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As much as I favor localization/subsidiarity politically, I really like the idea of one newspaper or magazine packed end to end with quality, with a page for each eparchy's parochial news. An article from any source, Catholic or not, deserves consideration if it tells the truth. A piece questioning US involvement in war is not out of place — exactly the kind of issue the faith has answers to.

Why, by the way, are Byzantine Catholics interested in what the Orthodox churches are doing?

Hel-lo-o?! Of course I would agree that such coverage shouldn't be at the expense of covering your own Church's news, but I trust you don't want to go back to the bad old days when such house organs pretended the Orthodox didn't exist? Acknowledge the rock from which you were hewn. (Please, no cracks about the papacy: "Who cares? We've got the Rock!&#8217 You are connected to the Orthodox, like it or not, and in the event of the end of the Schism, to the Orthodox you will return.

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Michael,

We are cut from the same cloth as Orthodox. What happens with them affects us greatly. Besides they are 10 times bigger than us so they simply have a lot of things going on. I don't think that takes away from coverage of us. And why do we need Latin coverage? There are plenty of Latin publications to deal with that stuff.

anastasios

My brother Edwin,

If John's suggestion is more realistic, than go do it. Just as GCU Magazine is a lay initiative, nothing is standing in the way, start raising the capital.

We will then find out if building fraternity through sports or debates of alleged latinizations draw more interest from our people!

Serge,

You are such the Orthodox. Glad you hang around to keep Byzantine Catholics focused.

My original post was about how Orthodoxy and Byzantine Catholicism seems to take a back seat to Islam and the likes of Pax Christi. Am I supposed to now doubt all the words coming from the Catholic Church and its Cardinals?

I still like the idea of one newspaper. The whole idea of a Metropolia doesn't make sense when it is rarely mentioned.

We are cut from the same cloth as Orthodox.

Well put.

And why do we need Latin coverage? There are plenty of Latin publications to deal with that stuff.


Agreed. The Pope's pronouncements in his role as head of the whole Catholic Church would be relevant in a Byzantine Catholic newspaper, but not pronouncements in his role as patriarch of the West — such really are outside its scope.

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Kurt,

The idea is not to start a NEW newspaper but to benefit from the synergy of ONE newspaper. Short staff would result in cut-and-paste jouralism just to fill the void. A single CHURCH newspaper can be a wonderful tool to teach and give a sense of unity.

Once while making my way through the West, I searched for our churches to attend liturgy. This was possible because I read about them and knew they existed. Otherwise, I would have gone to the Latin Church.

Thanks, Edwin, and I agree with you on your concern that Eastern issues and news are getting second place in an ostensibly Eastern paper.

We will then find out if building fraternity through sports or debates of alleged latinizations draw more interest from our people!

This actually sounds kind of condescending. "Let me and my liberalism rule and let the prole hunkies have their bowling — don't bother us with being Eastern, outsider! Our people aren't interested in your highfalutin debates.'

Maybe if "your people' got a quality newspaper that both reached them and didn't talk down to them, that might change if it were true to begin with. If you invest in it, if you print it, they will come...

The GCU magazine isn't my cup of tea (Earl Grey, not too hot, thanks) either but there is certainly a place for sports and the fellowship they encourage in church life, even though personally I'm not into sports. They have a place in the proposed metropolitan super-paper. But so do articles about theosis, the Byzantine/Orthodox approach to sin and Confession, the danger of prelest', etc. (The day Byzantine house organs sound like Fr Seraphim Rose, the end of the Schism will be visible on the horizon.) I even can see a place for the delatinization debates in op-ed pieces or as an ongoing thing in Letters to the Editor: like a print version of what we have here on the forum! The metropolitan super-paper would have something for everyone in the metropolia, from the guy who bowls and hangs out at the Sportsmen's Club bar in his church hall and the pierogi-folding grandma who feeds the rest of us to the book-learned convert who think all the Old Believer usages should come in. All these and more could learn something from such a paper.

Actually, Kurt, I like that quotation from your priest: if a person is worried about latinization, s/he already knows his or her way around Catholicism pretty well; let's reach the person who doesn't know what Easter is.

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Serge,

Your words are sweet with honey.

If a Metropolia Super-paper was possible, I would certainly enlist you for our Orthodox correspondent.

I do not mean to suggest what features would make a paper successful. My only point is that while it is legitimate for individuals to say "I would lke to see 'such-and-such' covered in a Ruthenian paper". But if they are saying 'such-and-such' is what people want, then I point out GCU Magazine proves you don't need anything but your own initiative to start a paper.

Go to it!

K.

Thanks, Edwin and Kurt. Among other things I am a journalist and would be honored to have a byline in the proposed metropolitan super-paper.

