ONE FOLD, ONE SHEPHERD

 A REFLECTION FOR THE FEAST OF ST. JOSAPHAT, BISHOP & MARTYR

Today’s saint, the holy bishop and martyr Josaphat, was murdered in 1623 by a schismatic Orthodox mob in Vitebsk, a town in what is now Belarus.  They killed him because he had become a thorn in their side, converting many away from their schismatic religion of Orthodoxy back to the fold of Rome.  For this reason, it is not surprising that since Vatican II, St. Josaphat has been hailed as the “martyr of ecumenism”, but in fact nothing could be further from the truth.

The so-called ecumenical movement, which became so prevalent after Vatican II, has as its aim the unity of all churches.  This drive for unity is even extended to non-Christian religions like Judaism, Islam, and even Voodoo.  And what’s wrong with that, you may ask.  Of course, there’s nothing wrong with unity—we are members of a Church that has four marks, the first of which is “One.”  So we should all be for unity. 

Our Lord himself presented himself as The Way to unity: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  No one cometh to the Father, but by me.”  He recognized that there would be division, and his answer was quite clear—they must listen to and follow him who is The Way, and thus find their way to the true Church which he founded on St. Peter, Bishop of Rome.  “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”

So then, what is the problem with so-called “ecumenism?”  It is simply this, that it has a completely upside-down concept of what true unity is.  They want a unity based on the least common denominator, always seeking what the Catholic faith has in common with the heretical, schismatic, and pagan sects, and then basing a kind of natural camaraderie with them based on these common beliefs and practices.  “Muslims believe in one God, so do we, therefore we are united with Islam…”  No!  This type of natural “unity” is on a very lowly level indeed, and is enough on which to establish extension of our virtue of charity towards them perhaps.  But it is not the kind of supernatural and perfect unity that every single member of the Mystical Body of Christ has with each other.

There is only one way to achieve unity and that is to ensure that those outside the fold of the Mystical Body of our Lord recognize The Truth of Christ and his Church, and then walk along The Way of Christ to that Church.  In other words, it is not enough to pat heretics on the back and rejoice with them that we believe a few of the things they believe in.  We have to try and convert them, not just by our polemics, but by our good example and our prayers.  This is what St. Josaphat did, this is what he lived and died for and this is why he is a saint.

The Church has three branches, the Church Triumphant, the Church Suffering, and the Church Militant.  Each is each united within themselves, and with each other.  All are members of the Mystical Body.  Unfortunately, not all living human souls belong to the Church Militant.  If they want to eventually pass on to the Church Triumphant in heaven, we have to help them find the Mystical Body in this life.  Pray for conversions.  “Lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of thy mercy!”