Statement of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church on the establishment of new Catholic dioceses in Ukraine

STATEMENT OF THE HOLY SYNOD OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW CATHOLIC DIOCESES IN UKRAINE

The Russian Orthodox Church has repeatedly stated that Catholic proselytism among the traditional Orthodox population in Russia and other countries of the Commonwealth of the Independent States presents a serious obstacle for normalizing Orthodox-Catholic relations. The events that took place in Ukraine, where an overwhelming majority of the faithful belong to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, point to the Vatican’s firm intention to pursue the policy of missionary expansion unacceptable for the Orthodox side.

On July 13, 2002, a new bishop was installed to a new diocese of the Roman Catholic Church, the diocese of Odessa and Simferopol with its center in Odessa, established by the decision of Pope John Paul II of Rome made on May 4, 2002. On the same day, announcement was made about the decision of the head of the Roman Catholic Church to establish another diocese in Ukraine, that of Kharkov and Zaporozhye with its center in Kharkov.

The Russian Orthodox Church, respecting the need of Ukrainian Catholics for pastoral nourishment, has not been against Rome’s creating dioceses in regions where they have lived historically. However, the newly-established bishoprics have emerged in regions where they have never been and where the number of Catholics is very small.

Attempts to spread its influence to the West of Ukraine have also been made by the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church. In mid-January 2002, John Paul II approved the decision of the Greek Catholics to establish an “Exarchate of Donetsk and Kharkov” by separating it from the “Exarchate of Kiev and Vyshgorod”. The leaders of the Greek Catholic Church have made public their desire to move to Kiev and establish a “patriarchal” see there.

People in the South and East of Ukraine have always stood for the Orthodox faith. The attempts to Latinize them or to impose Unia on them have been invariably abortive. It is needless to remind that this region has never had any Greek-Catholic episcopate.

The above-mentioned steps have pointed once again to the strategic intention of the Vatican to continue its eastward expansion at any price and by all possible means. Five months ago, in February 2002, similar actions were undertaken by Rome in the Russian Federation, which has actually suspended relations between the two Churches.

We state with all conviction that those who are responsible for the adoption and implementation of such decisions have consciously sacrificed the fate of interchurch dialogue for the sake of tactical “successes”, which, incidentally, failed to bring and will fail to bring any real benefit to the Catholic Church. The developments show that the Vatican leaders ignore the position of our Church on proselytism and on division of the spheres of pastoral responsibility. We have repeatedly heard, even in recent times, the Catholic side stating that Rome condemns proselytism. But unfortunately, deeds testify the reverse.

The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church reiterates the position set forth in the documents sent to the Vatican on June 28, 2002. We believe to be proselytism the very fact of Catholic mission carried out among Christians of the apostolic faith who have no historical or cultural links with the Catholic Church whatsoever. The reaction of the Catholic hierarchy to this point of view has only confirmed a fundamental disagreement between the positions of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church on this issue. The Catholic side has again stated its desire to continue “preaching the gospel” to all people without any reference to the fact that some of these people belong to another Christian tradition and to their own Local Church.

There can be only one real way out of the crisis, which has been aggravated by the new steps of the Roman Catholic Church in the territory of Ukraine. It is necessary to abandon the theoretical condemnation of proselytism “in general” and to recognize that missionary efforts made in the territory of the pastoral responsibility of another Church are inadmissible.

The Russian Orthodox Church resolutely condemns the actions of the Catholic side, calling it to common sense and reason. At the same time, we ask the Orthodox Christians: be faithful to the mother Church as never before and “be always prepared to make a defence to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence” (1 Pet. 3:15).