“Accept us, Holy Father, as we are”
May 17, 2008
. . . [C]ommunion with Rome does not separate us from our Orthodox ecclesial reality. We say this with profound humility, a deep ecumenical awareness and a touch of humour: we are an Orthodox Catholic Church. . . . We would like to live, in the very heart of the Catholic Church, a life that could be accepted by Orthodoxy. Let us do so, Most Holy Father. That is the key to all real progress along the ecumenical way. Accept us, Holy Father, as we are: Eastern Orthodox, who want to live our full and complete Eastern Orthodox tradition in full communion with Rome.
Gregorios III, Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch, to Benedict XVI, Pope of Rome (May 8, 2008)
I first read these words of Patriarch Gregorios III at Eirenikon a few days ago, and have been thinking about them since. “Orthodox in communion with Rome”…some Eastern Catholics are the only ones to believe that this is even possible. I’m glad to say that I’m one of them. Not easy, and some days very hard—but possible.
May 17, 2008 at 10:23 am
Wei-Hsien,
It’s always encouraging to see a Christian earnestly promoting unity, especially across the East/West divide. I’m pretty ignorant of your personal background and viewpoint, so could you write a little about what you think of Orthodox unity between Easterners and Orientals? How feasible is it to you, what sort of issues need to be addressed, what kind of compromises in church government would need to be made, etc.
Also, have you ever read Christ the Eternal Tao by Heiromonk Damascene? I almost feel embarrassed asking, but I know that you are Chinese by heritage and Eastern Orthodox by conversion, and I figured it might appeal to you.
-JAK
May 18, 2008 at 12:39 am
I too would be interested to learn more about how you see this possibility – I am not very well up on matters orthodox, but I would have thought that the “full and complete orthodox tradition” and “full commuion with Rome” were not altogether compatible? Please do say more! Thank you.
May 19, 2008 at 10:44 am
As a firm Zoghby-ite (of Zoghby Initiative fame) I can only say… Zoghby! Zoghby! Zoghby!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elias_Zoghby
April 11, 2009 at 4:21 am
Maybe it’s different here in Pennsylvania, where we live next to our Eastern Rite brethren, and our state is dotted with both small country Orthodox and Eastern Rite churches, but I am loathe to judge my fellow Eastern Christians, even if they are in communion with Rome. We share far more than we do not, and they share far more with us than they do their Latin counterparts. Have a very blessed Holy Week, as it is already upon you!