THE VATICAN, FRIDAY, NOV. 8, 2014 A provocative statement by the Pope: “The Orthodox Church is sick”

THE VATICAN, FRIDAY, NOV. 8, 2014

A report by George N. Papathanasopoulos

In the Mt. Athos Tribune

A provocative statement by the Pope: “The Orthodox Church is sick”

          A few days before his visit to the Φανάρι, (Constantinople) the Pope made a provocative statement about the Orthodox Church.  Since the Orthodox Church is not under the authority of the Pope of Rome, he characterized it as being “sick.”  A Metropolitan of the Church of Greece, who was informed of the statement, sadly shook his head and said: “It is quite evident that Pope Francis sent his statement before visiting Constantinople at the end of November in order to express his opinion that the Orthodox Church of Constantinople is sick.” He made this statement, desiring in this way, to continue the process of his predecessors to heal the breach with the Orthodox Church. Healing as understood by the Pope is for the Orthodox Church to accept the Primacy of the Pope of Rome.  If this is done, then the Roman Catholic Church will accept the Primacy of the Patriarch of Constantinople in the Orthodox Church. (Is this a possible secret agreement that has already been worked out between them?)

          Pope Francis made his statement about the Church of Constantinople on the 5^th of November during his fourth general teaching audience held in St. Peter’s Square before thousands of his faithful.  Amongst other things, he said the following: “A Church is not healthy when the faithful; the clergy and the deacons are not united around their Bishop.  A Church that is not united around its Bishop is a sick Church.  Jesus desired the unity of all the faithful with their Bishop.   He wanted this also with His priests and His deacons.  All are required to understand that the Bishop is the visible sign of the ties of each person with the Church.   It signifies the unity of the Church with the Apostles and with all the Christian communities.  And all these communities are united with the Bishops and with the Pope in the One, Unique Church which is ours.  It is the Holy Hierarchical Church.”

          It is noted that according to the Pope, the term hierarchical has the meaning that the faithful and the lesser clergy are united with the Bishops and they in turn with the Pope.

          It is reasonable to ask why this statement would be made only a few days before the Pope’s visit to the Φανάρι (Constantinople.  This is a reasonable question when it is understood that nothing comes out of the Vatican by chance.  Valid observers commenting on the statement emphasized that the Jesuit Pope sent a clear message to the Orthodox Church of Constantinople.   In other words, in spite of all his social contacts and his opening up to others and indicating how progressive he is; in reality, as far as social issues are concerned, he is letting the international news media know, that down deep he is ecclesiastically a papist.  The current progressive Pope, on specific issues about the Church and the Primacy of the Pope, is no different than his very conservative predecessor Benedict.  His statement, that his Church is the only healthy Church, is insinuating that the Orthodox Church is sick. This is nothing more than a continuation of previous Vatican statements.  These statements are: Dominus Jesus of 2000, written and inspired by the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, president of the Committee for the Propagation of the Faith and later Pope Benedict.  His statement also dovetails with the papal encyclical “so that we may be one” of Pope John Paul 11 of 1995.  This too was the inspiration of the then Cardinal Ratzinger which was approved at the Second Vatican Council.  According to this declaration “the Church of Christ is found in the Catholic Church, which is governed by the successor of Peter and the Bishops who are in communion with him.”   There is one difference.  Today’s Pope is making it known that he is more conservative than the decision made at the Second Vatican Council.  In that Council, it spoke of the deficiencies of the Orthodox Church, where the current Pope speaks about it being sick.  And certainly the declaration of Pope Francis destroys any hope of the two Churches coming together in spite of movements to the contrary in recent history.   

Translated from the Greek and edited by:

+Fr. Constantine J. Simones, Waterford, CT, USA, November 12, 2014, 860-460-9089, cjsimones@gmail.com