Pope John XXIII on Orthodox Church (1926)

[Vouthon]

My dear Eastern Catholic and Eastern Orthodox brothers and sisters

I found a beautiful statement from the young Pope John XXIII when he was a Bishop and was wondering what you thought of it:

“…Catholics and Orthodox are not enemies, but brothers. We have the same faith; we share the same sacraments, and especially the Eucharist. We are divided by some disagreements concerning the divine constitution of the Church of Jesus Christ. The persons who were the cause of these disagreements have been dead for centuries. Let us abandon the old disputes and, each in his own domain, let us work to make our brothers good, by giving them good example. Later on, though traveling along different paths, we shall achieve union among the churches to form together the true and unique Church of our Lord Jesus Christ…”

- Angelo Roncalli (Blessed Pope John XXIII) 1926, Letter to Young Bulgarian Orthodox Christian

Much love

 

[ByzCathCantor]

Thank you for sharing that quote, and may we some day soon answer the Lord’s prayer that we “all be as one”!

 

[fnr]

An interesting quote, to say the least. I think that if we’re honest as Catholics, as much of the history of the Schism between Orthodox and Catholic is due to power politics between east and west as differences in theology (e.g., the Filioque). At the time, the two were intertwined, but people are people!

 

[Vouthon]

Thank you for sharing that quote, and may we some day soon answer the Lord’s prayer that we “all be as one”!

Amen

I care deeply for Catholic-Orthodox union. I believe that it is so important for the vitality of the whole world. We must first unify the Eastern and Western lungs of Christ’s Mystical Body, before we can truly embrace the whole world within the maternal arms of the Gospel. And yet even now in our sundered state, it is important for us as brothers and sisters to recognise the equality of our religious progress, to share our spiritual insights with one another and the great spiritual patrimony that binds us.

I love Blessed Pope John XXIII! He is such an ideal exemplar for me of Christ-like compassion. Did that man ever lack boundless love? He makes the ice in me melt with his goodness.

 

[Vouthon]

An interesting quote, to say the least. I think that if we’re honest as Catholics, as much of the history of the Schism between Orthodox and Catholic is due to power politics between east and west as differences in theology (e.g., the Filioque). At the time, the two were intertwined, but people are people!

 

[Hesychios]

I love Blessed Pope John XXIII!

Me too.

Although I was young during his Pontificate I do remember, and I will always hold him in the highest regard.

Memory Eternal!

 

[Vouthon]

Me too.

Although I was young during his Pontificate I do remember, and I will always hold him in the highest regard.

Memory Eternal!

Amen!

When Blessed Pope John XXIII received the observers at Vatican II he spoke to those gathered, including both cardinals and observers from many different churches, in very plain, simple words. He said:

“…We do not intend to conduct a trial of the past; we do not want to prove who was right or who was wrong; the faults were on both sides. All we want to say is: Let us come together. Let us put an end to our divisions. Some people want to complicate simple matters. I want to simplify complicated ones. I don’t know where we are going. Let us simply follow day by day whatever the Holy Spirit asks of us…”

I have always thought that for a Pope to say this, demonstrated the true greatness and strength of character which possessed this man.

 

[Art321]

Amen

I care deeply for Catholic-Orthodox union. I believe that it is so important for the vitality of the whole world. We must first unify the Eastern and Western lungs of Christ’s Mystical Body, before we can truly embrace the whole world within the maternal arms of the Gospel. And yet even now in our sundered state, it is important for us as brothers and sisters to recognise the equality of our religious progress, to share our spiritual insights with one another and the great spiritual patrimony that binds us.

If I may, I would like to join in this discussion. I truly believe that in someway, we are not truly two but one. I’ll explain so you’ll know where I am coming from. In the creed we recite every Sunday, we speak of a Holy Church that is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic. Now these four marks are truly part of the divine constitution of the Christ’s Church and no schism can ever truly undo this. So we can reason that with this that Catholics or the Orthodox have the fullness of the Church so to speak.

Now I’m not saying that one is better than the other by any means but am rather stating that one group has the full unity of the Church. The Catholic Church teaches this and I believe also says that in some way the Orthodox are not outside of Christ’s Church.

