Protests against 'Roman imperialism' at Middle East synod [John Allen]

[Catholic_Press]

By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
Rome

While the Christians of the Middle East face a staggering variety of external challenges, from the Israeli/Palestinian problem to the rise of radical Islam, it was internal ecclesiastical questions which actually loomed largest during day two of the Oct. 10-24 Synod of Bishops for the Middle East.

Concretely, several representatives of the Eastern Churches of the region registered strong protests against what they almost seem to regard as a sort of “Roman imperialism” inside global Catholicism. Their basic argument is that reforms are required if the identity, authority and heritage of the 22 Eastern Churches in communion with Rome are to be preserved.

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[wisdomseeker]

Oh my. rebellious nature all around us. the Church is really being attacked from all sides. how horrible that these people are doing. obviously they lost the faith and no longer know what the Church and what she represents here on earth. the devil is trying to rule through the hearts of these rebellious men. the Lord is coming.

 

[countertenor]

Oh my. rebellious nature all around us. the Church is really being attacked from all sides. how horrible that these people are doing. obviously they lost the faith and no longer know what the Church and what she represents here on earth. the devil is trying to rule through the hearts of these rebellious men. the Lord is coming.

Yes asking that their rights be upheld as they were promised when they came into communion with Rome. So rebellious!

 

[twf]

wisdomseeker: Countertenor is correct. These venerable prelates of the Eastern Catholic Churches are simply asking the Holy Father to fully restore the ancient rights of the Eastern Churches…they are not asking for anything new or novel. What exactly do you see as being ‘rebellious’ in their requests? They are not undermining the authority of the Apostolic See in any way - they simply want the rights of the patriarchs and synods, which are already fully respected in the ‘traditional territories’ of the Eastern Churches, to be recognized globally, as the rights of the Latin Church are already. The Eastern patriarchs and synods elect their own bishops in the traditional territories of each Church sui iuris, so why can’t they do the same elsewhere? You’ll be hard pressed to find a liturgical or doctrinal ‘liberal’ among the Eastern hierarchies…so their track record may be even better than the Roman Curia when it comes to the appointment of bishops.

 

[Badaliyyah]

talk about stating the obvious. how long have we have waited for much of this.

there is no rebellion here, just Churches that ought to be respected as such by our Latin brothers and sisters.

salaam.