Why is it that Roman Catholics seem to think that the Orthodox Church is going to reconcile with Rome, and that we will all be "one church" again? I heard this 5 years ago and again this past year, both times the people I know in the Orthodox church don't know what the heck it is that the people in the Roman Catholic church are talking about. If you know anything about this please enlighten me.
Tags: roman catholic church, Religion Belief, Orthodox Catholic Church, Orthodox, Anythingorthodox church reconciliation
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I’m Roman Catholic and never heard of this.
The Catholic and Orthodox churches must unite in order to defend Europe’s Christian roots, Pope Benedict xvi told a group of Romanian bishops, February 12.
As the bishops concluded their regular consultation with the pope—their “ad limina” visit—Benedict emphasized the need for them to work with their Orthodox counterparts. This comes less than a fortnight after the pope admonished English and Welsh bishops to be generous toward any Anglicans wishing to return to Rome.
“[O]f particular importance is the witness of fraternity between Catholics and Orthodox,” he said. “It prevails over divisions and disagreements and opens hearts to reconciliation.”
“I am aware of the difficulties that Catholic communities must face in this realm; I hope that adequate solutions can be found, in that spirit of justice and charity that must animate relations between brothers in Christ,” he said.
“A particularly important realm of collaboration between Orthodox and Catholics today has to do with the defense of Europe’s Christian roots and of Christian values, and with common witness on subjects such as the family, bioethics, human rights, honesty in public life and ecology,” he said. “Undivided determination on these arguments will offer an important contribution to the moral and civil growth of society.”
The reconciliation movement from the Catholics toward the Orthodox and Protestants has been going on for a long, long time. It doesn’t have nearly as much behind it as it once did, so it will likely not happen any time soon (if at all).
The two branches will be one again. This is the will of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The Eastern Orthodox will retain their liturgies and traditions; becoming Eastern Rite Catholics. Catholic will take on the true meaning of “universal”. All the patriarchs will be recognized as having equal authority. The Patriarch of Rome(Pope) will have final authority on matters of faith and morals. The leadership will be like the apostles. All the apostles were equal, but for final decisions; they deferred to Peter. The transition will not be difficult. Eastern Orthodox Christians are use to being obedient to authority. Protestants will find it alien to be obedient. Their only authority is self-opinion!
Roman Catholics have to abandon their heresies and they can come back to Holy Orthodoxy.
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