www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Archbishop Michel Abrass?

Anyone know why Pope Francis removed Michel Abrass as archbishop of Tyre (for the Melkite Greek Catholics)?

https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2021/01/31/0062/00128.html

I do not, but swift removal without explanation is usually not good.

Why would the Pope be able to remove a Melkite Archbishop? The Melkite Church is not under the Roman Church.

I raised the same issue with some Eastern Catholic friends, some of whom are Melkites. They don't know specifics about this case, but the overall impression was pretty negative about the state of the hierarchy of the Melkite church and they suggested that in this case, as has happened before, it may have been more convenient for the Patriarch to have the Pope intervene directly.
Ironic, of course... and sad. But seems to be the case.

1 universal jurisdiction

2 It is

We Eastern Catholics should stop pretending otherwise

Inner intervention in a patriarchal Church with its own holy synod?

"Rome" and its dicastries have only as much "universal jurisdiction" as we Melkites concede to them.

No matter the cause of this "removal", It is our own fault when we fail to exercise our proper role as a patriarchal Church and submit ourselves to the usurpation of our rights.

To our fellow Orthodox Christians. Beware of what is seen in these unilateral monarchical-type actions.

Communion with Rome - yes! Submission to Rome - no!

Perhaps, in a show of unity and communion, the pope and the See of Rome is confirming what the patriarch and his synod had already determined. That's how the Church should work, no?

No, it isn't the way the Church should work!

Regarding the statement of Filipe YTOL: " the overall impression was pretty negative about the state of the hierarchy of the Melkite church [sic]" ("church" should read Church), our hierarchy, like any group of people, has its faults and failures. However, if this is the Roman dicastries who are casting stones eastward maybe they ought to clean up their own act first. While our Melkite hierarchy and clergy may have its problems(and, we sadly do), I don't think we have seen the level of corruption, pedophilia, rape, homosexual behavior, financial corruption, and even theological heresy that sadly continues to plague the Roman Church. But, to quote one prominent Latin hierarch: "Who am I to judge?"

May God be merciful to us sinners.

Appologies for use of lower case "C".

As I said, and with no particular "inside information", it seemed to me that this may have been a case where the Pope's direct intervention was welcomed by the Patriarch. This is obviously not a good thing and yes, it does and should raise concerns.

We have no idea at this time if this was the act of Roman dicasteries or a direct request to the Pope and intervention by him, so I don't see much point in bringing up all the other issues you mention, which are undoubtedly a problem. This is not a competition. I brought up the issues of the Melkite Church because they could directly explain what happened here, and not in any way to shame or cast stones.

Regards!

It seems that the reason for the removal was that the bishop was engaged in a long term affair with a woman.
To make matters worse, it seems that she was anything but discreet and bragged about the fact in her community.
This is what I heard from a source with good connections in the Melkite Church in the Middle East.

This does, of course, leave open the question of why the issue was not resolved directly by the Melkite Holy Synod.

I don't suppose this would be an opportune time to raise the issue of a married episcopate? I thought not!

Universal jurisdiction is only applied via dogmas. Appointing Bishops is the realm of each individual Church. Otherwise they are not individual Churches and exist only as extensions of Roman Catholicism attempting to imitate Orthodoxy.

Dependent on the rank of the Church and where located the Pope appoints and deposes Eastern Catholic bishops all the time. If the Church is metropolitan rank or lower or the Eparchy is in the Americas/Oceania the Pope appoints those bishops. I don’t like it but that is how it works in real life, right now.

Father Romanos,

Father bless!!

Maybe this is the time to adopt the practice of the Eastern Churches not in communion with Rome: select only candidates with proven, strict monastic backgrounds. That would mean that the Benedictines and a very few other orders would be the place to find bishops.

Bob

That bishop was a monk.