Eastern Church: April 2011 Archives

Svyatoslav.jpg

His Beatitude Sviatsolav is making headlines these days with all kinds of hott button issues. The news is reporting, predictably, that His Beatitude wants to work on relations with the Russian Orthodox Church. No doubt his own predictions for dialogue leading to deeper full, visible unity would indicate his desire to be fraternal with the ROC and one may also say that he's taking note of Pope Benedict's desire to meet with Patriarch Kyril.

Sviatsolav said: "Our church has voiced its readiness and openness for a dialogue ever since it emerged from the underground." And he's also reported to have said, "I think that today, we should heal the wounds rather than irritate and deepen them. One can heal the wounds of our memory only with mutual forgiveness. Therefore, as for any our brethren or neighbors who wounded us or were wounded by us, the best way to communicate is to be open in a brotherly dialogue, be open to the purification of our memory, to ask for forgiveness and to forgive."

Shevchuk & Pope Benedict Mar 31 2011.jpgCindy Wooden's CNS article, "Ukrainian archbishop says he was chosen 'despite age to promote unity" on Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk gives a clearer sense of the man and some of priorities. Wooden and Shevchuk met in Rome this week on the latter's visit to Pope Benedict.

Archbishop Sviatoslav described the nature of his church in this way: "We are an Eastern Church with its tradition and inheritance, ... a synodal Church is governed by the synod of bishops together with the major archbishop. But, we are also a Catholic Church that lives its identity in a full, visible and real communion with the Holy Father."

What are Archbishop Sviatoslav's priorities?

  • to strengthen the proclamation of the Gospel (kÄ“rgma) and the teaching of the faith (didachÄ“)
  • to work on the Church's liturgical theology and praxis; to make the liturgical patrimony intelligible in all the countries where the Ukrainian Catholic Church exists
  • to develop programs that attack secularism and engages the positive secularity
  • to strengthen the service of justice (diakonia)
  • to promote unity in the Church and among the other churches
  • to develop better social communications strategies for the Church
  • to identify ways in which to inculturate the Gospel and Byzantine tradition
  • to work with the Ukrainian people to heal from past injuries viz. the Russian Orthodox Church; to work on the fears that are paralyzing some members of the Church
  • to dialogue and work with the Orthodox Churches in the Ukraine (and where the Church is present) on matters of theology and mutual human interest
  • to promote healthy celibate and married vocations to religious life and priesthood.
Read the CNA story on the archbishop.

The Archeparchy of Philadelphia's newsletter The Way also gives another sense of the recent events in the Church: The Way March 2011.pdf

About the author

Paul A. Zalonski is from New Haven, CT. He is a member of the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation, a Catholic ecclesial movement and an Oblate of Saint Benedict. Contact Paul at paulzalonski[at]yahoo.com.

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This page is a archive of entries in the Eastern Church category from April 2011.

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