Hooray for initiative.

If we print it, they will come!

http://oldworldrus.com

It wouldn't be "official" (but then, neither is byzcath.org), but what's stopping those with initiative to create and start publishing such a paper?

Perhaps the parishes would be reluctant to submit their news to such a paper, but they don't seem to be too responsive now. There's plenty of other material to draw from.

RichC,

Any publication representing the church must have the oversight of the bishop. We all know what happened to ARV before its GCU days.

There might have been too much of a positive idealismm that Byzantine Catholicism was going to take off back in the days when it was competing with the Latin Church with its Latinizations. By the time the re-Byzantinization came along (70s) the new generation was convinced enough to join the church (the Latin one) they were told they were members of for such a long time. Today, we don't have the people power to divide ourselves up like before. We need to stay connected over the mountains rather than become defensive of our little eparchial fiefdoms and parochial turfs.

One newspaper under the auspices of the bishops for all sound the best if one wishes to remain publishing 'hard copy' news.

Friends,

There is a common paper shared among the Latin dioceses of Florida. It is the The Florida Catholic and contains inserts for information peculiar to the particular Churches while sharing information common to the Churches in the State. Of course, it contains national and international news also.

In several issues in the past few months the visitation by the Patriarch of the Maronites and the Patriarch of the Melkites have been reported quite extensively. In addition, the role of the Eastern Bishops in the recent Synod was covered.

Just wanted to pass on the information for what it's worth.

Steve

JOY!

I was glad to see discussion of some of the perspectives being taken by various writers and groups regarding the "War on Terrorism." It shows that we can discuss timely topics that effect the lives of all of us, not just Byzantine Catholics or Orthodox, so that our church can have a voice that is heard in a society that is thirsting for the type of help that faith alone can give, in trying to make sense of the insensible.

While one of the greatest blessings of living in our country is the right to freedom of speech and the ability to maintain one's own opinions without fear of retaliation, we would be hard pressed to defend these rights given the attitudes of certain "peace-lovers" that have surfaced since September 11. I believe in peace very deeply, just as most Americans, and it is for this peace that we pray in every Divine Liturgy. Peace cannot be accomplished though, without sacrifice and action, so that it may be lasting and just, not just on the surface or in theory.

I agree with the statements of the hierarchy mentioned and it is crucial to emphasize that these kinds of conclusions cannot be arrived at lightly, but rather, are the product of exactly that which moral theologians call the proper "formation of conscience" as mentioned by one contributor to this topic.

One of the more sensible characteristics of Catholic moral teaching has always been the following of one's conscience, which assumedly is formed by attuning oneself to scripture, church tradition, theology and experience. Only after doing this, can one come to any well-formed opinions on such important topics as the battle against terrorism and the preservation of our freedoms.

As one writer indicated, many are more than willing to accept the benefits of living in the United States and everything that comes along with it, but want nothing to do with efforts to defend those liberties that are so precious to us all, in the face of threats that are very real, as we have seen on September 11 and the days since.

Proud and patriotic Americans are dumbfounded at the reaction of some fellow citizens regarding the efforts to rid our nation and the rest of the civilized world of those who would bring so much harm and suffering to others, especially the thousands of innocent victims of the tragedies of 9-11.

I normally do not refer to television talk shows or personalities when expanding on a topic of such seriousness or even watch them very often, but I was refreshed by a chance viewing of a recent episode of the "Rosie O'Donnell Show" aired last week.

Rosie has not necessarily been one of my favorite entertainers as of late, but her interview with former talk show host Phil Donahue greatly redeemed my opinion of her.

Donahue, a professed "pacifist" spoke out against the war on terror and emphasized that instead of bombs, we should be dropping food and other humanitarian aid supplies. Further, Donahue believes that the war should be halted, in respect for the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

Firstly, I believe that, yes we are providing humanitarian aid to the best of our ability and this will only increase with the retreat of the Taliban from many key Afghan cities. No other country but the United States shows such concern for innocent residents, and while trying to save the populace from evil regimes that have brought suffering to their own people, also offers food and other necessities and the potential to rebuild. We give our own men and women to the effort of bringing down evil and totalitarian governments that have done much to create these poor human conditions in the first place.

This is nothing new for our country. Did we not rid the world of the likes of Hitler, Mussolini and Japanese corruption? Is there anyone today who will say that we should have minded our own business rather than intervene against the slaughter of millions of people at the hands of the Nazis? And who complained while we offered our help building democracy in nations besieged by decades of communism and prior, to imperial pogroms against certain unwanteds, of various confessions and nationalities? Why now should some think that we can sit by idly while terrorists and those who harbor them threaten world peace and the safety of our citizens?

