an Orthodox and vice versa, but we must approach the altar together," he added.
The prelate told the Pontiff that "this aspiration is a feeling that arose from the works of the assembly" of his diocese, held in Rome, in which all the priests and two delegates from every Bulgarian Orthodox parish took part.
"We have come to the Pope to express our desire for unity and also because he is the Bishop of Rome, the city that hosted our assembly," he stated.
Initiatives
After the bishop, Luka Bebic, speaker of the Croatian Parliament, addressed the Holy Father, inviting the Pontiff to visit his homeland and thanking him "for the support the Holy See has given our people since independence, during the war back then and now in the process that will lead Croatia to enter the European Union."
Benedict XVI next greeted members of the Association Rondine Cittadella della Pace [Citadel of Peace], which promotes dialogue and peace by bringing together students from conflict areas to live and study in community.
They shared with the Pope a concrete proposal titled "14 Points for Peace in the Caucasus" that was developed at an international congress the association organized in May.
The proposal was also distributed to the ambassadors of the Caucasus countries and to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. Young people of all the ethnic and religious groups of the Caucasus were also present at the audience.
Members of the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of Cardinal Sancha, whose founder, Cardinal Ciriaco María Sancha y Hervas, was beatified Sunday in Toledo, Spain, also greeted the Pontiff. Headed by their superior, Sister Maria del Carmen Dominguez, the religious expressed to the Holy Father their commitment to be faithful to their original charism "of service to the poor, orphans and the elderly."
Bishop Tichon
Lots of 'cumenism goin' on right now, folks!
Quite extraordinary!
This is very interesting. I wonder why it’s happening now; what’s driving it?
Would you let me know if you have any additional information?
Regards
The ways of the Lord are indeed mysterious and not the ways of man ......... :-)
Do you mean concerning the Bulgarian Orthodox or with groups in general?
If you mean in general, I think it's the combination of 1) Pope Benedict using the opportunities that his predecessor provided (and that in a real sense he helped provide in his role in the CDF); 2) Humanism (under several forms) is attacking at the Western door, Islam is attacking at the Eastern one 3) In both the Anglican and Catholic churches, liberals have been causing trouble for some time (though in the Catholic Church, their influence is waning.
In short, Pope Benedict is seeking genuine Christian Unity in the places where it will not compromise the faith - with these groups (Traditional Anglo-Catholics, the Orthodox, SSPX), what separates us is minor compared with our need for each other.
It should be interesting to see how things are handled with SSPX starting next week.
Thank you for your reply. I guess I’m not the only one puzzled over this development.
**”the theological dialogue that is going forward in these days in Cyprus is certainly important, but we should not be afraid to say that we must find as soon as possible the way to celebrate together.” **
Encouraging!
As I stated yesterday, the unintended (intended?) consequence of Benedict’s outreach to the Anglicans, with a structural componenet in mind, is that it has almost completely de-scandalized the process of reunification (read: political cover).
As the saying goes, “where there’s smoke, there’s fire”. The reunification could come as quickly and be as transformative as the fall of the Soviet satellites back in 1989...The path of least resistance is no longer to oppose Rome, but to join her.
Rejoice!!
6 posted on Friday
I was specifically referring to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, but you bring up a good point about groups in general.
Yes, Christianity is once again under attack. In Eastern Europe, 500 years of Ottoman rule failed to destroy Christianity; 50 years of communism also failed. Now Europe faces a massive influx of Moslems and assorted other groups working to undermine the Church.
Benedict has de-scandalized the process of reunification by breaking the ice with the Anglican Communion. It’s a bit of a herd mentality, but I think it demonstrates that these churches truly wanted reunification but resisted out of fear that it would scatter their own flocks.
With the structural component of the Anglican proposal, these Orthodox churches are now re-assured that the Vatican values retention of their traditions and liturgies without which the notion of reunification was too risky to contemplate.
I think this is just the tip of the iceberg. I hope and pray the Russian Orthodox will follow suit...
You are right, it seems curious that all this reconciliation is happening now. I have always been interested in the history of the church and how all the splits came about and why. They were all done becuase of human differences and continue today. My opinion here, God’s hand is directing Christians together to insure our survivability. It’s just a shame that there are so many people who refuse to be still and listen.
Thank you for the information. I too pray that there is unity.
Excellent analysis.
Hmm...Communion before communion? I am frankly a bit surprised to hear an Orthodox bishop take this tack. I've heard often enough on this forum "we don't believe the same thing."
And yet as Kolo has always pointed out, intercommunion has been a reality in some parts of the world and even famously in Hagia Sophia in 1453.
File this under ekonomia?
“File this under ekonomia?”
No, file it under “hierarch with virtually no flock and even less authority shouting, “Look at me! Look at me!”” Sort of a “Mouse that roared”.
I remember years ago when Met. Maximos of Pittsburgh, an otherwise very well respected Orthodox hierarch and theologian, announced to anyone who would listen that he had established reunion with the Latins because of the agreed statement on the filioque. Nothing came of the comment nor of the agreed statement.
Hm! Maybe Met. Maximos was in an unusually ebullient mood after a Primanti Bros. sandwich. We’ll see if there’s any follow through here.
I’m also seeing people mention an imminent reunion with Moscow (!!). Maybe they know something I don’t, but I don’t know where these stories are coming from and I think there’s a little reunion fever going around right now.
All sheep, whether or not they admit it, need a shepherd. This is why our Lord entrusted His Chuch to the Apostles and recognized Peter as first among equals.
When Benedict XVI attended the Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Church in Turkey, some Orthodox in attendance, reached out to shake his hand or have him bless their children. In these days of persecution, it is so important that we christians speak with one voice and that requires a leader who speaks our language of faith.
Well, all the Vatican has to do is simply proclaim all Councils post 1054 as local, all post-schism dogmas as theologoumenna, and recite the same Creed (without the filioque), and there is not a thing that will keep them apart or prevent them to approach the alter together.
Communion is an expression of the same faith, not a means of achieving it. The fact that in some churches there is a de facto intercommunion is evidence that the hierarchy is weak and cowardly and not doing its job of explaining why this is not possible.
That keeps the Churches apart other than the feeling that somehow the pre-Schism Latin Church was any less Catholic! I mean, I am sure everyone form the Pope down in the Vatican would agree that the pre-Schism Latins were just as Catholic then as the post Schism Catholics are today, aren't they?
The Church is never more or less Catholic. It is always one and the same. The Mystical Body of Christ.
Now it's battles with heresy, internal conflict and rebellious members ebb and flow. In some historical periods the battle rages and may sometimes appear to be lost. It isn't. The number of its members also waxes and wanes. The "Church" however is indefectible.
So well said. Thank you.
Very well said!
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