Posted on 05/01/2005 3:15:19 PM PDT by NYer
ROME, APRIL 30, 2005 (Zenit.org).- A key theme in the first public pronouncements of the new Pope is the need for greater unity between believers. Benedict XVI's determination to improve ecumenical and interreligious relations was evident in his message to the cardinals at a Mass the day after his election.
"Nourished and sustained by the Eucharist, Catholics cannot but feel stimulated to tend to that full unity that Christ so ardently desired in the Cenacle," the Holy Father stated. He declared his intention, "as a primary commitment, to work without sparing energies for the reconstitution of the full and visible unity of all the followers of Christ."
Part of this involves theological dialogue, he explained. There also needs to be a careful study of the historical background that led to past divisions. But, he continued, "what is urgent in the main is that 'purification of the memory,' so many times recalled by John Paul II, which alone can dispose spirits to receive the full truth of Christ."
Benedict XVI, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, also declared his willingness to enter into dialogue with followers of other religions, or those "who simply seek an answer to the fundamental questions of life and have not yet found it."
The homily during the inaugural Mass last Sunday invoked two biblical images of unity: that of the shepherd and the fisherman's net, which, in spite of containing many fish, remained intact. Unfortunately, the net has now been torn, the Pope said. Yet, "we must not be sad! Let us rejoice because of your promise, which does not disappoint, and let us do all we can to pursue the path towards the unity you have promised."
Then, in an encounter with representatives of other religions last Monday, the Pope in his address thanked them for their presence. The search for unity, he commented, requires docility to the Holy Spirit and constant prayer, he said, addressing the representatives of other Christian churches.
Benedict XVI also greeted the leaders there from other religious traditions and offered his "warm and affectionate greetings." The Pope added: "I assure you that the Church wants to continue building bridges of friendship with the followers of all religions, in order to seek the true good of every person and of society as a whole."
Messages of support
In the first days after the election of Benedict XVI many Christian denominations and other religions sent messages of congratulations. A key point in many of these was the desire that to continue the strong commitment by John Paul II to ecumenism and interreligious dialogue.
A message from the Lutheran World Federation stated: "The unity of the church, prayed for by Christ himself, is an important goal to strive for, which will also be a major contribution to the unity of humankind. Pope Benedict XVI will meet strong expectations in this area as well, since the hope for Christian unity calls for significantly new approaches."
The general secretary of the World Council of Churches, the Reverend Dr. Samuel Kobia, acknowledged the progress made in recent years. "We pray to our common Lord Jesus Christ, asking that your Pontificate strengthen existing instruments of working together and initiate new ways of cooperation between the Roman Catholic Church and the World Council of Churches," stated Kobia.
Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and Russia expressed the hope that under the Pope there will be "the development of friendly relations between our Churches and the fruitful dialogue between the Orthodox and the Catholics." He added: "I believe this to be one of Christendom's most crucial tasks."
And Bishop Hilarion Alfeyev, of Vienna and Austria, representative of the Russian Orthodox Church to the European Institutions, sent a message to Benedict XVI calling for the establishment of "a European Catholic-Orthodox Alliance." In this way, he said, "the official representatives of the two churches to be able to elaborate a common position on all major social and ethical issues, and to speak with one voice."
Bishop Hilarion called for attention not to be exclusively focused on the issues that divide the two Churches. "My fear, however, is that by concentrating exclusively on the dividing issues we are likely to lose precious time that could be used for a common witness to the secularized world. Europe, in particular, has so rapidly de-Christianized that urgent action is needed in order to save it from losing its centuries-old Christian identity."
On the day of the Pope's installation last Sunday more than 60 representatives of British and Irish Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Protestant and Pentecostal churches sent a message of welcome to Benedict XVI. The representatives, which form a group Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, stated: "We welcome Pope Benedict's early assurance of developing engagement and dialogue not only with other Christians towards fulfilling the prayer of Christ himself that 'All may be one' (John 17:21), but also with sisters and brothers of other Faiths in God's own world."
