Most American Catholics belong to the Latin Rite which follows the liturgy common in the church in western Europe. But even before the Latin Rite was fully formed, there were several Catholic churches in eastern Europe, Asia and Africa that followed a somewhat different but still authentic way of offering Mass, and used other languages than Latin. One of the tragedies of Christian history is that certain of these great churches broke off their connection with the pope during the Middle Ages. By now, there are Catholic branches of each of these fragmented communities. The Catholic branches continue their own Eastern liturgical practices, but acknowledge the Holy Father as head of the total church. But most of these Catholic branches are relatively small, and have often suffered much to maintain their union with both the Holy See and the Greek Rite.
That brings us to St. Josaphat. Christianity was introduced into Russia by St. Vladimir, Grand Prince of Kiev, in 989. Since the missionaries to Kiev came from Constantinople, the type of liturgy adopted was both Greek and Slavonic. Constantinople and Ukraine at that time acknowledged the pope. The Greek Rite, in the Old Slavonic language, was used. After 1054, however, Constantinople, for political as well as religious reasons, declared its independence of the Holy See, and gradually the other Eastern Orthodox churches followed suit, especially Moscow. Efforts were not wanting on the part of the popes and some Eastern churchmen to reestablish union with the Holy See. Thus, in 1595, the Orthodox bishop of Kiev and five other Ukrainian bishops sought official reunion with Rome. However, this partial reunion aroused great opposition on the part of the Russian Orthodox majority of the country, and much violence followed.
John Kunsevich was born in 1580 to a prominent Catholic of the city of Vladimir. A thoughtful and devout young man, John entered a monastery in 1604, taking the name Josaphat. He became noted for his holiness as a monk, and for his ability as a preacher. Since there was so much opposition to reunion with Rome, Father Josaphat devoted much of his preaching to defending Catholic unity. In 1617 he became archbishop of Polotsk. Here he struggled manfully but successfully to bring about a reform among his clergy and laity. In 1620, however, the opponents of union with Rome set up a non-Roman archbishop of Polotsk to serve as a rival. Soon they had won a number of Catholic Ukrainians away from the pope. As Josaphat battled to bring back his straying sheep, personal opposition against him became increasingly intense. Surrounded one day by an angry mob, he said, “You people of Vitebsk want to put me to death … I am ready to die for the holy union, for the supremacy of St. Peter and of his successor, the Supreme Pontiff.” Sometime later a gang entered his church. Crying out, “Kill the papist,” they shot the archbishop, crushed his skull, and threw his body into the river.
St. Josaphat’s death served only to encourage the Ukrainians in their loyalty to the pope. In our own more ecumenical days, the Catholic Church is striving to reestablish unity with all the Orthodox churches through loving dialogue. To this work of reconciliation, we may be sure, St. Josaphat is adding his own powerful prayers. -–Father Robert F. McNamara
Scripture(Eph 4:1-7,11-13)
I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace: one Body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. And he gave some as Apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the Body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ.
Writings
(Year C). The Union of Brest opened a new page in the history of the Greek Catholic Church in Ukraine. Today that Church wishes to sing with joy a hymn of thanksgiving and praise to the One who, once more, has brought it back from death to life, and it wishes to set forth with renewed enthusiasm on the path marked out by the Second Vatican Council. Joining the faithful of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in this thanksgiving and petition are the Greek Catholic Churches of the diaspora which date back to the Union of Brest, together with the other Eastern Catholic Churches and the entire Church.
After the division which damaged the unity between the West and the Byzantine East, frequent and intense efforts were made to restore full communion. I wish to mention two particularly significant events: the Second Council of Lyons in 1274, and above all the Council of Florence in 1439, when protocols of union with the Eastern Churches were signed. Unfortunately, various causes prevented the promise and potential of those agreements from being realized.
After the union, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church enjoyed a period in which its ecclesiastical structures flourished, with resulting benefits for religious life, the education of the clergy and the spiritual commitment of the faithful. With remarkable farsightedness, great importance was attached to education. Thanks to the valuable contribution of the Basilian Order and other Religious Congregations, there was a great growth in the study of the sacred sciences and the nation's culture.
There are those who see the existence of the Eastern Catholic Churches as a difficulty on the road of ecumenism. The Second Vatican Council did not fail to face this problem, indicating possibilities for solutions both in the Decree on Ecumenism Unitatis redintegratio, and in the Decree Orientalium Ecclesiarum, which was specifically dedicated to these Churches. Both documents reflect a spirit of ecumenical dialogue with the Eastern Churches not in full communion with the See of Rome, in such a way that the richness which the other Churches share with the Catholic Church can be appreciated, and that the quest for an ever fuller and deeper communion may be founded on this shared richness. In fact,"ecumenism is directed precisely to making the partial communion existing between Christians grow towards full communion in truth and charity".
Pope John XXIII was fond of repeating: "What unites us is much greater than what divides us". I am convinced that this attitude can be a great benefit to all the Churches. More than 30 years have gone by since the Pope made this statement. In this period of time there have been many indications which suggest to us that Christians have made progress in this direction. Eloquent signs of this progress have been the fraternal meetings between Pope Paul VI and the Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I, and those which I myself have had with the Ecumenical Patriarchs Dimitrios and, more recently, Bartholomaios, and with other venerable Patriarchs of the Churches of the East. All this, together with the many initiatives involving meetings and dialogue which are being promoted everywhere in the Church, encourages us to have hope: the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of unity, does not cease to work among Christians still separated from one another.
In recalling the Union of Brest we must ask ourselves what this event means today. It was a union which concerned only a particular geographical region, but it is relevant for the entire field of ecumenism. The Eastern Catholic Churches can make a very important contribution to ecumenism. The Council's Decree Orientalium Ecclesiarum reminds us that "the Eastern Churches in communion with the Apostolic See of Rome have a special role to play in promoting the unity of all Christians, particularly Easterners, according to the principles of this sacred Synod's Decree on Ecumenism: first of all by prayer, then by the example of their lives, by religious fidelity to ancient Eastern traditions, by greater mutual knowledge, by collaboration, and by a brotherly regard for objects and attitudes". From this it follows that Eastern Catholics are to commit themselves to living profoundly what the Decree lays out. They are asked to make a confession of faith full of humility and gratitude to the Holy Spirit, who guides the Church towards the fulfilment promised her by the Redeemer of the world. (Pope John Paul II; 12 November, 1995)
Musical Selection(Chanticleer)
[Translation]:
Lord, oh the Great and Almighty, Protect our beloved Ukraine, Bless her with freedom and light Of your holy rays.
With learning and knowledge enlighten Us, your children small, In love pure and everlasting Let us, oh Lord, grow.
We pray, oh Lord Almighty, Protect our beloved Ukraine, Grant our people and country All your kindness and grace.
Bless us with freedom, bless us with wisdom, Guide into kind world, Bless us, oh Lord, with good fortune For ever and evermore.
Collect
Stir up in your Church, O Lord, the Holy Spirit,
who moved Saint Josaphat to give his life for his people,
so that through his intercession
we too, in the strength of the same Spirit,
may not fear to lay down our life for our friends.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,