www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Conflict between Catholic Churches of Ukraine

2. The internal differences amongst the Catholics are neither so sharp nor dramatic. They have, instead, the character of strategic competition between two local Churches with different ritual traditions. However, this struggle also has its centuries old tradition, as it carries the weight of historical rivalry between Ukrainians and Poles and mutual accusations of nationalism. We cannot help but notice that relations between Ukraine and Poland, contacts between secular intellectuals and even exchanges at the level of the mass movement of small-time merchants, were certainly never so lively and friendly in the past as today. This is especially the case when contrasted with the cooling of relations between the Churches because of, for example, the situation of the Greek Catholic Cathedral in Peremyshl. Another sore point in relations between Greek and Roman Catholics are the remaining traces of the concept praestantia ritus latini, the pre-eminence of the Latin rite. This, at least, seems to be apparent in the way Greek Catholics are received by their Latin brethren. They can be seen, for example, in the Vatican's delay in acknowledging the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Patriarchate, in obstacles to spreading the juridical structures of the UGCC to eastern parts of Ukraine, in the limitation of the pastoral work of married priests in the diaspora and so on. The better material and financial support of Latin clergy and the limited direct contacts and concrete cooperation between Greeks and Latins are also a cause of suspicion and distrust.

The changes in the historic roles of both Catholic Churches as a result of the development of Catholic ecclesiology after the Second Vatican Council, demographic changes in Ukraine and Ukrainian political independence, have all caused some tension. Latins are now not only a religious minority but also a minority among Catholics in Ukraine. They must either come to terms with this role or they must direct all their efforts to becoming the majority. This last possibility is one cause of the struggle on the part of Greek Catholics. Greek Catholics themselves are faced with the difficult challenge of not using their position as the more numerous and traditional Church to revenge history but to work to overcome historic misunderstandings and improve cooperation.

In this respect it can be seen that the orientation of religious conflicts in Ukraine is not only to local confessional or jurisdictional matters but also to a more universal sphere. It also lies in arguments between those who emphasize the historical, ecclesial, cultural, national and other peculiarities of Kyiv centered Ukrainian Christianity and those who use universal considerations and are orientated towards ecclesial authorities outside of Ukraine and to non-Ukrainian national and political influences.

You can read the entire article at the link below.
http://www.risu.org.ua/content.php?menu=171601&page_id=106&l=en

The point made midway through the second paragraph about the Roman Catholic Church and any attempt by them to reverse the role of the two Catholic Churches in Ukraine is worth noting and discussing given that two new diocese have been established in Ukriane.

Do the establishment of new diocese in Ukraine illustrate a well calculated attack by the Roman Church to become the dominant Catholic faith in Ukraine, or should it be understood as merely the acts of one sui juiris Catholic church making administrative decisions for the wellfare of their faithful in Ukraine? And what will the Greek Catholic Church of Ukriane do, if anything, about it?

Christ is Risen!
ALity

Dear Ality,

The Latin Church in Ukraine also has many Ukrainians among its membership.

These are, as you know, the descendants of those Eastern Catholics who went to the Latin Church when their own Church was "dissolved" in 1946.

The Ukrainian Latin Rite Catholics do their services in Ukrainian and publish their own liturgical works - I have some in my possession.

As for "threats" toward Ukrainian Christianity, I don't think so.

And if others want to try - 'Dey don't know us vewy well, do dey?"

Alex

Not quite: such people are rather few and live
in Halychyna only. However, most RCs live in
central Ukraine. There are both so-called "genuine Ukrainians" and heavily Ukrainianized ethnic Poles among them.

Sincerely,

Peter

Dear Piotr,

As I said, nobody is perfect . . .

Alex

Christ is risen!

Rome should dismantle the entire Latin hierarchy in Ukraine and make the RC parishes "Latin-rite chapels" subject to the jurisdiction of the Greek-Catholics. Now THAT would be justice. Ditto for giving the Latin-rite parishes in the middle-east and africa over to the Eastern rites!

In Christ,

Edward

Edward,

You know, that's not a half bad idea! Justice indeed!

Dear Edward and Mikey,

Actually, that's only justice by half.

The Ukrainian Latin Church (which also includes other nationalities, yes, yes, Piotr! ) developed largely from the 1946 dissolution of the Eastern Catholic Church by the "Soviet Orthodox Church."

They didn't, for the most part, spring up as the result of recent Latin missions in Ukraine, even though the issue of conversions to the Latin Church is an important one.

And Ukraine isn't Russia.

We've always had a respect for religious and cultural pluralism, including the Russians.

Sects that found haven in Ukraine over the centuries even included the "Socinians" as well as the Old Believers who could translate their liturgical works at Pochayiv and who were not persecuted by the Kyivan Church. Many Kozaks became Old Believers in fact etc.

So your words ring a bit hollow. Russians are free to say that, if they wish.

We're not Russians, after all.

Alex

Yes, and then the Greek Catholic Church could be so bold as to establish The Congregation for the Occidental Churches and have Greek Catholic bishops instruct the Latins about how to be "proper" and "correct" Latins.

ALity

And we could declare all of India Syro-Malankara canonical territory, and force all the Latin priests to be married priests so as to not scandalize the Indian faithful! ;-)

In Christ,

anastasios

Oh I forgot--when are Archbishop Lubomyr and Patriarch Gregory III going to issue the new, corrected edition of the Missal of Paul VI?

he he he...

anastasios

That'll only work if by "Syro-Malankara" you mean the Orthodox. They don't refer to themselves as "Syro-Malankara", as that is the term by which the Syrian Catholics in India are known by. And, as I am disappointed to report, the Syro-Malankara Catholics have a mandatory policy of priestly celibacy a la the Roman Catholic Church. Declare all of India as Malankara Orthodox canonical territory, and then you're on to something.

Of course, then we get to pick on the Greek Orthodox Metropolitanate of Hong Kong (Ecumenical Patriarchate) for having a Greek Orthodox mission or two in Calcutta, where, if I'm not mistaken, the Malankara Orthodox have a bishop already...either that, or they fall under one of the Northern dioceses like New Delhi, or Calcutta and other places in India fall under the missionary jurisdiction of the MOC.

If the Russians can pick on Western Christians encroaching on their canonical territory, why can't we pick on the Western Christians (Latin AND Greek) encroaching on ours?

There's never any justice for the poor pre-Chalcedonians...

Dear Friends,

Everyone having a good time, are we?

That's O.K. . . .

Alex

After all, Alex, is it not Bright Week according to the "True calendar"? I think we're all entitled to some fun now that all of us are done with the penance of Great Lent and living the joy of the Resurrection.

Christ is Risen!

No thanks, we don't need any Latin in Africa. Enough colonialsim! :p

What language would the "Eastern Rite" Liturgy be conducted in?

Aklie Semaet

[ 05-07-2002: Message edited by: Aklie Semaet ]

Edward the Singaporean, ALity, Mikey, anastasios, Mor Ephrem, Alex, et alii:

Aahh, what a nice thought!

All of Asia should be transformed into the Eastern Rites, including the Philippines. I am sure it would be a spectacle for the 65 million or so Filipino Roman Catholics to wake up tomorrow with married, and with children, parish priests.

And it would give proper meaning to one of my country's tourism come-ons: "The Philippines, Pearl of the Orient Seas!"

AmdG