The Catholic Archbishop of Moscow has given a remarkably upbeat assessment of relations with the Orthodox Church, saying unity between Catholics and Orthodox could be achieved “within a few months.”As I wrote above, this is kind of exciting. If I seem a tad reserved over this potentially spectacular news, it's only because I have heard or read reports in the past of a similar nature, only to be disappointed later when they came to naught; indeed I detect a big fly in the ointment in this report of east-west reunification:
In an interview today in Italy’s Corriere della Sera newspaper, Archbishop Paolo Pezzi said the miracle of reunification “is possible, indeed it has never been so close.” The archbishop added that Catholic-Orthodox reunification, the end of the historic schism that has divided them for a millennium, and spiritual communion between the two churches “could happen soon, within a few months.”
[O]n matters of doctrine, the two churches are essentially in agreement. “There remains the question of papal primacy,” Archbishop Pezzi acknowledged, “and this will be a concern at the next meeting of the Catholic-Orthodox Commission. But to me, it doesn’t seem impossible to reach an agreement.”I admire Archbishop Pezzi's optimism but realistically, papal primacy is a pretty big bugaboo for eastern Christians so I am not so sanguine it can be resolved that easily. Still, anything is possible with God's help so let us all pray for those taking part in the next meeting of the Catholic-Orthodox Commission. Truly their task is a godly one and if they are sucessful it could be the dawning of a new (dare I say exciting?) age for Holy Church.
(h/t New Advent)
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