Monday, 30 October 2023
-
October 30, 202309:37:10 pm
It has been a long day after a really short night. Once all the bishops arrived (and had lunch), Cardinal Lucian arrived and we began our synod meeting. Bishop Cristian Crisan, whom His Beatitude, Cardinal Muresan, sent to Rome to attend the synod there on his behalf, gave us a brief report on his experience and thoughts on the process. Then came the rest of the agenda: nothing too challenging this time, although I don’t know what that really says about us as bishops. Food for thought, indeed.
Because President Iohannis had to cancel his visit, I had a chance to do some intercontinental multitasking: I participated via Zoom in a meeting of the bishop-directors of the Catholic Conference of Ohio. There, the preoccupation with Issue 1, a pro-abortion referendum in the State of Ohio, was very much in evidence, and we are waiting anxiously to see what Election Day, November 7, will bring. But there was also a pleasant moment for me: the newly-named bishop of the Ruthenian Eparchy of Parma, the Most Rev. Robert Pipta, was also in the meeting and took advantage of our being together virtually to do me the honor of asking me to preach at his episcopal ordination. I was really touched by his request, and so I ask you to keep this unique duty of mine in your prayers.
Unfortunately, participating in that online meeting meant that I missed most of two lectures in the “Pope Francis Aula” next to the Synod room. They commemorated 170 years from the founding of the Metropolis of Alba Iulia and Fagaras, now the see of our Major Archbishop, Cardinal Lucian (in this context, a metropolis is an ecclesiastical jurisdiction consisting of several dioceses and overseen by an archbishop with the title of “Metropolitan”). Someone promised to send me a link to the recorded lectures, so when I am able to watch them, I will share more with you. What I did hear was testimony to the firm resolve of our bishops over two centuries (1700-1900) to preserve our heritage and traditions as an Eastern church in the face of the Latinizing tendencies of officials in Rome. I certainly want to learn more about that, but it is going to have to wait. I’m praying for a good night’s sleep tonight!
