Patriarch Kirill Gundyaev of Moscow and all the Russias (1946- )… any meeting between him and the Pope of Rome would be one of two equals (just like this meeting with Cartholicos Karekin Nersessian (1951- ))… that’s why it’s not going to happen… the RCs want a photo-op where we kiss up to them in public… fat chance!
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Patriarch Kirill Gundyaev of Moscow and all the Russias reiterated that he wouldn’t meet with the Pope of Rome until [the Catholics] meet certain conditions. In an interview with the Serbian newspaper Вечерние новости (Vechernie novosti: Evening News), quoted by the official MP website, His Holiness said, “I still believe that if such a meeting were to be a success, it’s necessary to resolve the conflicts between us, if not fully, at least we should be taking substantive steps to address them”. In his opinion, the media pumps up the “purely sensationalist aspects of a possible meeting, we shouldn’t reduce it to a mere theatrical exercise. To be truly useful for the further development of relations between the [MP] and Roman Catholics, we should work together to make radical changes that’ll create a better atmosphere for these relations through the resolution of the existing problems between us”.
In speaking of the seizure of churches by the Uniates in the Ukraine, he pointed up that the MP recently proposed to revive a quadripartite commission involving the Vatican, the MP, the UOC/MP, and the Ukrainian Uniates. He said, “However, the Catholic side was very cool to our proposal”. He related that the MP, through its regular contacts with the leadership of the Catholic Church, constantly raises the question of resolving the situation concerning the seized Orthodox churches in the Western Ukraine, saying, “The Pope of Rome and the heads of Vatican Congregations express a nuanced understanding of our concerns, but the problem still remains unresolved”.
At the same time, he noted that the situation in Orthodox-Catholic relations in Russia over the past ten years is “significantly improved. The problem of proselytism isn’t as acute as it was in the ‘90s, when Catholic missionaries actively roamed all over Russia. In 2004, we created a joint working group to address the problems in relations between Orthodox and Catholics in Russia. It’s played a positive role”. His Holiness thinks that it’s necessary to develop cooperation between Orthodox and Catholics, “in keeping the Christian tradition, we are close in our views on personal and social ethics, scientific and technical progress, bioethics, and other issues of our time”, including the protection of the rights of Christians.
30 January 2012
Interfax-Religion
http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=43970
Editor’s Note:
Mark down well what His Holiness said… we are “close” to Catholics, not “identical”. There are Orthodox like the Blunder, SVS, and Fathausen who kiss the bum of the Pope of Rome in public for all to see. That’s wrong! We should withdraw from all “joint affairs” with RCs until the situation surrounding the Uniate aggression in Eastern Europe finds a just solution. If we don’t, we support the Vatican’s attacks on our co-religionists in Galicia and in the Carpathians.
You can stand with Fathausen as he sucks up to the RC hierarchy in the USA or you can stand with Fr Mikhail Shuvar of Happy Memory, who fought the good fight against the Uniates in the Western Ukraine (and was praised by His Holiness). You can stand with Psaryov and Larina as they fawn on Bob Taft, or you can stand with Fr Dmitri Sydor, who was beaten by the pro-American SBU goons. You can stand for those who chose to suffer for Christ’s sake, or with those who suck up to the Pope of Rome for filthy lucre’s sake. That’s the choice. Do you want to stand tall for Christ and His Orthodox Church, or do you want to kiss up to the Pope of Rome for earthly gain and applause? It’s up to you…
BMD
