The Havana declaration: a gloomy final balance…betrayal of Catholics in Ukraine?

For the ex-agents of the KGB, Kirill y Putin: most generous benefits.
For the people and the Greco-Catholic Church of Ukrainian: damage and betrayal

With their renowned facility for coining ironic expressions, the French created the turn of phrase: to speak pour la galerie. This implies speaking of certain topics in order to provoke a determined effect upon a particular audience. In another scenario, the same orator might present very different points of view depending on the assistants. Speaking pour la galerie thus implies using politically correct language in an attempt to win over approval from a particular group.

This French expression pour la galerie spontaneously comes to mind when analyzing the unexpected reception that Francis offered to the Permanent Synod of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and its Major Archbishop His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, on Friday, March 6, 2016.

What brought this encounter about? As Rome Reports informed, “The official reason was the 70th anniversary of the Soviet Union attempt to suppress the Church, which continued living in hiding.”

What a beautiful gesture! Finally, Francis appears openly recognizing the abnegation of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, which has — due to its fidelity to Rome — suffered the inexorable hatred and implacable persecution of atheistic communism during decades, without interruption. Has Jorge Mario Bergoglio converted into a feverous anti-communist?

The Bergoglian “leftwards” diplomacy: the controversial Kirill-Bergoglio declaration signed on the “enchanted” island of the Castro brothers

However, …what was the unofficial motive of this encounter with the hierarchy of the Greek Catholic Church of the Ukraine?

It’s very simple. At this point in the proceedings, since the Bergoglian diplomacy had exceeded in it’s complacency toward the Russians — not to mention the hugs and kisses offered to Kirill — it had revealed itself to be a bit too ‘sinistrina’ (to use Bergoglio’s own words), that is ‘leftwards’…

Effectively, the signing of the Kirill-Bergoglio declaration on February 14, 2016, under the attentive gaze of Raúl Castro, who played the role of the host to the event, produced a profoundly disagreeable impression among the suffering Ukrainian people. Consequently, for political purposes, a veer toward the right became urgent, most urgent. Naturally, a move in this direction for the current Bishop of Rome would be difficult; as such, it could only be brief and to the point. And so it was. Might it have been merely pour la galerie? Let’s see…

So, besides receiving the Permanent Synod of the Greek Catholic Church of the Ukraine, Francis also sent them an insignificant message entitled: “Francis manifests his profound thanks for the fidelity and value of the Greek-Catholic Ukrainian Church” (Vatican Press). It was the least he could do, in an attempt to stabilize a diplomatic politics that tended to go too far. By any chance, was Jorge Mario Bergoglio able convince with this exhibition? Let’s see…once again.

Will the Ukrainians be given irremediably over to the malice of the crow and the voracity of the seagull, just as the symbolic doves for peace in the Ukraine, attacked in Saint Peter’s Square on January 26, 2014?

However, in order to understand the drama lived by the Ukrainian people, what is the most profound motive of their anxiety? What are the effects of the joint Kirill-Bergoglio declaration for the people of the Catholic Church in the Ukraine?

It was the Archbishop of Kiev himself, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, who manifested his respectful perplexity in an interview on February 17, 2016.

In effect, for His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the problem is simple: “the points which concern Ukraine in general and specifically the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church raised more questions than answers.” What questions?

The Patriarchate of Kirill supports the Russian aggression against Ukraine, and has blessed Putin’s military activity in Syria

For Archbishop Shevchuk, it is specifically point 26 of this document that is the most problematic:

“In general, I would like to say that paragraph 26 of the Declaration is the most controversial. One gets the impression that the Moscow Patriarchate is either stubbornly refusing to admit that it is a party to the conflict, namely, that it openly supports the aggression of Russia against Ukraine, and, by the way, also blesses the military actions of Russia in Syria as a “holy war,” or it is appealing first of all to its own conscience, calling itself to the same prudence, social solidarity, and the active building of peace.

I do not know! The very word “conflict” is obscure here and seems to suggests to the reader that we have a “civil conflict” rather than external aggression by a neighboring state. Today, it is widely recognized that if soldiers were not sent from Russia onto Ukrainian soil and did not supply heavy weapons, if the Russian Orthodox Church, instead of blessing the idea of “Russkiy mir” (“the Russian world”) supported Ukraine gaining control over its own borders, there would be neither any annexation of Crimea nor would there be any war at all. It is precisely this kind of social solidarity with the Ukrainian people and the active construction of peace that we expect from the signatories of this document.” (Chiesa, February 17, 2016)

Do these words bring to mind the aggressive seagull and crow in Saint Peter’s Square in January, 2014?

The “Gordian knot” that Francis tied in supporting the Russian Orthodox Church

In reality, as is well known, the Russian Orthodox Schismatic Church, represented today by Kirill, has always been subjugated to the government in power, ever since it broke with the Chair of Peter in the fateful year of 1054.

First of all, it found itself under the Czars of diverse dynasties until the end of the monarchy of the Romanovs. Then, it was the Soviet Czars, who despite their official atheism, granted the Orthodox schismatics a surprising modus vivendi at the time of Patriarch Sergio I. As the decades went by, this modus vivendi only got better. What is the cause of such prerogatives? It is simply due to the loyalty and effective collaboration manifested by the subsequent patriarchs and the Orthodox clergy toward the communist regime. In 2016, the continuers of this legendary collaboration are the ex-agents of the Soviet Intelligence Service, the KGB, Patriarch Kirill and Vladimir Putin, as demonstrated in a study of the Denzinger Bergoglio.

Will Putin, supported by Kirill, emerge as a new red Czar following the habitual communist praxis of enthronement in power?

