MP-+Met. Vladimir Of Kiev Endorsed By Oikumene

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http://directionstoorthodoxy.org/mod/ne ... le_id=6613

Russian patriarch renews demand for "concrete action" by Vatican
Moscow, Dec. 28 (CWNews.com) - Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II said that he still expects "concrete actions" by the Vatican before a meeting with Pope Benedict XVI could be considered.

Patriarch Alexy II shown in photo in white

Pope Benedict XVI, wearing the camauro hat on his popemobile, arrives for the traditional weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2005.
Moscow, Dec. 28 (CWNews.com) - Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II said that he still expects "concrete actions" by the Vatican before a meeting with Pope Benedict XVI could be considered.

Although he said that he is pleased with the new Pope's public commitment to ecumenism, the Russian Patriarch renewed his protests against Catholic "proselytism" in Russian and elsewhere in eastern Europe. The Vatican must curb the activity of Catholic evangelists, he told a BBC interviewer, before a summit meeting can be arranged.

"Why meet in front of the TV cameras?" Patriarch Alexy asked rhetorically. "Just to show the world that there are no problems between us? But we have problems, don't we?"

The Russian Orthodox leader complained that Catholic missionaries regularly seek to bring baptized Orthodox believers into the Catholic Church. (Catholics point out that in Russia, the vast majority of those who are officially classified as Orthodox are in fact not connected with any church.) He also charged that Catholics of the Eastern churches-- particularly the Ukrainian Catholic Church-- are deliberately seeking Orthodox converts.

On a more positive note, Patriarch Alexy allowed that Catholic and Orthodox leaders share many concerns, especially in the face of the secularizing trends sweeping Europe. "We have much in common," he said, calling for more cooperative ventures.

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(Get a load of the pic of the uniate prelate on the link.)

http://directionstoorthodoxy.org/mod/ne ... le_id=6648

Russian prelate wants Ukrainian Catholic move to Kiev reversed
Moscow, Dec. 30 (CWNews.com) - Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexei II repeated his insistence that the Vatican must stop Catholic "proselytism" in eastern Europe, during a December 30 meeting with journalists in Moscow.

Moscow, Dec. 30 (CWNews.com) - Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II repeated his insistence that the Vatican must stop Catholic "proselytism" in eastern Europe, during a December 30 meeting with journalists in Moscow.

Questioned about the likelihoo of a "summit meeting" with Pope Benedict XVI, Patriarch Alexy said that Rome and Moscow have different perspectives on that possibility. While the Vatican believes that a face-to-face meeting could produce progress toward ecumenical unity, the Moscow Patriarchate argues that "such a meeting should be preceded by an improvement in relations," the Russian prelate said. The most difficult issues should be resolved before a summit meeting, he said, because "complex issues should not be raised and discussed during a meeting between the Patriarch and the Pope."

Patriarch Alexy told the press that he was hopeful for some ecumenical progress after a meeting of a joint Catholic-Orthodox commission, set up to discuss the issues that have caused disputes between the Vatican and the Russian Orthodox leadership. That committee met in Moscow earlier this week.

The Russian patriarch said that he hoped, in particular, the joint session would convince Catholic leaders that the Ukrainian Catholic Church, having recently established new headquarters in the capital city of Kiev, should return to Lviv, reversing a move made in August 2005. Such a move is highly unlikely. Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, the Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, recently appointed a new Archbishop of Lviv (shown in photo). The appointment was acknowledged by the Holy See, in a public statement which, for the first time, also recognized Cardinal Husar as the Archbishop of Kiev.

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Meeting with Pope should resolve disputes between churches - Alexy II

MOSCOW. Dec 30 (Interfax) - Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II said that a possible meeting with Pope Benedict XVI should mark a final stage in efforts to resolve disputes between the RussianOrthodox and the Catholic Churches.

The two churches are divided over approaches to a possible meeting between their heads, Alexy II told journalists in Moscow on Friday. "Our opinion is that such a meeting should be preceded by an improvement in relations and a solution to problems that plague our relations today," he said.

The Vatican's policy of proselytism, with attempts being made by the Catholic Church to convert Orthodox believers to Catholicism and attacks on Orthodox dioceses in the Ukrainian towns of Lviv, Ivano- Frankivsk and Chernobyl, do not allow the two churches to hold aconstructive dialogue, the patriarch said. "The transfer of the Lviv archbishop's residence to Kyiv does not contribute to good relations, either," he said.

Alexy II said he hopes that a joint commission in charge of proposing solutions to disputes between the churches, which convened in Moscow earlier this week, will help reverse the situation.

An agreement needs to be reached that will enable people baptizedin Orthodox churches to attend religious services conducted in Orthodox churches and follow Orthodox traditions, he said.

"Complex issues should not be raised and discussed during a meeting between the patriarch and the Pope," Alexy II said.

