VATICAN, Oct 23, 01 (CWNews.com) - As the Synod of Bishops moves toward a close, two prelates from Eastern Catholic churches spoke to the press in Rome today, emphasizing the importance of the Eastern tradition in the bishops' discussions.
Patriarch Gregory III Laham, the head of the Greek Melkite Catholic Church, acknowledged that the Eastern churches were not heavily represented at the Synod. "But the influence is important," he said. "We are here to provide some sense of the existence of the Orthodox who are also Catholics."
Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, the Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, said that "Latin paternalism" is gradually becoming less pronounced in the Vatican's approach to the Eastern churches. And he expressed satisfaction at the growing recognition that the Eastern Catholic tradition is "not a museum-piece, but a living part of the Church which should be respected for herself."
Catholic World News Service - Daily News Briefs
23. oktober 2001