We can't "allow" it, SFA, because communion is an expression of union through faith. Until our particular Churches work out our theoogical differences, with God's help, we cannot commune because we do not profess the same faith no matter how close it is. Our differences may be few in number but they reach to the core of our belief.
The good news is that we now know that our differences are to a large part an expression of our separate linguistic and cultural traditions, and ways of expressing them, and this gives us hope that we can define a common faith, once again.
+Benedict XVI said the union cannot be achieved through absorption of one Church into the other, and he is right. But at the same time, he has turned the Western Church towards our common patristic roots. And part of it may result in tossing away razors and scissors and Latin clergy, once agian, becoming patristic, as an expression of their mindset and not as an imitation of the East.
We in the East truly believes that the Catholic Church is in its roots no different whether it was in the East or in the West: both catholic and orthodox, externally and internally. Up until the TLM, the Mass in Rome was the divine Liturgy of Antiochan origin. For six centuries the East and the West did not differ externally of internally. When you look at us, you see the past when we were one, in faith and in communion.
I think the example of the beards was a telling one as to the effect how much we remain that Old and unchanged Cburch. But, no matter what happens, you are our brothers and your clery is true clergy just like ours is, and your Eucharist is true Eucharist just as ours is, and in dire straights neither Kolo and I would have second thoughts about receiving communion from a Latin priest.
Thanks for your excellent post.
I agree entirely with what you wrote and I appreciate the following statement and feel the same towards My Orthodox Brothers and Sisters
“”But, no matter what happens, you are our brothers and your clergy is true clergy just like ours is, and your Eucharist is true Eucharist just as ours is, and in dire straights neither Kolo and I would have second thoughts about receiving communion from a Latin priest.””
BTW, I am sorry if my poor attempt at silly sarcasm in post #3965 came across in the wrong way.
I wish you both a Blessed evening!