Pope 'confident' we will reach goal of shared Eucharist with Orthodox

Michie said:

In customary greeting to Patriarch Bartholomew for feast of St. Andrew, pope says his hope is in common faith in Jesus, sent to gather all into one body.

As is tradition, Pope Francis sent a letter on this November 30 feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, to Patriarch Bartholomew, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.

As the first apostle to be called by Christ, and the brother of St. Peter, Andrew is the patron saint of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

There is a customary exchange of greetings between the pope and patriarch, with the Bishop of Rome sending greetings on November 30, and the Patriarch of Constantinople sending greetings on the June 29 feast of St. Peter.

Continued below.
Pope 'confident' we will reach goal of shared Eucharist with Orthodox

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I wish. I just don't see it even though I have wanted it.

Michie said:

As the first apostle to be called by Christ, and the brother of St. Peter, Andrew is the patron saint of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

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It's hard to take such articles seriously when they get such basic things wrong. St Andrew the First Called may be the Patron Saint of the Constantinople Patriarchate, but not of Eastern Orthodoxy as a whole. I get the impression from articles like this, that Catholics think HH Bartholomew is like an Eastern version of the Pope, and what he says, goes for the whole Church. He isn't, and it doesn't, but as long as Catholics continue to think this way we will continue to see articles like the above.

We already have Eastern Catholicism. There is no need to unite with Orthodoxy. Those who wish to be in communion with Rome, can be. Those who don't will stay Orthodox. I say that after having spent over a decade as an Orthodox Christian.

SeraphimSarov said:

We already have Eastern Catholicism. There is no need to unite with Orthodoxy. Those who wish to be in communion with Rome, can be. Those who don't will stay Orthodox. I say that after having spent over a decade as an Orthodox Christian.

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Actually we ought not be alienated from each other. So yes we need to unite with them. They need to unite with us. We need to unite. But it won't happen. At least not any time soon. Not in my lifetime. Not enough of the right people want it. Schism is preferable to them. We can't let it be preferable for us.

Michie said:

What about Jesus’ wish that He wished is all to be as one? It just seems strange to me that Christians are so reluctant to move in that direction.

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Holy Mother Church is already one. Those in schism are free to come back whenever they wish.

chevyontheriver said:

Schism is preferable to them.

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No. Holding fast to the faith once handed down and avoiding heresy is preferable to us.

You misrepresent us.

SeraphimSarov said:

Holy Mother Church is already one. Those in schism are free to come back whenever they wish.

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And we should do what we can to facilitate their coming back. Even if that means clearing up some of our own confusions. By the way, on a semi-related issue, I do know what the Immaculate Conception is. And I in no way endorse clown masses.

prodromos said:

No. Holding fast to the faith once handed down and avoiding heresy is preferable to us.

You misrepresent us.

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Well, finish up your schism over the Ukraine and get back to me.

chevyontheriver said:

Well, finish up your schism over the Ukraine and get back to me.

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That very situation was caused by the same Patriarch who the above article thinks is going to bring about union with Rome. I pray that HH Bartholomew repents of his decision.

prodromos said:

That very situation was caused by the same Patriarch who the above article thinks is going to bring about union with Rome. I pray that HH Bartholomew repents of his decision.

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I maintain some like schism, and it has little if anything to do with keeping the faith. Pope Francis is naive if he thinks unity has a chance but on this at least his instinct points in the right direction.

Michie said:

No I don’t. You can’t do that when I never tried to misrepresent you.

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Oh, he thinks I misrepresent them.

Those who are so adamant regarding schism are speaking for themselves. God warns us all regarding hardening our hearts.

We all need to be open to one body.

Michie said:

No we don’t. You can’t do that when we never tried to misrepresent you

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My response was to chevyontheriver's claim that we prefer schism.
With regards to the situation between Moscow Patriarchate and Constantinople, it is our prayer that HH Bartholomew will repent of his uncanonical actions which is causing great harm to the Church.

Below is an 'icon', supposedly of St George from a cathedral belonging to one of the schismatic groups that HH Bartholomew supposedly restored to communion. Apart from the blasphemous treatment of the subject, take note that at the top of the arch around the painting, is the symbol of the Neo-Nazi Azon Battalion.

With the state of Catholicism with Francis, and bishops that seem not too motivated to clean house of abusers, I don’t know that anyone should be throwing stones much.

The East has much to be respected, including less deviation from the original.