MOSCOW, FEB. 6, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, expressed hope that the election of Kirill as the new Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia will bring greater unity among the Orthodox Churches.
Bartholomew I made this known in his message to the new Russian patriarch on the occasion of his enthronement in Moscow on Feb. 1, reported L'Osservatore Romano today. He expressed the hope that this event will be a step forward toward the celebration of "The Great and Holy Synod" that gathers together all the Orthodox Churches.
The message was delivered to Patriarch Kirill by Archbishop Ireneus of Crete, head of the delegation of the ecumenical patriarch in Moscow.
It read, "The expectations of the Church of Constantinople are many and are focused above all on unity and good will, as well as the common path toward the organization and convocation of the Great Synod, which has been announced for some time."
The celebration of the Great Synod "should be accelerated in order to preserve the credibility of the Orthodox Church and the cooperation with the other Christian Churches when the theological discussions have finished," added the patriarch.
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Photo: Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I embrace.
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09.02.2009, [12:40] // UGCC // RISU.ORG.UA
Curitiba, Brazil: On Wednesday, 4 February 2009 the first meeting of the newly established Patriarchal Commission for Priestly Formation in Seminaries of the Ukrainian Catholic Church began with a celebration of the Divine Liturgy (Mass) in St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral in Curitiba.
The Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Most Rev. Ken Nowakowski, the head of the Patriarchal Commission and Eparch of New Westminster for Ukrainian Catholics in British Columbia and the Yukon, Canada, Most Rev. Volodymyr Kubech OSBM, Eparch of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy (Diocese) of Brazil along with Auxiliary Bishops Myron Mazur OSBM, and Daniel Kozlinskyi, and the rectors and spiritual directors of The Ukrainian Catholic seminaries of North and South America also celebrated the opening liturgy.
Bishop Volodymyr welcomed the participants of the meeting and read a letter of greeting from Patriarch Lubomyr Cardinal Husar, Head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church. In this letter, the patriarch offered his full support and urged the participants to make bold decisions in developing the program of priestly formation so as to provide the Church with holy and highly qualified priests.
Rev. Dr. Michael Kwiatkowskyi, spiritual director of Holy Spirit Seminary, Ottawa, Canada lead the participants of the meeting in a meditation on Jesus Christ, the High Priest. Based mainly on Sacred Scripture, in particular the Letter to the Hebrews and the “Priestly prayer of Christ” John 17, a presentation was made of Jesus’s example of priestly ministry and especially how Christ and His priests collaborate in the realization of this priesthood in today’s Church.
Most Rev. Efraim Krevei OSBM, emeritus bishop of Brazil, Most Rev. Dionisii Liakhovych OSBM, Apostolic Visitator for Ukrainian Catholics in Italy, Spain and Very Rev. Theodoro Haliskyi OSBM, Provincial Superior of the Order of Basilians of Saint Josaphat in Brazil, also took part in the sessions of the meeting.
This was the first time that the formators of the seminaries in the Americas had ever met together as one body. The meeting took place in the context of the Patriarchal Commission’s mandate: to develop norms and minimum standards for formation programs for priestly ministry. The Commission will hold a similar meeting for the formators of seminaries and houses of studies in the European Region later this year.
The participants at the Brazilian meeting represented both eparchial (diocesan) and monastic seminaries. Canada has one inter-eparchial seminary, located in Ottawa, Ontario, and one monastic house of studies, conducted by the Ukrainian Catholic Basilians of Saint Josaphat in Edmonton, Alberta. In the United States of America, there are two eparchial seminaries, one located in Stamford, CT, and the other in Washington, DC. Brazil has one eparchial major seminary, an eparchial minor seminary and also a monastic seminary of the Ukrainian Catholic Basilian Fathers.
The three-day meeting provided the participants opportunities to exchange information about their individual programs of priestly formation, the challenges that they face in their respective countries, as well as discovering the many areas that they share in common. The participants had, as a working document, a draft program for priestly formation that had been developed over the last three years at meetings conducted in Ukraine by the rectors and formation staff of the various seminaries and houses of studies in Europe as well as representatives from North America.
Regional meetings of the formators of the Ukrainian Catholic Church both in the Americas and Europe will be held on a regular basis to continue the work of the Patriarchal Commission.
