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Photo: Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I embrace.
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.- Middle Eastern Patriarchs reaffirmed the deep history of Christianity in the Middle East and called for its perseverance into the future at this week's In Defense of Christians summit in Washington, D.C.
They called for Western partners to remember that history, and to help keep Christianity in its ancient homeland, as people from around the world work for peace and an end to conflict in the Middle East.
“We as Christians in the Middle East: we are going to remain and stay there,” said the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch John X Yazigi. “We are not strangers in that part of the world: we are people of light and of truth.”
Patriarch John X spoke Oct. 24 at the opening press conference for the In Defense of Christians (IDC) 2017 Summit, bringing together Patriarchs of Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox Churches, Middle Eastern Christians of all denominations, and policy leaders from the United States.
The organization and the summit seek to preserve and protect Christian and other religious minorities living in the Middle East.
This year’s theme for the Oct. 24-26 summit was American Leadership and Securing the Future of Christians in the Middle East.
The keynote speaker at the event was US Vice President Mike Pence, who promised direct American aid for persecuted Christians in the Middle East. Congressman Chris Smith (R-N.J.) was the recipient of IDC's Cedars of God award.
Link to full story: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/greek-orthodox-patriarch-christians-are-not-strangers-in-middle-east-29603
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By Katayoun Kishi and Kelsey Jo Starr
Atheist regimes dominated much of Central and Eastern Europe until the fall of the Iron Curtain and collapse of the Soviet Union between 1989 and 1991. Today, however, many of the governments in the region have an official state religion or an unofficial preferred faith.
In such countries, people are more likely to see religion and national identity as entwined, compared with citizens of neighboring Central and Eastern European states that lack official or favored faiths, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis.
Residents of states with official or favored religions also are more likely to support government subsidies and a public policy role for their country’s predominant church.
Link to full story by Pew Research Center: http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/11/03/many-central-and-eastern-europeans-see-link-between-religion-and-national-identity/
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http://www.thetablet.co.uk - 'Ukrainian society isn't ready to talk about reconciliation. They do not see a way out, or a moment when this pain – this war – will stop'
The head of Ukraine's Greek Catholic Church has told British diplomats that hopes of reconciliation with Russia will be hampered by Moscow's continuing refusal to acknowledge his country's legitimate right to statehood and nationhood.
“Russia doesn’t recognise Ukraine as party to a possible dialogue,” said Archbishop Svietoslav Shevchuk of Kiev-Halych, whose Church combines eastern rites with loyalty to Rome and was brutally suppressed under Soviet rule with Russian Orthodox support.
“This is why … Ukrainian society isn't ready to talk about reconciliation. They do not see a way out, or a moment when this pain – this war – will stop.”
Link to full story: http://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/8002/0/ukrainian-archbishop-names-obstacles-to-peace
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London (risu.org.ua) - On the afternoon of Saturday 28th October 2017, over one thousand faithful descended on London to witness an historic occasion – the celebration of an Eastern Rite Liturgy – at Westminster Cathedral, the Mother Church for Catholics in England and Wales.
His Beatitude Patriarch Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, along with Eastern Catholic Bishops of Europe and members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales celebrated the Pontifical Divine Liturgy in the presence of His Eminence Cardinal Vincent Nichols and the Most Reverend Edward Joseph Adams, Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain. Also in attendance at the Hierarchical service to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Ukrainian Catholic Exarchate/Eparchy were representatives of the Anglican and Orthodox Churches.
During the homily, His Eminence Cardinal Nichols said, “Today, as we Latin rite Catholics witness and take part in liturgies not so often seen in this cathedral, we pray that they can bring us to a deeper understanding of the things of Christ.” He further elaborated on the importance of liturgical catechesis as a tool of evangelisation. The full text of the homily can be accessed online:
http://rcdow.org.uk/cardinal/homilies/divine-liturgy-of-st-john-chrysostom/
Eastern Catholic Bishops of Europe: Our Love for the Lord Urges Us to the Proclamation of the Gospel
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risu.org.ua - From 26 to 29 October, 2017, the Annual Meeting of Eastern Catholic Bishops in Europe was held in London, at the invitation of H. Ex. Msgr. Hlib Lonchyna, bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of the Holy Family in London. The meeting was held at the Center for Unity of the Focolare Movement at Welwyn Garden City. They were intense days of meetings, conferences, and debates, but above all days of brotherhood and prayer, during which the bishops shared hope and suffering, projects and hardship of the Eastern Catholic Churches of Europe. There were about forty participants including bishops, priests, and experts in catechesis, coming from countries ranging from England to Ukraine, from the Scandinavian regions down to Greece. The general theme of the meeting was the proclamation, the knowledge, and the life of faith in Christ (Kerygma-Catechesis-Mystagogy), informs Consilium Conferentiarum Episcoporum Europae press release.
In the same period, also the 60th Anniversary of the Ukrainian Eparchy of the Holy Family of London was commemorated. This recurrence gave us the opportunity to remember with gratitude the pastoral attention of the Holy See in meeting the pastoral needs of the Eastern Catholic faithful scattered throughout Western Europe. In this way, it was possible to evaluate the specific situation of the Eastern Catholic Churches in all diaspora circumstances, with the hope that the experience of the past can still be an inspiration in continuing the pastoral engagement of all ecclesial realities in favour of the faithful who have emigrated from their own countries. The inaugural session was attended by the auxiliary bishop of London, H. Ex. Msgr. Paul McAleenan, who conveyed Cardinal Vincent Nichols's greetings and wished the presence of the Holy Spirit in our meeting. Then the Apostolic Nuncio in Great Britain, H. Ex. Msgr. Edward J. Adams, conveyed the greetings of the Holy Father. Pope Francis imparted his Apostolic Blessing on the meeting and extended his greetings to the faithful of the Ukrainian Eparchy and the Archbishop Major. The Apostolic Nuncio insisted on the need to announce the Gospel, to proclaim it, and to discover the beauty of a life of communion with God and with others. He proposed the image of Christ as an antidote to the evils of the present moment.
"At the conclusion of these works, all of us, shepherds of the Eastern Catholic Churches of Europe, are comforted by the love of the Lord in our ecclesial service, by the Divine Grace that heals our weaknesses, and by the Lord's love for his Church that drives us to proclaim his Gospel. We are convinced of the central and fundamental necessity of the proclamation of Christ by means of a catechesis and a mystagogy that arise from the celebration of the Divine Liturgy as a place of confession and celebration of our faith. A mystagogy that flows from the Gospel, from the texts of the liturgy, and from the iconography, to lead our faithful to the contemplation of the mystery of Christ, the Word of God incarnate, through the Holy Spirit and the Holy Virgin Mary", read the final statement.
Bishops mentioned the situation in Ukraine. "We particularly invoke the gift of peace and reconciliation for the Ukrainian people, who have been overwhelmed for too long by violence and war, and we also recalled the persecution and suffering of our Christian brothers in the Middle East".
In 2018, our meeting will take place from 14 to 17 June in the Eparchy of Lungro of the Italo-Albanians in Italy, at the invitation of H. Ex. Msgr. Donato Oliverio.
The meeting ended on Sunday, 29 October, with the Divine Liturgy celebrated in the cathedral church of the Holy Family in London, presided over by Archbishop Cyril Vasil' SJ, secretary of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.
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ncregister.com - Appeals for “honest politics” and warns against further chaos which is the “worst enemy” for minorities.