Saturday, November 20, 2004
Melkite bishop says word
At a Vatican symposium on the Eastern churches, marking the 40th anniversary of the Vatican II decree Orientalum Ecclesiarum , Bishop Ignace Dick of Aleppo, Syria, said that while there have been "certainly some happy results" from the post-conciliar approach to the Eastern rites, "the application of the decree has been only partial." The Melkite bishop went on to say that "there is still a great force of inertia to overcome" in changing Roman attitudes toward the Eastern churches.
The Eastern Catholic churches still need "fully to revive their tradition," Bishop Dick said. At the same time, the universal Church must "become accustomed to breathing again with both lungs," and the Roman Curia must recognize the ecclesial rights of the Eastern patriarchs. He explained that the Eastern patriarchs should be given all of the rights and responsibilities that they enjoyed during the first Christian millennium.
Might just work, not to mention being good for reunion with the Ortho-dox types. Might just work.
The Eastern Catholic churches still need "fully to revive their tradition," Bishop Dick said. At the same time, the universal Church must "become accustomed to breathing again with both lungs," and the Roman Curia must recognize the ecclesial rights of the Eastern patriarchs. He explained that the Eastern patriarchs should be given all of the rights and responsibilities that they enjoyed during the first Christian millennium.
Might just work, not to mention being good for reunion with the Ortho-dox types. Might just work.