The second mandate of the Patriarchal Commission is the development of the theology of the priesthood in the Ukrainian Catholic Church. Bishop Ken advised the participants of the meeting in Brazil that in the very near future specialists in the field of Theology and Canon Law will be brought together to begin work on this document.
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09.02.2009, [16:47] // UOC-MP / RISU.ORG.UA
KYIV— The head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP), Patriarch Volodymyr (Sabodan), held a press-conference on 3 February 2009 in which he shared his thoughts about the recent hierarchical and church-wide sobors [assemblies] of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). Responding to a question about Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic relations, he noted that the relations between those churches remain quite complicated mainly because of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. «Our relations with the Roman Catholic Church were not established today. They have a history and are backed by a certain experience. This dialogue should take place, for we are called to certain unity and joint service to the Lord and people. Of course, we will not compromise Orthodox traditions and rules. Neither is the Roman Catholic Church going to do so. Our relations have been quite complicated, and remain so. Frankly speaking, the main reason for this status quo is the [Ukrainian] Greek Catholic Church,” said Metropolitan Volodymyr.- Details
Proposes a Convocation of the Grand Synod
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Moscow - 2/1/1009 - The enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia took place at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour on 1 February 2009. He was elected to the Moscow Patriarchal Throne by the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church on January 27.
Click below for stories and photos from the website of the Moscow Patriarchate:
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Congratulates Kirill on Enthronement as Leader of Russian Orthodox
VATICAN CITY, FEB. 2, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI has sent another message to the new patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, reiterating the importance of collaboration in seeking Christian unity.
The Pope again wrote Patriarch Kirill, elected last Tuesday, on the occasion of Sunday's enthroning ceremony. The message was made public today. He had already sent a message on the occasion of Kirill's election.
Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, headed the Vatican delegation at the enthroning ceremony and delivered the papal message, together with a chalice, to the 62-year-old patriarch.
The Holy Father recalled his meetings with the new patriarch in Kirill's previous role as the president of the Department of External Affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate. The Pontiff characterized these encounters as full of "good will" and recalled Kirill's role in "forging a new relationship between our Churches, a relationship based on friendship, mutual acceptance and sincere dialogue in facing the difficulties of our common journey."
"It is my earnest hope that we will continue to cooperate in finding ways to foster and strengthen communion in the Body of Christ, in fidelity to our Savior’s prayer that all may be one, so that the world may believe," he added.
Firm foundation
Benedict XVI also recalled the work accomplished by Kirill's predecessor, Alexy II, who died on Dec. 5. The Pope mentioned Alexy's efforts in the renewal of the Russian Orthodox Church itself, as well as its cooperation with other Christian Churches.
The Holy Father spoke of the heritage left by the late patriarch, "as he led the Russian Orthodox Church out of the long and difficult period of suffering under the totalitarian and atheistic system to a new, active presence and service in today’s society."
Alexy II "worked assiduously for the unity of the Russian Orthodox Church and for communion with the other Orthodox Churches," the Pontiff affirmed. "He likewise maintained a spirit of openness and cooperation with other Christians, and with the Catholic Church in particular, for the defense of Christian values in Europe and in the world.
"I am certain that Your Holiness will continue to build on this solid foundation, for the good of your people and for the benefit of Christians everywhere."
"Conscious of the enormous responsibilities which accompany the spiritual and pastoral ministry to which the Holy Spirit has called you, I renew to Your Holiness the assurance of my prayers and fraternal good will," the Bishop of Rome concluded. "I ask Almighty God to bless you with his love, to watch over the beloved Russian Church, and to sustain the bishops, priests and all the faithful in the unfailing hope which is ours in Christ Jesus."
ZE09020204 - 2009-02-02
Permalink: http://www.zenit.org/article-24980?l=english
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CWNews.com - 20090203 - The head of the Chaldean Catholic Church is urging the nation’s Christians to remain in Iraq. His Beatitude Emmanuel III Delly, Patriarch of Babylonia of the Chaldeans, told L’Osservatore Romano that “we must remain in our country at whatever cost” so that there may continue to be witnesses to Christ in the Middle East. Exhorting Iraqi Christians to pray and live exemplary lives of charity, the patriarch said that God gave men the gift of freedom, and thus Christians are free to leave; nonetheless freedom ought not to be confused with a liberalism without values.
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