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Ecumenism
DÉJÀ VU
Atila S. Guimarães - October 15, 2000
In an August 3 interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Russian Schismatic Patriarch Alexis II continued to complain about major obstacles that still disturb Catholic-Schismatic relations. Alexis II cited Catholic "persecution" and proselytizing of schismatics as the main problems standing in the way of a visit to Russia by John Paul II. Calling the obstacles "open wounds," Alexis appealed for an end to the "persecution of Orthodox Christians by Greek Catholics in western Ukraine and the work of proselytism carried out by Catholic Church structures among the traditionally Orthodox population" (The Tidings, August 11, p. 2).
Alexis receiving instructions from his boss, the Communist Russian president Vladimir Putin
30 Giorni, March 2001 |
The Vatican is making many efforts to cooperate by abolishing these and others "obstacles." An outstanding example that could be cited is the recent de facto abolition of the anti-Communist character of the Fatima message and its reference to the "conversion of Russia," which obviously supposed that the Schismatic Church is wrong and favorable to the Communist establishment. The real situation, which cannot be changed, is different from the story told by Alexis. It is not difficult to summarize it here.
The Schismatic Russian Church, as many other Schismatic confessions, lacks the vitality to make a real apostolate and convince the people. It is an arid structure, almost dead, that "lived" from the favor of the State and from the consequent elimination of any serious rivalry.
After the fall of the "iron curtain," our Ukrainian brothers of the Eastern Catholic Rite felt free to leave the "Church of the Silence," return to the light and give free course to their exuberance of Faith and life.
They fought for their right to their religious buildings, stolen by Stalin. Many times they took them by force. After that, they began to exercise their normal right to live as Catholics and to disseminate Catholic ideas. The result is a healthful movement of conversion of many schismatic adepts who are leaving their lethargic structures for the Catholic Church. That is to say, what is taking place is a significant erosion in the schismatic milieu.
This cannot be forgiven, neither by Alexis nor by his sectarians, and his constant whining has become part of the background. The Vatican has tried several times, without success, to brake the zeal of the brave Ukrainians. Therefore, once again an important progressivist plan has been halted by a healthy reaction of the Catholic traditionalist grassroots. And Alexis continues to weep...
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