“You have Catholics under your cassocks!”: Who is really behind the attempts to merge the UOC with the OCU
Our recent article about the correspondence “battle” between the Administrator of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the “Sofia Brotherhood” caused a stir in the opposing camp. Tetyana Derkach, a member of the DESS expert pool and a “sister” of the “Sofia Brotherhood,” even dedicated a separate Facebook post to the topic we raised. “If Metropolitan Anthony succumbs to provocation and starts banning someone, it will be included in the German foundation’s report. And it will make a very big impression on the Germans. At a time when the “Sofia Brotherhood” is looking for common ground for dialogue between churches, the hierarchs of these churches are putting pressure on the brothers and imposing canonical sanctions on them. In Europe, where the UOC still has supporters of the protection of the rights of believers, they will be forced to draw certain conclusions about the sincerity of the episcopate of this church. It will turn out that it is precisely the support of discord and confrontation between Orthodox jurisdictions that is the real task of the UOC leadership,“ wrote the ”expert.”
Translated into plain language, Derkach threatens in the event of fair and well-deserved sanctions against representatives of the UOC in the “Sofia Brotherhood,” to complain to some “German foundation” which, apparently, has influence over what is happening in the religious sphere in Ukraine, interpreting the information received from here at the international level. It is this “German foundation” that we will focus on in our article.
Wolves in sheep’s clothing
Whether consciously or not, Ms. Derkach did not specify which “German foundation” she was referring to. However, for those who are “in the know,” this information is no secret. We are, of course, talking about the Renovabis fund, whose “stamps” are all over the projects of the “Sofia Brotherhood.” The fund itself positions itself everywhere as an independent charitable organization specializing in financial support for religious and social projects in Eastern Europe. But is Renovabis really that independent?
In fact, no. This organization was founded in 1993 by the German Bishops’ Conference of the Roman Catholic Church. Initially, its goal was to “restore church life and social development” in the countries of the post-Soviet camp. In other words, the organization is, in essence, Roman Catholic and, given the structure of such institutions in the Roman Catholic Church, is controlled by the Vatican, from where it is actually financed.
What does Renovabis do in Ukraine? For example, it actively finances the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. With the fund’s money, Uniate churches and monasteries are being built and restored in Ukraine, leisure activities for Greek Catholic youth and children are being organized, and support for the famous Ukrainian Catholic University is being financed.
What else? Oh yes! They support the “Sophia Brotherhood”! A significant part of the projects of the organization, which consists of representatives of the UOC, the OCU, and state institutions (such as the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience, which is completely hostile to the UOC), is financed by the Renovabis fund. The “Sophia Brotherhood” is not even ashamed of this. They indicate everywhere that it is “supported by the Renovabis Foundation.” All this is happening under the plausible pretext of “promoting cooperation between different Christian denominations and religious groups,” which is also part of the foundation’s program.
He who pays the piper calls the tune
With all due respect to the Renovabis fund, we find it very difficult to believe that this Catholic organization sincerely and selflessly cares about the fate of Ukrainian Orthodoxy. For example, the fund builds churches and monasteries for the UGCC, helps with the development of educational programs and the involvement of young people. But what about the Orthodox?
In more than three years of war, as a result of hostilities, about 500 Orthodox churches throughout Ukraine have been damaged and destroyed. More than 1,500 religious communities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church have been left without churches and are forced to pray in makeshift premises due to raider actions by adherents of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. So what? Has Renovabis rebuilt even one Orthodox church? Has it helped even one community to cope with the problems that arose as a result of interfaith conflict? Or has anyone heard that Renovabis helped organize at least one Orthodox children’s camp? It would seem that this is precisely what is written in the organization’s program. But no. Nothing of the sort has happened in three years. For Greek Catholics, yes; for Orthodox Christians, no.
In that case, for what purpose did the Catholic foundation Renovabis undertake to finance the projects of the Orthodox “Sophia Brotherhood”? The scheme of this venture is ridiculously simple, although for some reason it is not obvious to many, even within the “brotherhood” itself. The Catholic foundation finances an Orthodox public organization in order to influence the process and shape the necessary meanings, which, in our opinion, ultimately have one goal: to organize the merger of the two branches of Ukrainian Orthodoxy with the UGCC, which is favored by the Renovabis foundation and, in turn, is directly subordinate to the Vatican.
At the same time, attempts by individual members of the “Sofia Brotherhood,” such as Tatyana Derkach and Yuri Chornomorets, to puff out their cheeks and convince everyone around them that the ‘brotherhood’ is fighting for, as they themselves say, “everyone to be united” look extremely ridiculous. Derkach and Chornomorets, who just a few years ago worked under the leadership of the same Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich), whom they hate, are in this case nothing more than ordinary grant seekers who carry out the orders of their “German” masters without particularly looking into the root of what is happening. Of course, their ultimate goal is “unity”… between the Orthodox, Greek Catholics, and the Vatican.
The Vatican’s “pious” tricks
Of course, it is difficult to imagine now, but this “sauce” is cooking very slowly and gradually. And we can say with confidence that the Renovabis Foundation, like other Vatican structures, has one important quality: patience. No one will tell you tomorrow or the day after tomorrow that the UOC, the OCU, and the UGCC are uniting, because this will cause rejection. However, the boundaries drawn by the Vatican are becoming increasingly clear. Yesterday, there were joint events of a non-religious nature. Today, individual hierarchs of the OCU are conducting joint prayers, and Epiphany Dumenko is “serving” a memorial service for the Pope. Tomorrow there will be something else. However, slow water wears away stone, and the role of the “Sophia Brotherhood” in this process cannot be underestimated.
Some will say that there are no Catholics in the “brotherhood.” True! Why should they immediately and openly reveal themselves? They want one thing from the “Sophia Brotherhood” – to erase the line between canonical Orthodoxy and schism. That is why they so desperately need UOC priests in their organization. There, they create conditions for them in which they feel their significance and importance. As they often write about themselves: “simple village priests.”
And this is true! “Simple” rural priests, with the support of the Renovabis Foundation, DESC, and other organizations hostile to the UOC, now have the opportunity to “put their foot down” on the bishops themselves, and not just anyone, but the entire Administrator, and, if necessary, the Primate.
The “Sofia Brotherhood” lures the rank and file clergy of the UOC with these two temptations: a sense of their own importance and unpunished permissiveness. And try to touch them now! They will immediately complain to the “German fund,” from which a letter expressing concern will be sent to the Kiev Metropolis. And if that doesn’t help, they will switch to the OCU “against all odds.” And it seems like their intentions are good. But as we know, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
The only hope is that sooner or later the “simple rural priests” of the UOC from the “Sophia Brotherhood” will understand that the Vatican and the Renovabis Foundation have no interest in the unity of Ukrainian Orthodoxy, and that the “brotherhood” itself has long since ceased to pursue such goals. The kingdom cannot be divided within itself! Deceit cannot lead to anything bright and good. Do not be deceived and distance yourselves from these initiatives before it is too late. For when this Colossus with feet of clay falls, it is better for you to be far away so as not to be crushed under its ruins.