Archbishop Joseph Raya on the Papacy

[Irish_Melkite]

GAssisi:

Please help my memory. I recall that an Eastern Catholic bishop once asked the Pope for advice or whatnot, and the Pope responded to him, “well, exercise your rights!” Do you know of what or of whom I write? I think it was sometime in the early 20th century.

Greg,

I believe the incident to which you refer involved the Servant of God Metropolitan Andriy Sheptytsky, of blessed memory, Metropolitan Arch-Eparch of Lviv of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholics. As I recollect, the issue involved Metropolitan Andriy’s concern with regard to exercising the authority to name Blessed Leonid Federov as Exarch of the Russian Greek-Catholics.

Hopefully, my memory is correct (where are the Ukes when you need them?)

Shoshana,

I wouldn’t presume to speak for Joe, as I don’t know him, but I seem to recollect a post in which he identified himself as a Melkite Catholic. Most well-informed Melkite Catholics in the US and Canada, as well as significant numbers of other Eastern Catholics and Orthodox, are familiar with Archbishop Joseph Raya. His Byzantine Daily Worship is a staple in the libraries of many and his many other works, such as The Face of God, from which I believe Joe quoted, are widely read for the wonderful spiritual insights and understanding that they offer into Eastern Christianity.

Prior to his ordination to the episcopacy, Archbishop Joseph was the pastor of Saint George’s Melkite Catholic parish in Birmingham, AL. During his time as Arch-Eparch of Haifa, Nazareth, Acre, and All Galilee, and after his retirement from hierarchical office, Archbishop Joseph traveled frequently through the US and Canada, visiting Melkite parishes which always considered themselves blessed by his spirituality, as well as his incredible wit.

Archbishop Joseph has not been well the past two years or more now. Recently, he suffered a hip fracture. I was told a couple of weeks ago by Archbishop Cyril (Eparch of Newton of the Melkites in the US) that he had to be re-hospitalized subsequently because of complications; I haven’t heard anything more since that time. I ask your prayers for his recovery to health and that God grant him many years.

Many years,

Neil

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

Hesychios:

Something here reminds me of splinters and logs.

Or, to Shakespeare: “A pox on both your houses!” ​

emphasis mine]

The two are like a couple of selfish brats squabbling over a toy while their street burns down.

Does it matter whether the Holy Spirit is or is not sent by the Son when millions are starving ? Who cares whether the Papacy is founded by Christ on Peter, when people are dying of exposure on our own streets ? These things are so trivial, compared to the real problems one sees every day in society.

The Good Samaritan in the parable didn’t argue over rival readings in Deuteronomy before helping the Jew - he went ahead and helped him.
Christians of opposing Churches (!!) really need their heads knocking together sometimes. ##

 

[CocamoJoe]

Shoshana:

Cocomo,

May I ask where you got to know Archbishop Raya? I find this very interesting. My spiritual director was offered to be ordained by him 32 years ago and this same spritual director is an associate priest of Madonna House. He (my priest) has travelled many times to Lebanon, etc with him. I have in my possession the ‘Byzantine Daily Worship’ with Byzantine Breviary, etc published in 1968 when the Archbishop was Archbishop of Haifa, Aka, Nazareth and All Galilee.

I am sorry if I am breaking your conversation here…

Blessings,
Shoshana

To put it simply, I don’t know Archbishop Raya. I read a book of his titled The Face of God, which was, to put it lightly, splendiferous. It was an introduction to Eastern Christianity, and it contained that gem which I quoted at the top of this thread.
I have not anyother book of his, but perhaps that will be amended with Christmas coming up .
One of the priests at my Church, who isn’t Melkite, but Ukranian, is an iconographer. He told me that Raya, at the most recent Melkite Convention, up in New England (I say “up” for I live in Augusta, GA), asked him to write an icon of Marilyn Monroe for him (this is in regards to someone saying that Raya is witty).

Cocamo Joe

 

[CocamoJoe]

## Or, to Shakespeare: “A pox on both your houses!”

emphasis mine]

The two are like a couple of selfish brats squabbling over a toy while their street burns down.

Does it matter whether the Holy Spirit is or is not sent by the Son when millions are starving ? Who cares whether the Papacy is founded by Christ on Peter, when people are dying of exposure on our own streets ? These things are so trivial, compared to the real problems one sees every day in society.

I would say that both issues you mention are important, or, to use your term, they both “matter”. You seem to be suffering from the cancerous either/or mentality; it is okay to be both/and. You offer no litmus test of any sort that decrees what is a “real problem” and what is “trivial”, other than cleverly worded exaggerations.
I would say that both issues—papacy and people dying of exposure—ought to be addressed, dealt with, and worked on. You seem to say that one should be worked on, and the other neglected. That is where I simply disagree.

The Good Samaritan in the parable didn’t argue over rival readings in Deuteronomy before helping the Jew - he went ahead and helped him.

One could quote St. Paul warning his listeners that there would come some who would preach a “Gospel” that was at “odds” with the one that he and the other Apostles preached to them. Both/and is your friend; are you its friend?

Cocamo Joe

p.s. forgive me, please, if this comes across as too caustic
Christians of opposing Churches (!!) really need their heads knocking together sometimes. ##