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Amen Brother Ben.

"If Rome wants us to be true to our Eastern patrimony, it needs to come out and say it is o.k. for all Eastern Catholic particular churches in north America to ordain married men!"

Um ... well ... maybe not Rome, but maybe our bishops? Huh? Who was/were ultimately responsible for the fine kettle of fish we have been in for over 70+ years? Rome? Nope. It boils down to our bishops, my friend. Case still open.

Question for Steven from Phila:
Wondering what bi-ritual priests are you referring to in the Hilltown mission?
In my memory, this hard-working mission was squashed by its bishop, due to 'lack' of membership and $$$, just as St. Jude's mission in NJ was closed.

Is there a new Ruthenian mission in Phila?
Can you provide more info?
THanks,
Sam

Dear Sam,

www.byzcath.org/users/holyghostph

As far as I know the Mission in Hilltown is still there.

Why does only Pittsburgh seem to be under consideration?

There are other successful institutions of Eastern Christian studies with larger and more diverse faculties with a much wider range of resources at hand.

We have married priest candidates in the UGCC studying at St. Paul in and also Holy Spirit Seminary. St. Paul University has a doctorate program through the Sheptytsky Institute, the only such program in Eastern Christian Studies in North America. So in that case there is already an established seminary as well as a world-class Eastern Christian academic institution and exceptional faculty (Catholic and Orthodox).

The seminary cannot feasibly take the place of an established advanced center of Eastern Christian studies such as St. Paul's/Sheptytsky Institute or St. Vladimir's.

Instead of reinventing the wheel and trying to build up a faculty now working with only half a dozen or so vocations, which will take a considerable time and financial investment, wouldn't the money and resources be better spent getting some good married candidates formed at institutions existing which have a proven track record in Eastern Christian academics?

This seems more sensible than backtracking to prop up the infrastructure to try to compete with institutions like St. Vladimir's and St. Paul's/Sheptytsky Institute.

More competition amongst ourselves...that's the American Greek Catholic way.

Good idea Diak!

A little inter-ecclesial unity and exchange!

Cross-fertilization in this case would only strengthen and promote (rather than dilute) our Orthodoxy.

We seem to have little problem getting together with the Latins. But rarely do we get together amongst fellow OrthodoxInCommunionWithRome. Why is that, esp. amongst fellow Byzantine Churches?

A case of: "if we don't hang together..."

It might also help with "dark side" of some of our Churches' over emphasis on ethnicity.

herb.

Dear Herbigny,

Your point on ethnicity is excellent!

I've often thought the Ruthenians far too nationalistic for their own good!

It is the kind of tunnel-visioned nationalism that prevents them from associating with Ukies and makes them want to maintain their own ethnic ghetto at all costs!

What's wrong with our perogies (O.K. Diak, "pyrohy")?

Alex

I'm all for outsourcing the training of Byzantine Catholic clergy to the Orthodox. That would allow us to focus on our core competencies, which seem to be bingo, pirohis, polkas, and kvetching.

Dear Mar Stuart,

As far what I know of Ruthenians, you've no argument from me!

But, really, All Wise One, can't you say anything positive about your Church?

Are you the only good apple in the Ruthenian bushel?

What would St John Chrysostom say about that?

p.s. What is "kvetching?"

Alex

Alex,

I thought your Yiddish was better than that!

To kvetch is to complain.

Cheers from da Jew..

Sharon

Dear Mother Sharon,

B'shem haAv, v'haBen, v'Ruach haKodesh, Elohim echod, Amen!

Shalom!

Yiddish? What's Yiddish?

Thanks for the transliteration!

You are great, no kvetchen about that . . .

In Yeshua haMashiach and Miriam,

Ba shana haba Bi-Yerushalayim!

Barush haShem Adonai!

(Are you impressed yet? ).

Alex

Alex,

Do you not think we overly-nationalistic Ruthenians (assuming we have a nation somewhere!) are excellent in our core competencies? A number of our layfolks and clergy are earning their Eastern Theology at Orthodox programs, including the one with the Antiochians.

Joe

Dear Cantor Joe,

I didn't say you guys weren't competent, I was commenting on Stuart's comment that you aren't competent.

Ask your question of your fellow Ruthenian Catholic, Mar Stuart.

And stop kvetching

Alex

I have often felt a unified Greek Catholic Church is exactly what we need (at least among the slavs) in this country. Take the Ukrainian or Ruthenian name off the churches and put them under one Metropolitan (or Cardinal) in the US. Perhaps then we would have the resources to really make a stand for our praxis. With us and our Melkite (and Oriental) conterparts, we could really be a presence in this coutry. Just an idea...

Dmitri

P.S. Weren't the Ukrainians and Ruthenians one Church at one time? What happened?

Dear Dmitri,

Yes, we were one Church.

We give "schism" a whole new modern meaning . . .

But I see no reason why we can't be together somehow and yet maintain our obvious cultural differences.

That way, Ukrainians can benefit from the more advanced Byzantine Ruthenians liturgically, and Ruthenians can benefit from our more advanced ecclesial infrastructure like seminaries and support for married priests etc.

I don't know why Ruthenians SEEM to distrust Ukies more than Russians or RC's.

Or is it just my imagination?

Alex