Breathing With Two Lungs Again

By Nick Kovacs

When Pope John Paul II met the Catholic Bishops of Ukraine in the year 2001, he used the analogy of two lungs in the human body to represent the Western and Eastern elements of the Catholic Church. Using Pope John Paul II's analogy, the left lung represents the Latin Rite, and the right lung represents the Eastern Churches. (Note to Viewers: The Eastern Churches include all of the Eastern Rites in union with Rome, and the separated Orthodox Church.) Since the Great Schism of 1054, the separation of the Orthodox Church from Rome has made the Mystical Body of Christ (the Church) breath with one lung for many centuries instead of two.

Pope John Paul II desires the Catholic Church to return to the days of unity before the Great Schism of 1054, when the Western and Eastern elements (specifically the Orthodox Church) were completely united. To achieve a return to the unity before the Great Schism of 1054, Pope John Paul II is encouraging all Catholics throughout the entire Rites of the Catholic Church, to learn and appreciate the rich traditions and devotions each Rite has. It is important to stress that when Catholics of different Rites appreciate the rich traditions and heritage of each Rite, they must never lose their Rite identity. For example, Roman Rite Catholics must remain Roman when they are appreciating the rich traditions and heritage of their Eastern Rite (e.g., Maronite Rite Catholics) brothers and sisters, and vice versa. This appreciation of the unique beauty within the different Rites of the Catholic Church creates a unity in diversity that enriches the entire Catholic faith.
 

Once Roman and Eastern Catholics are able to appreciate the unique beauty within the Rites, the Orthodox Church will see the beautiful harmony between the Western and Eastern elements of Catholicism working together as one Church, desiring reunification. Just like how the human body works more perfectly when all of its parts are intact, so does the Catholic Church when all of its parts are intact. So through reunification with the Orthodox Church, the Mystical Body of Christ (the Church) will once again breath with two lungs, and be able to more perfectly spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ like it did once before.