Dear Matt:

Well this major split in the Church was a very unfortunate thing. Both sides acted badly and childishly. But the bottom line is that the eastern Christians (who became the Orthodox) refused to surrender their wills and pride to the Magisterial authority of the Pope and Magisterium and went into schism.

Of course the Orthodox claim that it was the Catholics who went into schism, but that makes no sense whatsoever. How can Peter split from Peter. That would be like a teenager running away from home and claiming that it was the parents who ran away.

Christ clearly built his Church upon Peter and the authority given to Peter (e.g. the Chair of Peter, that replaced the Chair of Moses). Those who remain in communion with Peter belong to the True Church in the Fullness of the Faith. ANYONE who leaves communion with Peter is the one to splits, is the one who goes into schism.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary