www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Romania:greek-catholics and orthodox in a difficult dialogue

The churches do not belong to a "community" but to the giuridical person that is written in the documents of property.The orthodox have no right to keep churches that belong (proved by the documents) by greek-catholic parishes, Eparchies, Orders.If the faithfull of a community want to be orthodox they should go to an orthodox church.
Nobody wants anything that rightfully belongs to the orthodox.

Other than the fact that the churches were once the property of the Romanian Greek Catholic Church, Father Coryolan has provided a reason why the Greek Catholics should continue to try to get them back, especially in light of the damage this legal battle is doing to the Romanian Christian community as a whole.

So I will ask him again: Why not just walk away and rebuild elsewhere?

Is is not just a problem of justice but also the fact many of our communities celebrate in the streets, in the cemeteries or in different rooms while the orthodox keep their churches.

I know that, Father. And here in the states, there are many communities that are meeting in houses (even one well-established Ruthenian parish), or meeting in the basements of other churches (often Protestant), or in public meeting rooms. It's not ideal, but it is better than nothing, and furthermore is better than besmirchng the name of Christian with property squabbles.

So the orthodox should remain with all our churches and we must continue to celebrate where we can?Is this what you really mean?

And why not? Christ is being served and honored, and one you and the Orthodox are one you can all move in together to share at the same table - a goal worth working and waiting for, no?

The greek-catholic communities will continue to ask for their churches.The orthodox have their own.

It sounds childish.

In Syria, the Melkite Greek Catholics and the Antiochian Orthodox have agreed that all future church buildings, schools, seminaries, etc., will be held and used jointly by both Churches, in anticipation of the day when communion is restored. Several have already been consecrated, and more are under construction.

Syria is not Romania.Obviously very many persons DO NOT understand the real situation of Romania and the real "face" of the romanian "ecumenism".

I know it pretty well, and it's not really a matter of "ecumenism" but of Christian forbearance, which is to say if thy enemy shalt smite thee on the right cheek, turn and offer him the left. You seem very much interested in proving how much you were wronged, and not particularly interested in bearing Christian witness, which is to say, persecution and suffering are all Jesus promised us in this world.

The Romanian Greek-Catholic Church witnessed Christ and continue to do it throgh all the time of opened or hidden persecution.

Then it is time to walk the walk, as we say. Preach the Gospel through your actions, stop trying to get back something which is of this world, and move forward. I know it is the Balkans and all, and getting even is a cultural imperative, but the time has come to drop old grudges, stop picking at scabs and begin looking ahead and not back. If you spent half the effort in building new churches instead of trying to get back the old ones, you'd have all that you need.

Shlomo Lkhoolkhoon,

Sometimes one also has to ask for justice. Since Romania is part of the European Union, the Greek Catholic Church has the right to sue before the EU courts. Also, if the Romanian government tries to "take" property without just comensation, those laws can be overturned by the European Courts.

When Romania joined the Union it agreed to these conditions:

*a stable democracy;
*respects human rights;
*respect for the rule of law;
*a functioning market economy;
*the acceptance of the obligations of membership, including EU law.

If the Romanian Orthodox Church wishes to take on not only the Greek Catholic Church, but the entire EU legal system, I say let them and lets see what happens to it and the Romanian State if they decide to violate the rights of the Romanian Greek Catholic Church.

Fush Bashlomo,
Yuhannon