Romanian Orthodox synod disciplines bishop for intercommunion with Catholics

[Protoevangel]

“The Holy Synod disapproved of the non-canonical gestures made by the two leaders and accepted their change of mind and repentance as a first sign of their correction,”

Whole story: http://catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=13197


EDIT: I don't know if y'all have been following this story, but IMO, this is good news.

 

[jckstraw72]

thank God!

 

[nestoj]

It will bring much needed order and calm. I must say, entire affair was one of the saddest things of recent, and Church reaction is the last line of defense - it shouldn't happen at all, things shouldn't come to the Church reacting...I'll say it again - Ecumenism is eating us alive. We have nothing to gain from it. If it was possible for us to give something to others, without loosing ourselves, than OK, but I fear noone wants what we may offer, and we may loose much.

God helps

 

[buzuxi02]

Anotherwords the Synod is turning a blind eye and not disciplining the accused heirarch, just great.

 

[nestoj]

Repentance must be accepted if given. How to ask for forgiveness if we don't forgive? Calm, all will be well.

 

[buzuxi02]

The only thing in that article i found calming (if true) is the Snyod claiming that no Orthodox cleric may celebrate sacraments OR BLESSINGS with ministers of other religions on pains of excommunication".

Does this mean a cessation of concelebrations and joint prayers?

 

[nestoj]

That's how I understood it too. It is kind of disagreement message considering recent Patriarch of Constantinople's joint blessing of people with Pope. Maybe I see to much in it, don't know.

God helps

 

[Matrona]

The bishop's previous remarks on the situation were conspicuously unrepentant. I hope this means he's had a sincere change of heart.

 

[Akathist]

Mod Hat on.

Thread moved to the debate area as these topics tend to get heated and/or unpleasant.​

 

[prodromos]

From the Romanian Patriarchate website
http://www.basilica.ro/ro/stiri/dec..._al_clerului_si_credinciosilor_ortodocsi.html

In English
http://02varvara.wordpress.com/2008...niate-communion-no-decision-as-to-punishment/

 

[Protoevangel]

Thank you prodromos, for verifying this story for us!

The Holy Synod of the Romanian Patriarchate did not carry out any punishment against Metropolitan Nicolae of the Banat, who received Holy Communion at a Uniate liturgy, or Bishop Sophrony, who blessed water together with a Uniate “bishop”. ... After taking this decision, the Holy Synod took under consideration their sincere regret and repentance, and accepted this as the first sign of their amendment”

Repentance is better than punishment.

Those who refuse to obey this decision shall be excommunicated from the Orthodox Church, and they shall be subject to the canonical punishments that correspond to the position that they occupy in the Church”, the declaration of the Holy Synod noted. The text of the document clearly states that clergymen are to be deposed for such actions and laymen are to be barred from the Holy Eucharist.

Yes, this is good news indeed. Merciful, but definitive.

 

[Xpycoctomos]

It's interesting, before this, the Romanian Patriarchate had made no modern forbiddance of praying with non-Orthodox CHrisitians (like Catholics) and although in his mind such may have been a given, for many, the only thing that was forbidden was cocelebration of the sacraments. Becuase of this bishop;s blatent stepping overline in a way that is (hopefully) unprecedented in recent times, it SEEMS that any efforts of eccumenism apart from dialogue has been squashed.

I don't know if I am the only one who sees the irony in this, but basically, this bishop attempted to shove the door that was only ajar open wide open and in doing so got it slammed completely shut.

I don't think ecumenism is evil or bad, becuase I think dialogue is important, but I am happy that the Romanian Patriarchate seems to have made clearer what ecumenical actions are forbidden (unless, as nestoj suggested, we are reading too much into the words).

In the end, I imagine the Bishop's action only hurt responsible ecumenism between Catholics and Orhtodox in Romanian which will need to be healed again in order for honest dialogue to once again proceed.

XPy

 

[Protoevangel]

It's interesting, before this, the Romanian Patriarchate had made no modern forbiddance of praying with non-Orthodox CHrisitians (like Catholics) and although in his mind such may have been a given, for many, the only thing that was forbidden was cocelebration of the sacraments. Becuase of this bishop;s blatent stepping overline in a way that is (hopefully) unprecedented in recent times, it SEEMS that any efforts of eccumenism apart from dialogue has been squashed.

I don't know if I am the only one who sees the irony in this, but basically, this bishop attempted to shove the door that was only ajar open wide open and in doing so got it slammed completely shut.

I don't think ecumenism is evil or bad, becuase I think dialogue is important, but I am happy that the Romanian Patriarchate seems to have made clearer what ecumenical actions are forbidden (unless, as nestoj suggested, we are reading too much into the words).

In the end, I imagine the Bishop's action only hurt responsible ecumenism between Catholics and Orhtodox in Romanian which will need to be healed again in order for honest dialogue to once again proceed.

XPy

I agree. It only takes one rogue to make things harder for all of us who are interested in true unity.