On Monday, November 15, 1971, His Eminence John Cardinal Krol was interviewed by Mr. Vince Leonard on KYW TV, Channel 3, Philadelphia, Pa.
The following are the statements made by John Cardinal Krol about. His Beatitude Major Archbishop Joseph Slipyj and the Fifth Archiepiscopal Synod of the Ukrainian Catholic Church:
…Actually this [the Synod of the Ukrainian bishops] had nothing to do with the general Synod in Rome. There was a dedication of a church and the Cardinal Slipyj used the occasion — you have to understand he’s had the very … uh… terrible experience, in the…uh… labor camps and the jails. He is seventy or seventy-nine … eighter [sic] years old, I believe. He invited people to the dedication of this church and in the process he says he has convoking the 5th synod… and so he was asked: «Well, when was the first one?»
He says 11 Well, when I got out of jail… You met me», he says «and (?) the bishops.» Actually, the bishops were meeting, and under suggestions of the secretary of state that they form a conference of bishops as we have in the United States, as other groups have. And they—they met at number of occasions for this purpose. Cardinal Slipyj uses the word SOBOR as a Ukrainian word which means an assembly or meeting. New, that can be used in general term. But it was in no sense à canonical synod because he does not have the authority to call one. The bishops who attended were not under any impression that this was a canonical synod. They were simply there to…uh…as bishops of the United States or any other rite, have a conference of their own to discuss common needs and problems.
The Society for the Promotion of the Patriarchal System in the Ukrainian Catholic Church wishes to make the following comments about John Cardinal Krol’s statements:
His Eminence John Cardinal Krol’s remark about Major Archbishop Joseph Cardinal Slipyj and the Fifth Archiepiscopal Synod of the Ukrainian Catholic Church are offensive in both tone and content and should not have been made. To speak in such an ironic and caustic manner as Cardinal Krol did about an older Brother in Christ and a Confessor of Faith and to make innuendos about his person, betrays a lack of consideration, tact, and the virtue of charity associated usually with a Prince of the Roman Catholic Church. Cardinal Krol’s statements on this matter made the rest of his interview sound rather hollow and unconvincing. For example, in the portion of the interview immediately preceeding his evaluation of the Fifth Archiepiscopal Synod of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, Cardinal Krol, in speaking about injustice in the world, said that «we must, help people to help themselves,» and that we must «give them a chance to be honorable.» Yet in the same breath the Cardinal denies the Ukrainians their uncontestable right to be themselves, to preserve their spiritual identity, to worship God according to their own customs and traditions. And further: while condemning imperialism Cardinal Krol attempts to force the Ukrainian Catholic Church to accept customs and manners which are completely alien to her and to Eastern Rite Churches in general. The Ukrainian bishops, he says, should hold a conference, not a synod. And his reason for that is simply because «we [i.e. the Latin Rite bishops] have it in the United States.»
We find it quite strange that at one point during his interview Cardinal Krol denied being infallible. «I claim no infallibility,» he said in reference to a question asked by Vince Leonard about attitudes of foreigners toward America. At the same time Cardinal Krol did not hesita to give his opinion of the Synod of the Ukrainian Catholic bishops with the air of a man whose ‘knowledge is limitless and whose authority may not be assailed. Yet by doing so. Cardinal Krol displayed a vincible ignoran of matters which he, a member of the Congregation for Eastern Churches, should be familiar with.
To begin with, Cardinal Krol confused the terms SOBOR and SYNOD and then proceeded to define the former as assembly or meeting. In reality, the term SOBOR, besides its secondary meaning of Cathedral, – corresponds in concept tò the Latin work CONCILIUM—i.e., a gathering of all bishops in the world convened and presided over by the Pope, or a gathering of bishops, clergy, and laity of an Eastern Rite Church convened by her Primate. Thus Cardinal Krol’s assertion that Major Archbishop Joseph Cardinal Slipyj convoked a SOBOR makes no sense at all. Equally misleadi is Cardinal Krol’s statement that Cardinal Slipyj used the word SOBOR to describe the Synod of Ukrainian Catholic Bishops. This assertion has absolutely no basis in reality.
To set the record straight, let us state that there are various kinds of synods: eparchal synods, provincial synods, and in the Eastern Churches in union with Rome—Patriarchal and Archiepiscopal synods. And if Cardinal Krol had at least some good will in this matter, or if he treated the Ukrainian Catholic Church and its members with the same respe1 accorded to them by his illustrious predecessor, the late Cardinal О’Нага then there would have been no misunderstanding.
To the question, since when are the archiepiscopal synods held, Cardinal Slipyj, according to Cardinal Krol, replied, since the time of his arrival in Rome following his Siberian exile. (We are quite certain that His Beatitude Joseph Cardinal Slipyj did not say «When I got out of jail»—although those are the words attributed to him by Cardinal Krol.) і We urge Cardinal Krol to look into the ANNUARIO PONTIFICIO where he will find, that in December 1933 the Apostolic See confirmed, that the Metropolitan of Kiev-Halych and Archbishop of Lviv, Joseph Slipyj , is the, Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Church. And in accordance with the norm of the law, the Major Archbishop or Patriarch of an Eastern Church has the right ot convene an Archiepiscopal Synod. This is set forth on the Decree on Eastern Catholic Churches of Vatican II.
Thus Cardinal Krol is very much mistaken when he asserts that a Major Archbishop does not have the authority to convene a canonical synod and that «the bishops who attended were not under any impression that this was a canonical synod.»
One thing can be stated for certain: Cardinal Krol has no right at all to interfere in the internal affairs of the Ukrainian Catholic Сurch or for that matter, in the affairs of any of the Eastern Rite Churches.
Cardinal Krol obviously knows that in the Eastern Rite Churches in union with Rome a Major Archbishop or Patriarch has the right to nominate and consecrate bishops, and notify the Holy Father of his choice. In the Latin Church, even Cardinal Krol does not have such power.
We feel that His Eminence John Cardinal Krol exhibited a great disrespect for the Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, or our bishops—members of the synod, and for the entire Ukrainian community.
We hope that in the interest of truth Cardinal Krol will set the ‘ecord straight by apologizing for his remarks.
For the Executive Committee of the Society:
Dr. Zenowij Gill, M.D.
Chairman
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Eva Piddubcheshen
Public Relations
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Roman Lewyckyj
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Stephan Procyk,
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Julian Holowchak, Director
«The Voice of the Ukrainian Community»
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