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Dear Amado,

It would have been wonderful if Catholic missions had done work in China, but I feel you need to be a bit more accurate as you make the effort to differentiate between the �P and the MP � Roman Catholics have been doing missionary work in China. {But I'd be pleased to learn of any other Catholic Churches doing missionary work in China.}
_____
Господи Ісусε Хрїстε, Сынε Божїи, помилуй мѧ грѣшнаго.

Dear Andrij:

I am not aware of any other Catholic Church(es), if you mean Eastern Catholic Churches, doing missionary in China today. Are there?

We are unfortunately forced to differentiate between the jurisdictional presence of the EP's Metropolitanante (in Hong Kong only, courtesy of the province's status as a former British colony up to 1997) and the ROC in mainland China as there is no unified and concerted efforts by them in their missionary efforts in Asia. This is, perhaps, another reason for the "swipe" by the ROC at the EP, the subject of this thread.

For example, the EP has a number of parishes in predominantly (Roman) Catholic Philippines but I have not heard of any under the ROC nor the ROCOR.

The Greek-Catholic Exarchate of Harbin continues to have a shadowy existence, and there is interest in China in seeing it emerge from the shadows. This could prove a potential solution to a problem or two.

Fr. Serge

Dear Asianpilgrim,

This may be too far a simple answer but..."beauty is in the eyes of the beholder".

In Christ,
Bill

Let's go a little further East.

Does anyone know if these Japanese Orthodox Church services are in Japanese or Russian ?

http://video.google.com/videoplay?d...0&so=0&type=search&plindex=0

I.F.

The autonomous Japanese Orthodox Church uses both Church Slavonic not Russian and Japanese depending on the parish, but Japanese does have the predominance. Any doubts and you can find and purchase the CDs with the hymns in Japanese online, which I believe are sold through St Vladimir's Seminary bookstore.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

Caution - the Japanese on the recordings (which are excellent) often sounds like Church-Slavonic, especially to someone who is not overly familiar with that language.

Fr. Serge

Father, do you mean that 1930 futile attempt of French and Lithuanians to "convert" Russian emigre using exiled by Polish government Belarusian bi-ritual Marian priests?

P.S. Are you also aware that noone ever liquidated Belarusian greek-catholic exarchate established by the Holy Metropolitan Andrei before the 2nd WW?

Ihar,

What your two questions conceivably have to do either with relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ecumenical Patriarchate (which is the topic of this thresd) or the recorded liturgical music of the Japanese Orthodox Church, is beyond my ability to fathom. But, since you ask . . .


Looking back to a previous posting, I see that I mentioned the Exarchate of Harbin. It was established in 1928, not 1930, and served by clergy and religious from several countries (including Ireland). I really would not call it "futile", since the faithful, and some of the clergy and religious, were eventually able to leave China after World War II and established still-functioning parishes in Australia and the USA. While still in Harbin, the Exarchate had a functioning school and other social works.

As to the Exarchate of Belarus' established by Metropolitan Anthony early in World War II and ratified by Pope Pius XII, you are correct; it has never been formally abolished. There are significant numbers of Greek-Catholics in Belarus today, some of whom belong to the parishes which it has proved possible to organize despite Lukasheno's efforts to prevent this.

Fr. Serge

Can I ask what problems its restoration would solve? Would it create other problems? Is there anyone there willing to take on this task?

Nick

I must say that the Pontifical committee "Pro Russia" (or whatever it's name was) and its head Mons. D'Herbigny SJ together with bp. P. Bucys, General Superior of MIC, have indeed caused a lot of pain to my people. But you're right, Father, it's not a proper thread to discuss these issues.

What problems would the renaissance of the Exarchate of Harbin solve? Well, it might provide for any faithful who may remain (someone always hides), and it might be of interest to Chinese people - for other Chinese Catholics, it would provide an important example of legitimate pluralism in the Church.

As to whether the Exarchate would create other problems, I'm not sure how or for whom, but then I'm not a fortune-teller and I have no particular way of knowing.

Personnel - well, I've already mentioned a deacon (who is probably a priest by now) in China who is keen on the idea; no doubt others could be found. Alas, I personally am in no condition to expatriate myself to China.

Bishop Michel d'Herbigny was a dubious character - Leon Tretjakevitch has written a good - if imperfect - book about him. Bishop Peter Bucys was an elusive figure; d'Herbigny had him raised to the episcopate, but neither Bucys himself nor anyone else ever managed to understand what the purpose was. I certainly don't claim to.

But de mortuis nil nisi bonum. At least the Marian Fathers prevented the closing of the parish in Kostomloty (St. Nikita the Martyr), which continues to flourish.

Fr. Serge

Father, I wouldn't use word flourish speaking of Kostomloty. Especially now, when St Nicetas is almost halved in size (people went to the newly founded Orthodox parish) and good old Fr Roman doesn't have a successor.

I believe we are off topic here. I strongly suggest another thread be started in the appropriate section dealing with the last few posts.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+
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