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http://directionstoorthodoxy.org/mod/ne ... le_id=6632

Vatican recognizes Ukrainian prelate's move to Kiev
Vatican, Dec. 29 (CWNews.com) - The Vatican has acknowledged the controversial move by Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, the Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, who in August transferred his see from Lviv to the Ukrainian capital city of Kiev, despite angry opposition from the Russian Orthodox Church.

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Vatican, Dec. 29 (CWNews.com) - The Vatican has acknowledged the controversial move by Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, the Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, who in August transferred his see from Lviv to the Ukrainian capital city of Kiev, despite angry opposition from the Russian Orthodox Church.

A terse public statement released on December 29 by the Vatican Information Service announced that Cardinal Husar had named Bishop Ihor Vozniak as the new Archbishop of Lviv. The Vatican announcement identified Cardinal Husar by his new title as "Archbishop Major of Kiev-Halyc."

As the head of a self-governing Eastern Catholic Church, Cardinal Husar named the new Archbishop of Lviv himself, after consulting the Ukrainian Catholic synod. The Vatican announcement noted that the Pope had been "informed" of the decision, according to canonical protocol.

Although Cardinal Husar had made his move to Kiev in August, the announcement on December 29 was the first public recognition from the Holy See that the Ukrainian prelate is now Archbishop of Kiev. The Vatican had made no comment when the move took place in August.

Russian Orthodox Church leaders have issued repeated angry protests of the move by the Byzantine-rite Catholic Church into Kiev, in eastern Ukraine, where the population is mostly Orthodox. The Moscow Patriarchate cites the move as an example of Catholic "proselytism," and an effort to lure believers away from the Orthodox Church. Cardinal Husar, for his part, says that the move into the country's capital city is a natural step toward the recognition of a single Ukrainian patriarchate, embracing all the Eastern Christians of the country.

When Cardinal Husar completed his move on August 21, despite Moscow's objections, the Ukrainian Orthodox Metropolitan Volodymyr wrote to Pope Benedict, demanding that the Holy See reverse the Ukrainian cardinal's decision. Responding on behalf of the Pontiff, Cardinal Angelo Sodano observed that the Ukrainian Catholic Church neither sought nor required the Vatican's consent for the move.

"Previously Pope John Paul II gave his consent to that decision" to move the Ukrainian see from Lviv to Kiev, Cardinal Sodano told the Orthodox prelate. The late Pope offered his consent, the Vatican Secretary of State continued, because he was "respecting the rules and canons of the synods of the Eastern churches."

The dispute in Ukraine creates a dilemma for Orthodox officials. Although Orthodox officials involved in ecumenical discussions insist that the Pope should not have the authority to overrule local Church leaders, in this case the Moscow Patriarchate is asking the Vatican to rescind a decision by an Eastern Church leader. The situation is further complicated by the splits among the Orthodox faithful of Ukraine, where a large group of Orthodox believers have broken away from the Moscow Patriarchate to establish the independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church- Kiev Patriarchate.

Meanwhile the Ukrainian Catholic Church, which is by far the largest Eastern Christian body in full communion with the Holy See, continues to seek Vatican recognition as a patriarchate. Orthodox leaders, both in Moscow and in Constantinople, have warned that such a move could cause a breakdown in ecumenical talks. Pope John Paul II had indicated that he was sympathetic to the desire for a Ukrainian Catholic patriarchate, but felt the time for such a move was not ripe, in light of the Orthodox opposition. Pope Benedict XVI is believed to hold a similar view on the question.

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http://www.ugcc.org.ua/eng/press-releases/article;2775/

...On December 21, 2005 it was announced in the Vatican that the Holy Father Benedict XVI blessed the following decisions of the Synod of Bishops of UGCC:

1) to appoint Reverend Father Dionisiy (Lyakhovych), hieromonk of the Order of Saint Basil the Great (OSBM), as the Curial Bishop of the Major Archbishop of Kyiv and Halych;

2) to appoint Reverent Father Dr. Bohdan (Dzyurakh), hieromonk of the Order of Redemptorist Fathers, as the Auxiliary Bishop of the Kyiv-Vyshhorod Archeparchy;

3) to appoint Reverend Father Myron (Mazur), hieromonk of the Order of Saint Basil the Great (OSBM), as the Auxiliary Bishop of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Eparchy of St. John the Baptist in Curitiba, Brazil.

The Episcopal ordination (chirotonia) of Bishop-elect Dionisiy (Lyakhovych) will take place on February 2, 2006 in Brazil.

The Episcopal ordination (chirotonia) of Bishop-elect Bohdan (Dzyurakh) will take place on February 15, 2006 in Lviv.

The date and location of the Episcopal ordination (chirotonia) of Bishop-elect Myron (Mazur) are to be announced.