So he should talk with one side of his mouth and make the other side match. Either leave us alone or prove you really do want to be sister churches. Seems to me like he only wants to be buddies when he needs new converts in Russia and Alexy won't let him come for a visit, or he's on a power grab in Ukraine. Politics over Christ - doesn't impress me.
Meantime it's the Russians who are helping the Serbs. Those mean nasty Russians that all the RC like to call names whenever they can, over on the religion forum. But I see who is doing Christ's work and who is playing politics. That's all I need to know to be sure I am in the right place.
Flame away if you like. The truth is the truth.
MarMema...a word of caution. I hope you and other Orthodox Christians never entertain the possibility of welcoming roman catholics as a sister church. The papacy is not a church. It is a monstrous institution for the care, feeding, nurturing and sanctuary of pedophiles and all sorts that prey upon children and each other. Granted there are many deeply spiritual parishoners within its worldwide parishes that blindly follow along lending credance to the illusion that some legitimate ministry is taking place. I cannot speak for them or the question of why they are there lending support to such dark works, but their presence does not suffice to make the institution Christ's church.
I agree with this statement wholeheartedly. I would prefer the latter, of course.
Seems to me like he only wants to be buddies when he needs new converts in Russia and Alexy won't let him come for a visit, or he's on a power grab in Ukraine.
I need to learn about this. Can you direct me to information?
I don't think the Catholic Church should be actively trying to convert Orthodox Christians in Russia or Ukraine or anywhere else. I do think that the Catholic Church should be able to send clergy and do whatever is necessary for the pastoral care of Catholics in Russia and Ukraine or whatever country.
There are already Catholics in Russia and the Ukraine, families who have been Catholic for many generations. I attended the funeral of my mother-in-law's best friend who was Catholic in St. Petersburg, and there were many old graves in the Catholic cemetery there. Many of the people attending the funeral and also the Mass on the 40th day after her death (which I also attended) were Orthodox, or nominally Orthodox.
The Orthodox Russians I knew had no problem whatsoever with a visit from the Pope or Catholic clergy being sent to Catholic Churches in Russia. They had a lot of problems with letting in all those dubious non-denominational "Protestant" groups and the Jehovah's Witnesses, etc., who were flocking into Russia and causing lots of confusion.
Perhaps things have changed since I was there and I would like to learn more.