REPORT ISSUED ON ORIENTAL CHURCHES MEETING IN BOSTON

VATICAN CITY, DEC 6, 1999 (VIS) - A synthesis of the work undertaken November 7-12 in Boston, U.S.A., during the first meeting of bishops and major superiors of the Oriental Catholic Churches of America and Oceania, organized by the Congregation for Oriental Churches, was released today.

The report listed the members in attendance, including several officials from the Roman Curia and the specific topics discussed each day, with emphasis given to the liturgy, development and problems of the Oriental Churches in the lands to which members have migrated from their country of origin. It was noted that each day the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in one of the rites represented: Maronite, Armenian, Syriac and Byzantine rites, as well as the Roman Rite of the archbishop host, Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston.

The participants listed what they saw as priorities for the Oriental Churches: "formation of the clergy, with attention given to safeguarding their specific Eastern nature as well as the special care that should be given to spiritual direction; a catechesis project which privileges adult catechesis and the ever-deeper bond with liturgical symbols and texts; a commitment to help the re-birth and development of monasticism which - as the Holy Father recalls in 'Orientale Lumen' - has always been the very soul of the Oriental Churches."

The participants asked that, "where they do not already exist, specific commissions be created within episcopal conferences to deal with questions regarding Catholic Oriental Churches and their relationship with the Latin Church." They also asked that meetings such as this one in Boston become frequent, preferably regular.

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