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While the Roman Catholics have a tolerable relationship with the Orthodox Churches, the Eastern Catholic Churches which were seen chanting after the Pope's Funeral Mass (they sang in Greek, "Christ is Risen from the Dead, trampling down death by death and giving life to those who are in the tombs") have a far more difficult time with the Orthodox. While there are Roman Catholic parishes springing up all over Russia, I know of only one Eastern Catholic Church in Siberia, where the hold of the Central Government is the least effective. The Western part of the Ukraine is dominated by Eastern Catholics. It was they who pushed for the Orange Revolution. In the east the Orthodox Church predominates. A threshold problem is that there are no less than three Orthodox jurisdictions, with two separate Patriarchs, in Kiev and a third, the Russian Patriarch, in Moscow. With whom does Rome negotiate?

One Cardinal whom I met in Rome told me that John Paul II badly wanted those Eastern Bishops added to the roster of his own Bishops because he considered them a counterweight to the American and Canadian Bishops whom he regarded as much too liberal.

Unity with the Orthodox was probably the only main initiative the late Pope took which did not succeed. George Weigel quoted the Pope as saying he even would be willing to give up "jurisdiction." The Pope names Bishops of not only the Roman Catholic Church but of the Eastern Catholic Churches as well. That has been deeply resented by the Orthodox who say, "See what will happen to us if we enter into communion with Rome." To attain unity the Pope was willing to return to the ancient practice, still followed by the Orthodox, in which Synods of Bishops elect new Bishops. The Pope only would be informed of the decision. That is the way the Melkite Patriarch was elected a few years ago. He was selected by the Synod of Bishops, who then notified Rome of his appointment. The Patriarch wrote a letter saying he desired to be in communion with Rome, and Rome answered saying it wished to be in communion with the Melkite Church. That was it. I am, as full disclosure should note, a Melkite Greek Catholic. I have seen those documents.

How much weight John Paul II's successor will give to unity with the Orthodox remains to be seen. If the new Pope comes from Africa or Latin America he may put little or no weight on this question. Indeed the Orthodox may find that John Paul II was their best opportunity for unity; when they had the chance they refused to take it. History rarely offers a second chance.

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Paul M. Weyrich is the Chairman and CEO of the Free Congress Foundation.

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Note -- The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, and/or philosophy of GOPUSA.

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