Posted on 12/22/2023 2:17:30 PM PST by ebb tide
COMMUNIQUÉ
regarding the reception
by the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
of the declaration of the Dicastery of the Doctrine of the Faith "Fiducia Supplicans"
on the pastoral significance of blessings,
signed by the Father and Head of the UGCC, His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
Kyiv
On December 22, 2023
In response to numerous appeals from bishops, clergy, monastics, church movements, and individual laity of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church regarding the Declaration of the Dicastery of the Doctrine of the Faith "Fiducia Supplicans" (December 18, 2023) on the pastoral meaning of blessings, after consulting with relevant experts and competent institutions, I would like to inform you of the following:
1. The above-mentioned Declaration interprets the pastoral meaning of blessings in the Latin Church, not in the Eastern Catholic Churches. It does not address questions of Catholic faith or morality, does not refer to any prescriptions of the Code of Canons for the Eastern Churches, and does not mention Eastern Christians. Thus, on the basis of can. 1492 of the CCCC, this Declaration applies exclusively to the Latin Church and has no legal force for the faithful of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
2. The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is one of the Eastern Catholic Churches, therefore it has its own liturgical, theological, canonical and spiritual heritage, which all the faithful are obliged to observe and cherish (CCCC, can. 39-41). The meaning of "blessing" in the UGCC and the Latin Church is different.
3. According to the liturgical practice of our Church, the blessing of a priest or bishop is a liturgical gesture that cannot be separated from the rest of the content of the liturgical rites and reduced to the circumstances and needs of private piety (Catechism of the UGCC "Christ is our Pascha," paras. 505-509).
4. According to the traditions of the Byzantine rite, the concept of "blessing" means approval, permission, or even an order for a certain type of action, prayer and ascetic practices, including certain types of fasting and prayer. Obviously, the blessing of a priest always has an evangelizing and catechetical dimension, and therefore can in no way contradict the teaching of the Catholic Church about the family as a faithful, indissoluble, and fruitful union of love between a man and a woman, which Our Lord Jesus Christ elevated to the dignity of the Holy Sacrament of Matrimony. Pastoral discernment urges us to avoid ambiguous gestures, expressions, and concepts that would distort or misrepresent God's word and the teaching of the Church.
The blessing of the Lord be upon you!
+ SVIATOSLAV
[Rorate Note: the Latin Rite Conference bishops of Ukraine had already rejected Francis' Gay Declaration earlier this week.]
US Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception prohibit any blessing of same-sex ‘couples’
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Ping
I agree with his understanding of a blessing; I don't agree that this understanding is inapplicable in the Latin Rite. Quite the contrary, in fact.
I note that the list of vertebrate bishops is growing, and welcome this contribution from our Easter brethren.
“Embrace the Sodomy”
If you ever hang out with them, you may find them using both terms self-referentially.
I often attend a Byzantine (Ruthenian) Catholic Church and I got the impression that this and some of the other decisions of Pope Francis wouldn’t set right with them. Outside of commemorating him in the Liturgy, I have never heard the priest mention Pope Francis. I have heard him speak at length about Pope Benedict.
OK ... I’ve seen the use of both terms in the Melkite-Greek Catholic Church. FWIW.
I am Orthodox, and I first went to this church out of curiosity. It’s only a block from my house. I had heard Orthodox people speak of the “Uniates” as a sham Orthodoxy, but if they are shams they are doing a good job of hiding it. I tell people that the only way they would know they are not in an Orthodox church is that they commemorate the Pope. When I converted to Orthodoxy 35 years ago, it was in the Carpatho-Russian Church, so I felt right at home with the Ruthenians. I understand from reading that some Byzantines want certain “Latinizations” removed, but I don’t see many of them at this parish. They have a fine young priest who is well-steeped in Scripture and the Fathers and Eastern sprituality. I always learn something new from him. The first time I was there and introduced myself to the priest I said I was Orthodox. He said he was, too.
The major factors that keep me from becoming Byzantine are the current Pope and some hierarchs and clergy in the Roman Church and their destructive agendas.
The Byzantine Parishes I am familiar with has thrown off some of those Latinizations. Communion now to infants, Priests can be married.
Very little Priest pedophilia cases by comparison to the Roman Rite.
Vatican II, although not technically “bad” opened up the door for Satan. Things do not look to good but I have faith the Church will persevere per Christs promise. In matters of safeguarding the church teachings, this Pope is probably the worst ever. The only other one I can think of that might have been close was the one that was on board with Arianism for a while. The other “bad Popes” in the past did not mess around with Doctrine.
Sad state of affairs and I do not blame you for staying Orthodox. After all as you probably know the Orthodox is one of the two lungs of the Church! Christos razdajetsja!
Slavite jego!
That's a contradictory statement, if I've seen one.
Any council that opens up the door for Satan is "bad".
Not really. Just like anything else, new developments can cause invite abuse.
For example, the distribution of communion was only done by the Priest. Vatican II allowed laypeople to also do it under “extraordinary” circumstances. Sounds reasonable. But now practically every Novus Ordo parish uses these lay “Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministers” very ordinarily. This was an abuse of a reasonable change. Ultimately this caused less reverence for the Eucharist. Satan scored one for his team.
Yes, really!
Not taking the bait. Have a fine evening!
It’s not bait; it’s fact.
It’s a shame you won’t admit it.
That's not true; the Council never allowed that.
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