The
Special Relationship the Orthodox [Handbook Excerpt]
If you open up your
Handbook, and turn to the second page, it will list
the copy write date as 1993. However
the official, edition is the 2005 edition, which includes the text
below, “The
Special Relationship With Our Sister Churches of the Orthodox
Tradition.” It
is important to note that the text talks
both about the Orthodox Christians, as well as about Eastern Catholics. Latin Catholics have a
particular duty to be
especially aware of and familiar with the traditions of the East, both
to help
unify Christians, and so that they can understand the roots and origins
of
their own traditions and customs.
The work of bringing
the message of Jesus Christ to every person, which,
in the words of Pope Paul VI, is the "essential function of the
Church" (EN:14), is closely linked to that other great commitment of
the
Church which is the promotion of reconciliation and unity among
Christians. We
recall here the prayer of our Lord at the Last Supper, "May they all be
one. Father may they be one in Us, as You are in Me and I am in You, so
that
the world may believe it was You who sent Me." (Jn. 17:21).
In the wake of the
Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) Christian Unity is
one of the great priorities of the Catholic Church in these times, for
as the
same Council points out "the division among Christians openly
contradicts
the will of Christ, scandalizes the world, and damages that most holy
cause,
the preaching of the gospel to every creature". (UR:l).
In the context of
the above the following quotation from Pope John Paul
II Apostolic Letter "Orientale Lumen" written as an aid to restoring
unity with all Christians of the East is of the greatest importance:
"Since in fact, we
believe that the venerable and ancient tradition
of the Eastern Churches is an integral part of the heritage of Christ's
Church,
the first need for Catholics is to be familiar with that tradition, so
as to be
nourished by it and to encourage the process of unity in the best way
possible
for each.
Our Eastern Catholic
brothers and sisters are very conscious of being the
living bearers of this tradition, together with our Orthodox brothers
and
sisters. The members of the Catholic Church of the Latin tradition must
also be
fully acquainted with this treasure and thus feel, with the Pope, a
passionate
longing that the full manifestation of the Church's catholicity be
restored to
the Church and to the world, expressed not by a single tradition, and
still
less by one community in opposition to the other; and that we too may
all be
granted a full taste of the divinely revealed and undivided heritage of
the
universal Church which is preserved and grows in the life of the
Churches of
the East as in those of the West. (No I)."
Further on the Holy
Father speaking of the Orthodox Churches, says:
"A particularly close link already binds us to them. We have almost
everything in common; and above all, we have in common the true longing
for
unity. (No.3).'
These Orthodox
Churches are truly our Sister Churches, we must promote in
every way possible reconciliation and unity between us according to the
mind of
Christ and in keeping with the guidelines of the document "Unitatis
Redintegratio" of the Second Vatican Council.
In the succeeding
sections of this chapter, what is said in reference to
the conversion of those who are not Catholics does not apply to our
brothers
and sisters of the Orthodox Churches.