Protecting the Eastern Lung within the Catholic Church…

If we are to accept the teachings of the Greek Fathers of the Church that, "there is, between human persons, a legitimate, God-created and mutually enriching diversity which has its roots in the Trinity itself" then in this essay I wish to impart the necessity of protecting the Eastern Lung within the Catholic Church, as well as the critical need to evangelize Catholics of all Rites as to an awareness of the universality of the Church. (Meyendorff, 1983, p. 24) It is critical that the considerable harm that has been done to the Eastern Catholic Churches, by the Latin Church, are redressed, in order that the separated Eastern brothers and sisters, may see that they are desired by the Catholic Church, not so as to be subsumed, but to be cherished for the unique expression of the Holy Spirit that resides within Them.

	Eparchial Crest of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Australia, New Zealand and Oceania. For more information visit the Ukrainian Catholic Church website.

I impress upon the reader, especially my Latin Church brothers and sisters, that this paper is written free of invective, but is a statement of facts to be considered, and reflected upon. I write in full support of the Church Universal, yet all the while critical of some of the tragic acts that have comprised Her history. It is useless for the evolution of the Catholic Church that the wrongs of the past be ignored, in the faint hope that political correctness in some way will redress these issues and wounds in the future. If we do not learn from history, George Santayana explains, we are doomed to at some later stage, to repeat the mistakes. In the case of the Catholic Church, such a repetition of history would undoubtedly lead to further schism, and greater delays in East/West reconciliation.

The reader must also counterbalance in their minds, all the while, the many wonderful charisms of the Latin Church that exist alongside this critique, for nothing is gained by bad conscience — but only by constructive introspection: "for it belongs to the very essence of catholicity to share in the brother's problems and to help him in resolving them". (Meyendorff, 1983, p.77) I write in the hope that my words can enrich both the Eastern and Western Churches in becoming aware of and fulfilling each of their identities. Living in the modern world, let us also seek to have a modern marriage between East and West, one based not on servitude, but on equality and mutual respect.

One should also keep in mind the many great contributions made in Australia of Roman Rite priests who have come to the much needed aid of the Ukrainian Church, especially so after the period of Soviet persecution — men such as: the former Chancellor of the Eparchy, Fr. John Bowden CSsR (whose Cause for Canonization is now being put forward by the Ukrainian Church in Australia); Archimandrite Peter Guy MSC, and Fr. Laurie Foote O.P. All these men devoted many, if not the majority of their priestly lives to the Eastern Catholic Churches. Interestingly, Fr. Foote would write to The Liturgical Commission in 2005: "When I was Ukrainian parish priest in Adelaide in the late 90's, more than once I received Confirmation notifications for children baptized and already confirmed/ chrismated in our Church. What amazed me a bit was the fact that each child has to present a baptism certificate to the school before being accepted for Confirmation. It would appear that many teachers were not bothering to read the certificates, which are printed very clearly in both Ukrainian and English." (www.litcom.net.au, 29th of May, 2005).

The question of married clergy…

Moreover, although defending the Eastern Churches right to a married clergy — this essay should not be deemed as a call for a likewise change of clerical discipline in the West. It is overly simplistic to wish to introduce a married clergy in the West by way of arguing of its existence in the East. The East has a separate theology on which the discipline of a married clergy is based, as distinct from a well-established theological tradition in the West that has supported the priestly charism of celibacy.

	Pope John Paul II: "one important way to grow in mutual understanding and unity consists in imporving our knowledge of one another."

As an Eastern Catholic academic, I have sought in this paper to respond to the late Pontiff's call; "that one important way to grow in mutual understanding and unity consists in improving our knowledge of one another". (John Paul II, 1995a, §24) By pointing out the errors of the past and disseminating this knowledge, I am attempting to curb similar events occurring in the future, and also attempting to inspire a sense of ecumenism based on a full knowledge of the relationship between East and West. John Paul II called on members of the Eastern Catholic Churches in particular to participate in the bridging needed between the separated brethren of the East and the Catholic Church, stating that they "play a constructive role in the dialogue of love and in the theological dialogue at both the local and international levels". (John Paul II, 1995b, §60) If lessons are indeed learnt from labours such as these then perhaps the vision of John Paul II may become the reality: "For full catholicity, every nation, every culture has its own part to play in the universal plan of salvation. Every particular tradition, every local Church must remain open and alert to the other Churches and traditions and, at the same time, to universal and catholic communion; were it to remain closed in on itself, it too would run the risk of becoming impoverished". (John Paul II, 1985, §27)

In writing, I am also aware of the truth of Montaigne's words that in matters of ecumenism "we need a judge not attached to either party, free from preference and passion, which is impossible among Christians". (Montaigne, 1952, II, p. 332) I stake a claim and passion for both the Western and Eastern Churches, for my goal is simply to stimulate a discussion on what hinders the path to Church unity and to establish within the reader's mind the long-awaited need for catholic thought. Meyendorff says it in this manner: "Agreement needs critical study of one's own past and present but, first and foremost, a vision, a common discovery of the "realized eschatology" which makes the church to be the Church". (Meyendorff, 1983, p. 64)

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