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(UOC-USA) - The annual Encounter of Ukrainian Catholic and Orthodox Hierarchs of North America met in Clearwater, FL on 27-28 January 2011. The hierarchs have been gathering since 2001 to discuss the issues relevant to their respective dioceses and eparchies and to consider the steps that might be taken to draw the Churches closer together, setting an example for ecclesiastical life in Ukraine. Participating in this close knit brotherhood of Ukrainian hierarchs this year were: Metropolitan Constantine – Primate and Central Eparch UOC of USA, Metropolitan Stefan – Primate and Archbishop of Philadelphia Eparchy UCC in USA, Metropolitan Lawrence – Primate and Archbishop of Winnipeg UCC of Canada, Metropolitan Yurij – Primate of Winnipeg and All-Canada UOC of Canada, Archbishop Antony – Eastern Eparch UOC of USA, Bishop Richard – Bishop of Chicago Eparchy UCC in USA, Bishop Stephen – Bishop of Toronto Eparchy UCC in Canada, Bishop Paul – Bishop of Stamford Eparchy UCC in USA, Bishop David – Bishop of Edmonton Eparchy, UCC in Canada, Bishop John – Bishop of Parma Eparchy UCC in USA, Bishop Kenneth – Bishop of New Westminster Eparchy UCC in Canada, Bishop Andriy – Bishop of Saskatoon UOC of Canada, Bishop Daniel – Western Eparch UOC of USA and Bishop Bryan – Bishop of Saskatoon Eparchy UCC in Canada. Bishop Ilarion – Bishop of Edmonton UOC of Canada was unable to be present this year. Bishop Basil, Emeritus of Stamford Eparchy UCC in USA was a guest at the meetings.
The theme for this year’s encounter was: “Possibilities on the Path to Unity – What We Hold in Common and Where We Differ”. To broaden discussion on this topic, the hierarchs invited one priest from each Church to make presentations reflecting on this theme. Rev. Fr. Stephen Wojcichowsky, Director of the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies at the University of St. Paul in Ottowa, Ontario, Canada presented from the Ukrainian Catholic perspective. V. Rev. Dr. Jaroslav Buciora, Pastor of the Protection of the Mother of God Cathedral (Sobor) and Professor of Theology at St. Andrew College/Seminary, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada presented from the Ukrainian Orthodox perspective.
Fr. Stephen summarized some of the existing dialogues that have taken place between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches on a broader horizon – The North American Orthodox-Catholic Consultation, founded in 1965 and the Joint Committee of Orthodox and Catholic Bishops, founded in 1981 – both of which have issued numerous “agreed statements” concerning the many elements of faith that the two sides have in common, concerning the Sacraments, Theology, Dogma, etc. They have also discussed the most vexing problems about which agreement is difficult to establish and Fr. Stephen presented the thoughts of various modern Eastern Catholic theologians about these problems. Fr. Stephen expressed his joy at being asked to participate in the Encounter and proposed a Theological Consultation, which would be able to produce more in-depth and specific documents for dialogue.
Posted by Josephus Flavius
