www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Envoy says Orthodox-Catholic unity unlikely

Envoy says Orthodox-Catholic unity unlikely - Interfax
June 9, 2008

Moscow, June 9, Interfax - A complete holy communion between Orthodox believers and Catholics is very unlikely, Russian Orthodox Church Representative to European International Organizations, Archbishop Hilarion of Vienna and Austria, said in an interview with the newspaper Soyuznoye Veche of the Russia-Belarus Union Parliamentary Assembly.

"I think we should not expect the complete unity of Orthodox and Catholic rites. The division occurred almost 1,000 years ago and it can hardly be repaired," he said.

The archbishop said he does not think the differences between Orthodox believers and Catholics will evaporate in the third millennium.

At the same time, certain theological differences do not hamper cooperation and possible joint protection of common values, he said.

"We will not unite but we can learn to be allies and partners. We should not be rivals, we should be Christians who may differ in certain theological intricacies but have practically the same ideas about morals and social values," he said.

www.orthodoxnews.com [orthodoxnews.com]

I think that Archbishop Hilarion is basically correct in his assessment of the situation.

Joe

I don't see how the archbishop can be wrong. And I believe the whole questionable millieu of Second Vatican Council's ecumenical and interfaith undertakings will, sooner or later, have to come in for some tough and rough scrutiny on the Catholic side.

Best,
Robster

We know that Bishop Hilarion of Vienna and Austria leapfrogged stages in the ROC-MP hierarchy but when did he become an Archbishop?

Successively, he was tonsured a monk, ordained a deacon, and ordained a priest at the "tender" age of 21 in 1987 (he was born in 1966) without undergoing seminary training, which came thereafter and graduated in 1991.

He was consecrated a bishop in 2001 at the age of 35. He could very well be an Archbishop by now at the age 42?

Amado

His own web page refers to him as "Bishop"...

http://en.hilarion.orthodoxia.org/biography

This seems radically contrary to the Gospel, which assures us that unity - not alliance - is God's Will for us.

Fr. Serge

Alice,

Thanks for posting this.

The way he puts this, I would have to agree, we should not expect "complete unity of ... rites." However, this is not the goal, nor is it necessary for communion.

Furthermore, the comment that "the division ... can hardly be repaired" makes one think immediately of Our Lord's words, "For men this is impossible, but for God all things are possible." (Mt. 19:26)


And what would all this be, if not a necessary and invaluable step towards full communion?

Robster,

I'm not sure at all what you mean here.


Peace,
Deacon Richard

You know what, everybody tries to put God in a box.
What is impossible for man, is more than possible for God.

The Bishop isn't saying that unity will never come. What he is saying is that it doesn't seem likely to come in a long, long time. That is not putting God in a box, but is, simply, human pridence and realism.

I guess Vladyka just got tired of some Catholics talking as if unity is just around the corner. (Yes, there are such. Just a few years ago I watched James Likoudis on the "The Journey Home" program of EWTN confidently proclaiming that Catholics and Orthodox now agree on more than 99% of everything and that unity is very near)

I prefer to read his remarks as a challenge to us Catholics to sit down and take a long, hard look at what really divides us. No, it ain't just the Papacy.

Now, we should pray for a miracle... that the gift of unity may come earlier than seems humanly possible right now...

Perhaps His Grace is being groomed for the Patriarchate. (Although, I wonder if he has family within the hierarchy, sometimes that speeds up the process.. not that he isn't worthy)
Although he is not very optimistic about full Communion with Catholicism any time soon, I agree with everything he has stated so far in regard to relativism and secularization, as well as in matters of faith. He is an eloquent speaker and not timid or afraid to speak the Truth - I am sure that His Holiness Pope Benedict agrees with His Grace as well!

God makes use of the most unlikely to become leaders toward unity. We're already there more than three-fifths of the way there.

Dear sister Pani Rose,

I love to see your post. I strongly believe that God's ways are not like ours...

We must humble our souls and tear, for we need to repent. In this world there are many cries..God have much mercy upon us all!

Hmm...today the Orthodox Church celebrates the Most Holy Trinity. We are called to the Heavenly Banquet, we are called to know God, we are called to sip from the fountain of God's mysteries.

If now we cannot be reunited, at least we must focus on defending moral principles. At least in EU there are dark voices who bark against our Most Sweet Lord Jesus Christ, proposing instead of life, death, instead of normality, abnormality, instead family, fragmentation...

Have mercy, God, have much mercy!

m+

I agree.

While not exactly a big fan of Vladika Hilarion (he needs to be more of a monk and less of a jetsetter), there is some wisdom in the words that he speaks. We waste valuable resources jumping through hoops trying to reconcile black and white, whilst Beirut burns, the Hagarenes are taking over Europe and the Jihadists have gained a foothold in the Balkans. Look up people! The Russian Church extends it's hand in friendship to the west, offering camaraderie in fighting the forces of the evil one.

Alexandr

Once it is established that Catholics believe "A" about the papacy and Orthodox believe "-A", then what is left to discuss? We have two irreconciliable views of the role of the Pope of Rome and this is not going to change.

Joe

So what does that mean? Without getting into all the theanthropic sophistry, do the Churches stay divided forever?