Eastern Catholics not a stumbling block

June 21-24, 2004 Oriental Lumen VIII
Orthodox-Catholic Dialogue: Whats Our Bottom Line? Washington D.C.

Metropolitan Kallistos of Diokleia on the matter of the existence of the Eastern Catholics

I very much regret that because of this question the Catholic-Orthodox International Dialogue seems to be making very little progress. My own feeling as an Orthodox is that the Eastern Catholic Churches have a right to exist. And I add, we Orthodox need to ask pardon for the way we have often treated Eastern Catholics in the past. And, not only that, I would add that we Orthodox should see the Eastern Catholics as our best friends in the Catholic Church. Who are best able to understand us. So while I value very much my relations with the Eastern Catholics, I definitely don't see them as being my "bottom line" (referencing discussion topic's title). They are rather my "top line."