Secondly, Rosie made a statement that we New Yorkers and anyone else who has had the opportunity to visit or work at "Ground 0" can so easily confirm. She remarked that no one who has visited Ground 0 and seen the destruction and utter disregard for human life, and/or attended some of the countless daily funerals of those who perished in the towers, can sit back and say that we should not do anything about this tragic situation, that we should not move to protect our civilians, to safeguard the freedoms that are inherently ours, that we can look at Ground 0, turn around, walk away and take no action.

Rosie was speaking from her heart. She even admitted that just two months ago, she would have criticized a person of her opinion and laughed at those who spoke out in favor of military action, but that the events of September 11 have changed that thinking forever. What she expressed could not be closer to the truth. No one can look at the wreckage of the World Trade Center, once the very symbol of democracy, freedom and cooperation among the nations of the world (that's what a "World Trade Center" is all about) and walk away unchanged or without the desire to initiate justice on behalf of so many thousands of innocent lives lost.

Those "Christian" pacifists and American bashers should consider what they would do if serious threats were posed to their own families, or if they had lost a loved one in the attacks. If they stick to their opinions in light of a personal involvement in such a tragic event, then I feel for their family members, if they should ever come under threat or danger.

I too, can say with O'Donnell, that normally, I would have been critical of violence and exploited war efforts, but now have a better grip on the purpose and function of the "just war theory" after experiencing first-hand, the destruction in our wonderful city of New York, by heartless and evil-guided terrorists. And, what has happened for me and obviously for Rosie, is exactly that which the "proper formation of conscience" is aimed at doing - helping people come to an evaluation of moral decisions, based on the prerequisites I mentioned above, guided by the hand of God and the wisdom that can be reaped from centuries of religious experience.

So, for all of those "pacifists" out there, who criticize our country for the action it is taking, I say, "Come to New York and see for yourselves. Speak with families who have lost fathers, mothers, husbands and wives and other loved ones. Try to share their horrible grief by standing with our president, mayor and government officials who are doing the best job that they can, to ensure that tragedies like September 11 won't become the norm, but rather, that our freedom can continue for our children and future generations. Come to New York and volunteer to help - the work will never be completely finished. Come to New York and donate Christmas presents to one of the organizations that is planning to distribute them to children of families in which the "dad" who normally would "play Santa" on Christmas Eve, won't be there this year to put out the presents for his sons and daughters." I personally know of several organizations who are providing this type of "surrogate Santas" for children of victims' families.

The situation need not be unique to New Yorkers. It was real for people in Washington, Pennsylvania and it could have been for those in other cities too, had not some other probable hijackings been avoided by the grounding of air traffic. United Flight 93 passed over Cleveland, Ohio and could have gone down there, taking with it many more lives. It has effected us all.

Christian values do not mean that we must accept whatever comes our way and not do anything about it. God has given us "reason" - "rozum" - the ability to distinguish right from wrong and the strength to do whatever we can to ensure that a life of liberty will go on. While we must never give in to evil inclinations such as "hate" and "stereo-typing" we do have the obligation to promote sound moral ideals and Gospel values in the world around us, and to protect those whom God has placed in our charge.

Cardinal Egan, in an interview in "Catholic New York" recently expounded on this theme: "The world might want us to speak words of hate toward the criminals who committed such heinous crimes against us and our nation" but "we would rather insist that they pay for their misdeeds without our descending into hate. We will hunt them down, we will demand justice for their crimes, but hate we will not do," the cardinal said ("Catholic New York, November, 2001, pg. 10).

This sums up well, the American experience since September 11. We must take action, we must protect our own people, we have to ensure that the values this great nation stands upon are there for our posterity, but we cannot hate others. Although this is a natural reaction it can be kept in check by aligning our minds to scripture. People should remember that the very principles upon which the United States of America was founded and developed out of, are indeed those values which sacred scripture tells us that God intends for his children, namely, liberty and justice for all people, freedom to form our own conscience without fear and according to our religious beliefs, a free will, not influenced by persuasive methods of force and the impetus to help those less fortunate to live lives worthy of their dignity as human beings.

So, I say that it is a shame that we have members of our own citizenry who feel that those values, really, blessings that Almighty God has given freely to us, are not worth defending, or at best, should be left to the arena of "dialogue and compromise" only, without taking action that will be efficacious in ensuring a stable and safe future for our families. It is a shame that some would have our efforts begun thus far, cease, in order to show respect for Islamic religious observances such as Ramadan. Do these advocates think that for one minute, the Taliban or Al Queda would stop a planned terrorist attack because it was Christmas Day, or Easter, or New Year's Eve? To the contrary, our intelligence sources have already alerted us to the fact that there have been such attacks planned on key American holidays and some, as we know, that did take place at such times.