In a diametrically opposite direction from these schismatic and ‘orthodox’ Russian collaborators, the Ukrainian Catholic Church, faithful to Rome, fought and remained in clandestine, suffering the harsh persecution of the atheistic, despotic and bloody regime of Moscow. Moreover, it evidently confronted an implacable opposition and derision from the aforementioned schismatics who censured them as they still do, of being “Uniates”, for being united with Rome. In reality, due to the existence of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the signing of the declaration Kirill-Bergoglio (the accord of Havana) has become a very difficult obstacle to resolve. Something like the famous “Gordian knot” of the Greek legend. For what motive?

The fidelity of the Ukrainian Catholics to Rome and the See of Peter, within the current international conjuncture, goes against the tide of the diplomatic politics promulgated by a Pontificate that no longer hides its empathy toward the historic adversaries of the faithful Ukrainian Catholic Church: The Kirill/Putin pair. The perplexity of many Ukrainians and Catholics around the world is thus understood. Does Francis know that he is negotiating with ex-agents of the KGB? Is Father Lombardi aware?

The Apostolic Nuncio in the Ukraine affirmed: “we are all little traitors”…Should Ukrainian Catholics keep silent and accept the betrayal?

The Apostolic Nuncio Monsignor Claudio Gugerotti tried to justify the “Gordian knot” that Francis had tied, during his meeting in Kiev with the religious men and woman who work in the Ukraine — the very day after the signing of the accord in Havana. Despite his forced joviality, and the use of metaphors in an attempt to diminish the negative impact on the Ukrainians, he was unsuccessful in his efforts. His speech did not go over well, for he openly invited those present to forget the Kirill-Bergoglio document and have patience; and unbelievably, he exhorted them to calmly accept the betrayal. Yes, the betrayal, for if in the end, as Msgr. Gugerotti unashamedly affirmed, “we are all little traitors”…What more could be said?

As may be observed in the video, Archbishop Shevchuk, served as translator. However, at times he was unable to hide his perplexity at the words that Francis’ representative pronounced in public. We transcribe below the most significant parts indicating the minute and second to be compared (when an internet source in English is not available, the translation is ours).

• Minute 2:09: Reference to the Kirill-Bergoglio encounter in Havana’s airport

“Throughout these days we have seen behind the clouds. Because there were planes. One came from one place, and the other from another and they found themselves in the same place. We watched on television these airplanes that left and arrived. An encounter of airplanes, an encounter of people.”

• Minute 3:08 Reference to the Kirill-Bergoglio meeting

“A meeting of personalities is always the mystery of God. We do not know what others think, and this is what we bring to God’s mercy.” (Religious information Service of Ukraine)

• Minute 3:39 Reference to things that one says when thinking something else: speaking pour la gallerie?

“When we think of the many times that we ourselves think one thing and say another, we only need the mercy of the Lord. We can only believe that the grace of God is capable of converting the hearts of all. […]”

• Minute 5:17 Reference to the suffering of the Ukrainians due to the Kirill-Bergoglio encounter

“Look. I know that many of you have suffered these days for many reason, many interpretations, many possible interpretations of what happened. [Archbishop Shevchuk adds in his translation: “The pope and the Patriarch Kirill, obviously”]. Yes, yes, yes, I am referring to these airplanes…”

• Minute 5:57 A new reference to the suffering of the Ukrainians, but…

“I know how your nation suffers because of the difficulties of understanding. But, I ask you to be patient. Not always all parties can say what they want to say. Sometimes it is necessary to find a compromise in order to draw up a joint text, a joint declaration. His Beatitude knows well how much work and difficulties the text signed by Francis Pope and Patriarch Kirill cost for us,” [Archbishop Shevchuk adds: Between the Pope and Patriarch Kirill” (Religious information Service of Ukraine)

• Minute 7:05 The Nuncio minimizes the declaration and as a prevention alludes to the kiss of Judas

“But the majority of humanity have already forgotten the text. What people will remember — it’s their embrace. And the embrace is a holy thing. But, you may say, even Judas kissed Jesus Christ but then betrayed him.” (Religious information Service of Ukraine)

• Minute 7:40 The surprising axiom of Msgr. Gugerotti: “we are all little traitors…”

“We are all little traitors. We must have hope and faith that the Lord can work wonders even through our little failures and weakness” (Religious information Service of Ukraine)

Soon after these ignoble words, the Apostolic Nuncio of Francis concluded his discourse affirming that he would make a visit to the Ukrainians who suffer so as to comfort them; that he would look into their eyes and give them a hug. Finally, he declared that Pope Francis loves the Ukrainian people very much and feels very close to them…How beautiful and moving!!

Conclusion

Faced with this scenario, may Francis and his accomplices take note. Time and history will confirm if this diplomacy in favor of Putin and Kirill, the ex-agents of the KGB, finally sheds light on the mysterious and impacting scene of the doves for peace in the Ukraine attacked by a voracious crow and seagull in Saint Peter’s Square in January of 2014. A sign of the times? Who can know for sure…

However, looking beyond these tribulations, the Major Archbishop of Kiev, His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, together with his faithful flock of the Holy Roman Catholic Apostolic Church, may confidently recite the Prayer of Jerimiah 20:10-13, for they shall not be confounded.

All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine:
‘Perhaps he will be trapped;
then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him.’

But the Lord is with me, like a mighty champion:
my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph.
In their failure they will be put to utter shame,
to lasting, unforgettable confusion.

O Lord of hosts, you who test the just,
who probe mind and heart,
Let me witness the vengeance you take on them,
for to you I have entrusted my cause.

Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord,
For he has rescued the life of the poor
from the power of the wicked!

(Jeremiah 20:10-13)