The Catholic bishop who was exiled from his Eastern Siberia diocese has invited
his opponents to dialogue.
Bishop Jerzy Mazur of the Diocese of St. Joseph of Irkutsk has been attacked by
the Orthodox Church for having studied missiology in his years of formation.
Russian authorities canceled his visa in April.
The Orthodox Patriarchate of Moscow recently sent a letter criticizing the
Catholic Church -- and particularly the bishop and Catholic congregations and
lay movements in the country -- for "proselytism" in Russian land.
In response, Bishop Mazur, of the Society of the Divine Word, made the following
appeal through SIR, the Religious Information Service of the Italian bishops'
conference.
Q: What was your first impression after reading the accusatory letter sent by
Metropolitan Kirill, president of the Department of External Relations of the
Moscow Patriarchate?
Bishop Mazur: My impression is that the document puts all the activities of the
Catholic Church in one bag, labeling it "proselytism." In reality, we
work more in a pastoral rather than missionary sense, also because there is a
lack of priests and nuns. There are 50,000 Catholics in my diocese, and the
country is large. Its territory is 28 times larger than Italy's.
Sixteen million inhabitants live in this region, and almost a million have
Catholic roots. In fact, there are Poles, Germans, Lithuanians, Ukrainians and
Byelorussians. They come from Armenia, Lithuania, Korea ... I don't think it is
the moment to be opposing one another.
Rather, the time has arrived to meet together and sit around the same table,
and talk. Together we must understand what proselytism is, and what must be
understood as missionary activity.
Q: The patriarchate also accused you. How do you respond?
Bishop Mazur: The document affirms that I, as a Verbite, studied missiology in
Rome, but this does not mean that I proselytize. It also states that I traveled
to Poland to speak with an archbishop who was then in charge of a missionary
commission.
In fact, I have spoken with many bishops, because we need priests. However, we
need them to do pastoral work with Catholics, social work with the people, and
ecumenical work with all Christians. For us, to preach the Gospel means,
especially, to be witnesses of Jesus' Gospel, and this is not proselytism.
Q: What is the way out of this tunnel?
Bishop Mazur: We must meet again and talk. Only dialogue can clarify the issues
and help the two Churches. Although all the social work we do is perceived as
proselytism, it is not so for us.
It is the gift of help that we wish to offer when we see children on the street,
minors abandoned in orphanages, poor families, young people without a future,
and many addicted to drugs. It is a help we can offer together.
Q: How do you live this situation?
Bishop Mazur: It's not easy. I have been removed as bishop for helping people
who have Catholic roots. I have been removed for helping the poor, for
supporting those who ask for it. I now ask: How can we proselytize with only 46
priests? Moreover, is it proselytism to build a church when all others have
been destroyed, transformed into museums of atheism, concert halls, hospitals
...?
Q: Why has the patriarchate been so harsh?
Bishop Mazur: I don't know. It's also difficult for me to understand. Yet,
although the document is very harsh, at least now we know what the Orthodox
have to say, and this is positive. I hope that the way of dialogue will now be
opened.
They have said clearly what they think of our activity; they have given
concrete examples of what they think is proselytism, which we consider normal
pastoral activity of the Church. We are ready to debate and to sit around a
table.
Q: At present, you are in Poland. Will you return to your see?
Bishop Mazur: For the time being it is impossible as they have not given me a
visa. The Holy Father wrote a personal letter to President Vladimir Putin, from
whom he has yet to receive a response. There was also a diplomatic note of the
Holy See, but the Vatican has received no reply at all.
The Polish government also sent a note, which has also had no effect. I think
President Putin could change this situation and act so that I can return and
continue my work as bishop.
Q: What hopes do you have?
Bishop Mazur: My hope is that the Holy Father and Patriarch Alexy will meet
soon, and that from their meeting a fruitful dialogue might begin, because only
dialogue can resolve all these problems, beginning with proselytism and
pastoral activity.
We need the ecumenical dialogue. I have another hope: to be able to return soon
to the country to continue with my work, which is pastoral work, and to promote
the ecumenical dialogue with the Orthodox.