>> Peace between the Latins and the Byzantines in union with Rome doesn’t equal us surrendering our rights as good colonials. <<
No, of course not. But you’re in the Latin Patriarchate, not Syria or the Levant. That means some attention must be paid to the discipline of the Latin Patriarch. People switching rites just to avoid one rite’s discipline would be terrible for the Melkites: consider the case of the Polish Old Catholic Church
The Latin patriarchate is Western Europe. But no, I think that the Latin Church should leave us alone and let us be ourselves.
There’s no comparing the Melkite Church with groups that splintered from the Latin Church to avoid celibacy.
Few things make my blood boil more than arrogant Latins who think that being a Catholic is the same as being Latin. We can have our pretty liturgy and nothing else.
If Latins want to become Melkite or any other form of Byzantine Catholic they should be allowed, but they shouldn’t be accepted as candidates for ordination if they do so for self-serving reasons.
We don’t need Latins who have no regard for our spiritual, theological or liturgical patrimony in our priesthood.
Roman Catholics need to grow up and accept us as equals and not as inferiors. It’s little wonder why the Orthodox fear reunion with Rome.
It can start with how it treats the Eastern Christians in its own communion. The Melkite patriarchate covers all Melkites wherever they may be and isn’t tied to a set area.
The only people Bishop Nicholas’s move is disastrous for is the Latins, and he is right to defend our rights against bigoted and intolerant Roman Catholics.