The Catholic press has, unfortunately, brought some dismay to the faithful by reporting Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexei's angry denunciation of Rome's erecting four new dioceses within the Russian Federation (“Vatican Hardball With Orthodox In Russia,” March 3-9).

In fact, we are fighting the same fight and we are allies in this endeavor.

Indeed the Catholic Church sends its missionaries to Russia to bring the Gospel and the life-giving sacraments to the despairing and the sorrowful. Having spent much time over there, I report the Russian people are joyful and gladdened because of Western missionary activity. They are not resentful and abrasive like the words attributed to their so-called spiritual leader, the Patriarch Alexei.

Post-communist Russia spans a geographic area filling 10 time zones — an area the Orthodox hierarchy claims should be free from evangelical activity from “other churches.” While Jesus Christ would not object that we preach the truth to hungry hearts, the hierarchy, but not the common people of Russia, denounce what they take to be intrusions upon their turf.

One is reminded of the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus' time who resented the Savior for pointing out their hypocrisies. They were concerned only with themselves, their power, their perquisites and their possessions. But the Church's mission is to save souls, and the only valid criticism of missionaries should be that they are not preaching truth and not helping to lead souls to salvation.

Over the past six years, I have spent 14 months in Russia and Ukraine, having traveled there 13 times on missionary travels. Representing an American lay Catholic association striving to live the prophecies of Fatima — and taking the Immaculate Heart of Mary to Russia with our hearts, our prayers and our sacrifices — we have traveled widely throughout the former Soviet Block, visiting 40 or more remote mission stations and delivering more than $900,000 in aid. Usually we stay with missionary priests coming from Germany, France, Ireland, Argentina and Poland — but also with Russian and Ukrainian clergy. Most of all, I must admit, we stay at an orphanage in Ukraine.

But the point I'm trying to make is that Patriarch Alexei speaks mostly for himself, not for the people of the former Soviet countries — notably Russia and Ukraine. The people over there judge you by your heart, not by whether you are Catholic or Orthodox — or something else.

That whole land mass is a spiritual waste-land of suffering and despair. The majority of people are still atheists or unchurched, and their spirit is so crushed they have no care at all about Orthodox-Catholic squabbles. There is so much healing to be done that the priests and religious over there could work tirelessly for years and never cross the path of a “rival” creed or denomination.

The fact is that the Orthodox and the Catholics are allies in this endeavor because we both make the same profession and we share the same sacraments. We are not enemies in the struggle to save souls but allies, and all of the clergy I have met in Russia, and all of the humble-hearted people understand this, even if Patriarch Alexei does not.

A. MATT WERNER

Denver

The writer is president of Queen of the Apostles Mission Association, Inc.