Posted on 06/23/2005 2:52:16 PM PDT by murphE
The cornerstone of Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral boldly proclaims, in the words of the Prophet Isaiah, "My House Shall Be a House of Prayer for All Peoples." We enflesh those words in number of ways.
Since its dedication, an innumerable number of interfaith prayer services have been held in our Cathedral. Last month for example, representatives of the Armenian, Evangelical Christian, Baha'i, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Sikh, Evangelical Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, United Church of Christ, Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox Faiths lead a large congregation of diverse people in an Interfaith Prayer Service commemorating the life of our Late Pope, John Paul II.
Earlier this week, as part of the seventh International Conference on Buddhist Christian Dialogue, representatives of various Buddhist traditions and Catholic, Southern Baptist, and Episcopal clergy gathered in the Cathedral to conduct a Buddhist Christian Prayer Service. An Interfaith Prayer Service is currently being planned to be held at the Cathedral prior to the upcoming inauguration of our new mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa.
In addition to such services, the Cathedral has hosted a number of sacred music events, such as choral presentations, organ recitals and performances, reflecting the diversity of faith found in our city. An Interreligious art exhibit, Passion and Passover, recently graced the walls of the side chapels of the Cathedral, featuring the works of Jewish and Christian artists.
The Cathedral has also been made available to members of other faiths in times of civic tragedy, such as the recent funeral for a member of the Airport Police Department who was so tragically killed in an act of violence: a non-Catholic, his funeral service was conducted by a Baptist Minister.
Occasionally we are asked by a single denomination to use the Cathedral. Our Guidelines for the Ecumenical and Interreligious Use of the Cathedral specifically state: "If a particular denomination is celebrating a special moment in its life and history, then the Cathedral may be available for Prayer Services, Vespers or other non-sacramental celebrations" [III.A].
The Guidelines further state: "The use of the Cathedral's altars is reserved for the celebration of the Eucharist by Catholic priests and bishops according to the usages of Catholic Churches, that is, those in communion with the Bishop of Rome" [III.B]. And further: "The celebration of Eucharistic or other sacramental liturgies by other denominations is best reserved to the designated places of worship of those denominations or other appropriate locations" [ibid].
Last Sunday, we were honored to host the Pontifical Divine Liturgy of His Holiness, Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, at our Cathedral. Why this exception to the above guidelines?
In Unitatis Redintegratio, the Vatican II Degree on Ecumenism, the special position of the Eastern Churches is specifically noted: "These Churches, although separated from us, yet possess true sacraments, above all --- by apostolic succession --- the priesthood and the Eucharist, whereby they are still joined to us in closest intimacy" [III.14]. This cannot be said of all Christian Churches, but certainly can be said of the Armenian Church.
In light of the conciliar document and the Ecumenical overtures of both our late Pope, John Paul II, and our current Pope, Benedict XVI, to the Eastern Churches, and acknowledging the hospitality extended by Karekin II to John Paul II during his pastoral visit to Armenia, when the Pope celebrated Mass on the altar of the Catholicos' Palace Chapel, we were singularly honored to host that spiritually rich and historic liturgy on our Cathedral altar.
Given the religious diversity of our city, it is fitting that our Cathedral be used both ecumenically and interreligiously, that it truly serve as the spiritual heart of Los Angeles.
You said in #58 that the late Pope and Lady Diana had similarly superficial ways of appealing to people. If, now, you are ready to retract your #58, apologize for it, and if you must, explain yourself better, go right ahead, and I will retract and apologize for all the mild profanity I directed your way.
I am not interested in any other opinion you have.
Whoa, deja vu. This is the same thing you did to te lucis on another thread. You misread what someone says, then you behave badly, then you demand an apology from them. If this follows true to form, in a few more posts sempertrad and I will be suspended, and you will be claiming that you never meant that to happen.
I forgot to add something:
I said: But the "superficial ways of appealing to people" was not what got your shorts in a twist. It was you wanting to believe I said that they had in common an immoral lifestyle.
This is easy to prove. A few posts before my reference to Princess Di, I spoke about Billy Graham and the Dali Lama in the same way. You made no comment. It was my mentioning the princess which gave you the wiggle room you needed to jump on something and start twisting it around.
As you wish.
I was irritated by Dalai Lama comparison as well, but Princess Diana went over the top.
There was a similar episode with Te Lucis, where s/he made an obscene reference to the Holy Communion, then claimed being misunderstood. In both cases there was a deliberate escalation of offensive to the Catholic Church but ambiguously worded posts, till someone called you on the offense. It was not my wish then, and it is not my wish now to have anyone banned over this. The only one with a technical violation is me, because I used mild profanity, for which I apologize the the gentle Freepers.
My advice to you all, stop trolling and think of what positive contributions your sect is capable of.
.....but suitable for an NO Mass.
Oh, brother.
That's rich, coming from a schismatic who just got done insulting the memory of a Pope.
Oh, wait! I get it! You did say that you knew the Soviet Empire well, didn't you now?
#4.That's rich, coming from a schismatic who just got done insulting the memory of a Pope.
I know you are, but what am I? Infinite. =P
You are acting dumb.
No "dumber" than repeating a false accusation over and over again because you have no real argument. I gave you the response your post merited.
I'm not a schismatic and your insistance that I am does not and cannot make it so. Sorry.
My assumption was that you belong to the SSPX, based on your overall character and the home page. If you are not, and still bashing the Pope, then no one including yourself knows what you are.
In the dynamic of their threads, one compares the Pope to a brainless pop culture icon, the other compares the Holy Communion to garbage. Both, of course, are worded to afford the haters some wiggle room toward deniability. We are now in the denial stage.
No one baited you, then or now. MurphE brought that episode up, then declared mine being a "false accusation". I gave link so that the reader can judge for himself.
Indeed, since John Paul II forgave Agca for shooting him, he would probably have the magnanimity forgiving you for your lame insults.
I cannot forgive on the late Pope's behalf, but I will pray for your souls.
This is my last post here.
You dodging the points of my last post was rather predictable, but the false piety you trotted out was an amusing surprise.
See ya 'round.
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