The Ruthenian Rite was once an Orthodox rite, separated from Rome as part of the Great East-West Schism of 1054. How is it then, that Pope Francis in 2013 was able to name Fr Burnette as a bishop in that Eastern Ruthenian Rite?
St Josaphat, a Peacemaker Archbishop
In many regards, we owe this to the work of a 16th century saint, St. Josaphat, whose feast we celebrate today. The Ruthenian Church, a once Eastern Orthodox rite mainly found in Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania and Poland, but mostly centered in Kiev -is now in full communion with Rome.
St. Josaphat, born around the year 1580, is one of few people from an Eastern Rite who has gone through the canonization process in the Roman Catholic Church.
As a young man, St. Josaphat led a virtuous life, which caused him to be elected abbot of his monastery, and later appointed bishop and archbishop in Poland.
While an agreement had been signed for the Ruthenian Church and Roman Catholic Church reunification early in his life, there were many members of the Ruthenian Church who did not want communion with Rome. There were men and women on each side of this ecumenical disagreement who tried to rise above the conflict. St. Josaphat was one of these men.
For all his attempts to mend the rift between the Ruthenian Church and the Roman Church, St. Josaphat was hated by many in his native land. (Lk. 4:24). Eventually, due to his work in bringing about reforms of the clergy in Lithuania and Poland, as well as efforts to bring the Ruthenian Church into better relationship with Rome, he was beaten, stabbed, and shot on this day in 1623. His body was dumped unceremoniously by his attackers into a river. Recognized as a martyr by the Catholic Church, St. Josaphat was canonized in 1867.
The Answer to Christ’s prayer
In the Farewell Discourse before His arrest and passion, Jesus prayed that His Apostles “may all be one” (Jn. 17:21). This was precisely the work that St. Josaphat accomplished in his small corner of God’s vineyard.
How often do we fail to recognize the importance of Christian unity? In 2017 we marked the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. In 30 years, we will witness the first millennium of the Great Schism. Our Church has been broken apart for too long. We have yet to ‘breathe with both lungs ’as Pope St John Paul II desired. Yet, in the spirit of St. Josaphat, great work is being done.
Popes Benedict XVI and John Paul II did amazing work in dialoging with the Lutheran and Calvinist communities. Both of them, as well, met with Archbishop Williams, the then spiritual head of the Anglican Church.
Pope Francis has continued on this same track. He has met with the Coptic Pope Tawadros II, head of Egypt’s 8 million Coptic Christians. The Patriarch of the Eastern Church, Bartholomew of Constantinople, was present at the inaugural Mass of Pope Francis, a fraternal gesture not seen for 950 years. These are historical moments for the Church today.
Pray for Peace
Let us join in the words that Christ Himself prayed, for the total unification of our Church. May we all be one and follow the example of St. Josaphat especially in light of the present conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Even in the face of violence and hatred, St Josaphat sought peace and unity above all things. May that be our goal as well.
This reflection is an edited/updated version of a catholic apostolate center article originally published Nov 12, 2013
