Congregation for Catholic Education: Circular letter concerning studies of the OrientalChurches, 6.1.1987 (extracts)1. On a number of occasions and in varying circumstances, Pope John Paul II has spoken of the necessity ofmutual understanding and love between Catholics of the Latin tradition and Christians, Catholics and Orthodox,belonging to the various communities of the Christian East. In commenting upon the lack of understandingwhich often exists and upon the ignorance of the spiritual traditions and values which form part of the heritageof so many Christians of Eastern Europe, the Near East. Africa and India, the Pope has underlined theimportance of these traditions for the life and wellbeing of the whole Church with the striking affirmation that"the Church must learn to breathe again with its 2 lungs, its Eastern one and its Western one" (Discourse tomembers of the Roman Curia, 28.6.1985, L'Osservatore Romano, Engl. ed., 15.7.1985, 3).These statements of the H. Father are a commentary on a situation in the life of the Church which require aserious and deep reflection by pastors and by those responsible for the intellectual and spiritual formation of theyounger generations of the Church. The need for this reflection becomes even more urgent if one considers themany developments touching the relationships between Eastern and Western Christians which have taken placeduring this century. As an aid to this reflection, this Congregation for Catholic Education offers the followingobservations and guidelines.2. There were massive migrations of peoples to the American continents from Eastern Europe and the Near Eastin the early part of this century. These were further reinforced by new migrations following the second worldwar. Most recently, the sorrowful events in the Near East have meant the uprooting of hundreds of thousands ofChristians, among others, and their migration from their ancestral homelands. The result of all this is thatmillions of Christians from every...