So by ending this schism, the Orthodox will once again have the full unity of the Church once again. From their point of view we will come back into the Church. In the end, I hope my point came across. In the future, we will definitely need more holy popes such as the one you mentioned.

I believe we can find one with our current Pope.

 

[Vouthon]

If I may, I would like to join in this discussion. I truly believe that in someway, we are not truly two but one. I’ll explain so you’ll know where I am coming from. In the creed we recite every Sunday, we speak of a Holy Church that is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic. Now these four marks are truly part of the divine constitution of the Christ’s Church and no schism can ever truly undo this. So we can reason that with this that Catholics or the Orthodox have the fullness of the Church so to speak.

Now I’m not saying that one is better than the other by any means but am rather stating that one group has the full unity of the Church. The Catholic Church teaches this and I believe also says that in some way the Orthodox are not outside of Christ’s Church.

So by ending this schism, the Orthodox will once again have the full unity of the Church once again. From their point of view we will come back into the Church. In the end, I hope my point came across. In the future, we will definitely need more holy popes such as the one you mentioned.

I believe we can find one with our current Pope.

You are more than welcome to join in!

A very thoughtful post my dear brother Art

I see completely what you are saying, about us not being truly two but “one body”. Blessed Pope John XXIII said in the above quote that we share the “same faith”. Yes - note that - the SAME faith.

Indeed some theologians think that the “two witnesses” predicted in Revelation (Paul and Peter from a preterist perspective) stand for Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, the two Churches that share the same Ecumenical Councils of the United Church in the First Millenium, the sacraments etc. Now that’s speculative but also quite beautiful even if its not accurate!

Blessed Pope John Paul II called the Orthodox Churches the other “lung” of Christ’s body, Now that’s a stark image. If you imagine the church as Christ’s Body and the Orthodox and Catholic Churches as the two lungs which allow the body to breathe, then it helps you realize how the West cannot live without the East and vice-a-versa.

I visited my local Greek Orthodox Church about 2 years ago, had a long theological discussion with one of the deacons and then attended Divine Liturgy (even matins! My legs were in agony as I stood the whole time - and I’d actually tore my ligaments that year and had a bandage - but it was well worth the pain!). The deacon told me that he and many other Orthodox greatly admired our Pope Benedict XVI. He said that he considered him to be very “orthodox” in his theological convictions.

 

[Jacob50]

Later on, though traveling along different paths, we shall achieve union among the churches to form together the true and unique Church of our Lord Jesus Christ…"

- Angelo Roncalli (Blessed Pope John XXIII) 1926, Letter to Young Bulgarian Orthodox Christian

Much love

I hope this happens someday.

 

[Vouthon]

I hope this happens someday.

Trust in God my dear brother

Notice, Pope John XXIII does not say, “we might” rather he says “we shall”.

To my eyes, that is an “assurance”. The late Holy Father is not being wildly optimistic, he’s stating what he - with his vast spiritual intuition - perceives to be a fact, a truism, something which will certainly ‘be’ in the future.

Pope John XXIII lived his life by the promptings of the Holy Spirit!

Take comfort from that

 

[Art321]

You are more than welcome to join in!

A very thoughtful post my dear brother Art

I see completely what you are saying, about us not being truly two but “one body”. Blessed Pope John XXIII said in the above quote that we share the “same faith”. Yes - note that - the SAME faith.

Indeed some theologians think that the “two witnesses” predicted in Revelation (Paul and Peter from a preterist perspective) stand for Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, the two Churches that share the same Ecumenical Councils of the United Church in the First Millenium, the sacraments etc. Now that’s speculative but also quite beautiful even if its not accurate!

Blessed Pope John Paul II called the Orthodox Churches the other “lung” of Christ’s body, Now that’s a stark image. If you imagine the church as Christ’s Body and the Orthodox and Catholic Churches as the two lungs which allow the body to breathe, then it helps you realize how the West cannot live without the East and vice-a-versa.

I visited my local Greek Orthodox Church about 2 years ago, had a long theological discussion with one of the deacons and then attended Divine Liturgy (even matins! My legs were in agony as I stood the whole time - and I’d actually tore my ligaments that year and had a bandage - but it was well worth the pain!). The deacon told me that he and many other Orthodox greatly admired our Pope Benedict XVI. He said that he considered him to be very “orthodox” in his theological convictions.