On a Sodomite march in Moscow:
Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexis II congratulated Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov for his opposition to the 'gay pride' parade in Moscow. In the letter, the Patriarch said, "I was gratified to learn that you and the government of Moscow have approached this problem with civil responsibility not only for the present of our country, but also for its future."also
"the Church has invariably supported the institution of the family and condemns untraditional relations, seeing them as a vicious deviation from God-given human nature." He continued, "The Church treats people with such inclinations with pastoral responsibility urging them to reform and resolutely opposes any attempts to present this sinful tendency as a 'norm' and example to follow. The Church does not accept any propaganda for immorality."
On relations with the Roman Catholic Church:
"I am convinced," the Patriarch continued in his letter to the Pope, "that one of today's priorities for our Churches, which have a shared vision of the many problems currently facing the modern world, must be the defense and affirmation in society of the Christian values by which humanity has lived for more than a millennium. I hope that the rapid resolution of outstanding problems between our two Churches will also contribute to this end."
Pope Tom's ecumenical solution set: #1 Make Alexis and all his deputies Cardinals, ensuring they have a substantial voting bloc at the next Conclave. #2 Require Alexis to permit the few Roman Catholic priests currently operating in Russia to continue to do so only under his authority. #3 On the theological front give the Orthodox everything they want.
As the CCC says, the Orthodox Christians are our other lung. The Western lung has a touch of cancer right now so we need to be breathing with both.