If anyone doubts what I have said, take the invitation from Mayor Gulliani, Rosie O'Donnell and others, and "Come to New York and see for yourselves." If the experience of what was once the World Trade Center and the countless funerals still taking place daily, does not change such a person's mind, then perhaps they have become far too "numbed" to the human situation. Compassion can take on many different forms, and we must have this value towards all members of the world community - those of our own who have suffered such horrible loss and those living in other parts of the world, under oppressive regimes that would destroy the rights of all men and women to freedom in all of its forms.

This is the real meaning of compassion - (in Ukrainian - miloserdya, more literally, "kind-heartedness"), when we open our hearts and listen to the message there, "when we follow our consciences" and take action, in order to relieve suffering, or to make right an unjust situation, when we show mercy in this way. We have just heard recently, in the cycle of the Byzantine lectionary, of this very fundamental Christian virtue, through the Lukan Gospel parable of the "Good Samaritan" who, to the person beaten and robbed along the road and left for dead, the victim of another form of terrorism, was "neighbor" because he "showed compassion" to him.

As for the criticism of "Horizons" for their "copy and paste" tactics at publishing an Eastern Christian periodical, I am sorry to see that it has come to this. This paper was once, a little more than a decade ago, what I thought to be a leading, Eastern-minded and forward-looking publication among the Byzantine churches and in fact, won several awards for both style and content. It seems that those days ended with a change in administration, procedure and editorial staff. I agree that the ECL ("Eastern Catholic Life") is probably the best out of all of the Ruthenian papers at present, in timeliness, coverage of parish and eparchial events, historical material, a broad spectrum of news articles and other helpful and stimulating contributions, such as the articles of Father David Petras, who at one time was a leading contributor to "Horizons" as well as regular articles from Bishop Pataki. The BCW ("Byzantine Catholic World") seems to be working on a similar and equally limited structure as "Horizons." at least in the few editions I have seen. However, the point is well taken in regards to clergy who devote time and effort to these publications, in addition to many other priestly responsibilities.

By the way, the "ECL" does publish the full Uniontown schedule, as it has done for many years, indicating the importance of this annual event in the spiritual and cultural life of the Ruthenian Church. The pilgrimage has, for sixty-seven years, provided a unifying element to the Metropolia which cannot be matched anywhere in the United States and maybe even in Eastern Europe. It is unfortunate that, from speaking to pilgrims at the Mount, more priests do not seem to promote this event in their parishes, thus contributing to a decline in attendance over the years. One can only imagine the reasons for this lack of support and it is necessary to mention the many clergy who do sacrifice much to be present each year and to encourage their faithful to participate, as well as the hours of hard work devoted by the Sisters. The Otpust is one of the brightest gems in the crown of the U.S. Greek Catholic Church, that must be preserved at all costs.

Bishop Andrew, writing in his regular column, "The Shepherd Speaks" in the October 7 edition of the "Eastern Catholic Life" obviously moved by all that happened on September 11, stated, "We must pray for our president, that the Holy Spirit guide him in the important decisions that will be his to make, and know that as we sing in the hymn of "God Bless America" we ask God to stand beside her." The bishop concluded, "May we be united in prayer and love, and may peace reign in our hearts. And, we pray that peace reign in the hearts of all affected by this tragedy . . . May God bless America and may God bless us all."

I pray that the spirit of patriotism and renewed faith that has permeated the American people since September 11 will continue. There is nothing which sends a stronger and clearer message to the world, as when a people are united by a common belief and purpose. We have much to be grateful for on this upcoming Thanksgiving Day and may God help us continue to realize all that our great nation stands for and has to offer us and the global community. The observance of Thanksgiving Day began as a unifying effort, in response to a cooperation between peoples of different language, culture and heritage. Since September 11, we have once again seen this mood of cooperation and promotion of the common good in our country. May this spirit continue and may God continue to bless America.

Joe Lavryshyn
Brooklyn, NY

Joe L,

Thank you for both a wonderful and sobering reflection and commentary on the current events stemming from September 11.

Sometimes it takes a tragedy to force people to step back and reflect on those things we often take for granted.

Peace and security is such a precious thing.

Byzantines are reminded at every liturgy that they pray for God's mercy on our civil leadership and all those in service of our country.

I've never seen so much prayer and God-talk and reflection and support and teamwork in our government. Truly, the American response has been one of careful calculation and precaution.

Again, thank you for a thoughtful and heartful response. It's a true keeper.