Jewish defenders
Some of the British press, strongly criticized by its German counterparts, highlighted the fact of the new Pope's membership in the Hitler Youth when he was a teen-ager, even though this was obligatory for all young people at the time.
However, spokesmen from a diversity of Jewish groups quickly defended Benedict XVI. Rabbi David Rosen, the international director of interreligious affairs for the American Jewish Committee, dismissed the attacks. The Jerusalem Post on April 19 reported Rosen saying of the new Pope: "His own national background makes him sensitive to the dangers of anti-Semitism and the importance of Jewish-Catholic reconciliation."
And on April 20 the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz cited Israel Singer, chairman of the World Jewish Congress, who said Cardinal Ratzinger "was the man who provided the theological underpinnings for Pope John Paul II's decision to open relations with Israel. He solved the real problem that existed -- the 2,000-year-old theological question. He was the one who had the keys to open that lock. In the last 20 years he has changed the 2,000-year history of relations between Jews and Christianity. I believe he will continue the policies of John Paul II with regard to relations with the Jews and Israel."
One of the first acts of Benedict XVI was to send a message to Rome's chief rabbi, Riccardo Di Segni. Following this gesture, in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Stampa on April 23, Rabbi Segni commented that the Pope's desire to send a message so soon after his election was a strong sign that Benedict XVI wished to continue the special relationship between the Church and the Jewish community in Rome which begun with Pope John XXIII and reached new heights under John Paul II.
Nevertheless, the road ahead does not promise to be easy, as the centuries-old divisions will not be remedied easily. In fact, Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II poured cold water on one of the unfulfilled dreams of John Paul II, a visit by the Pope to Russia, the Associated Press reported April 25.
Such a visit by the new Pope would not be possible until the differences between the Churches are resolved, said Alexy II. "There cannot be a visit for the sake of a visit. There cannot be a meeting purely for television cameras," the patriarch insisted. Benedict XVI, whose desire for real ecumenism seems evident, would likely agree with the Orthodox leader on that point.
Ping!
Benedict XVI, following his predecessor, is a strong supporter of ecumenism ...
Christ said, "Come to Me, ...and I willl give you rest."
Let all religions recognize,Christ founded the Catholic Church and be CONVERTED like the days of old..and come INTO HIS CHURCH.
What I'm hoping is that he doesn't adopt John Paul's version of un-Catholic ecumenism, such as praying in un-godly temples, codifiying heathens, pouring out libations to the "Great Thumb" and kissing the unholy books of false prophets to name just a few.
As the bible tells us, there is a time and place for everything. I pray and believe Benedict understands this.
Cardinal Ratzinger's 1988 Remarks to the Bishops of Chile Regarding the Lefebvre Schism
In the 1908 Catholic Encyclopedia, the word "Ecumenism" does not even appear. It goes straight through from Ecuador to Ecumenical Council to Edda. The heading Ecumenical Council contains nothing more than this: "ECUMENICAL COUNCIL: SEE COUNCILS, GENERAL"
In the 1965 Catholic Encyclopedia, however, no less than seven pages are devoted to the "Ecumenical Movement': Ecumenism is, therefore, a twentieth century phenomenon. In the short span of sixty years, ecumenism as we know it today, has come from a state of non-existence, to being the integral fabric of the "New Theology of the Church."
The Ecumenical Movement is basically the movement toward reunion of all Churches into a single Church, one in body, but not necessarily holding the same religious tenets... spotlighting things we have in common, hush-hushing those things which divide us. Should you ask, however, ten different theologians of ten denominations for a definition of ecumenism, chances are you would receive ten slightly different replies. This is the greatest weakness of ecumenism. it is a slippery sloppy expression devoid of any solid orthodox definition. It thus avails itself of ambiguity and double talk--as do subversive movements in general. The Second Vatican Council had a great deal to say about ecumenism, without ever giving the definition of the word!
Prior to 1960, the Catholic Church had always kept the Ecumenical Movement at arms length from the mystical Body of Christ, now and then touching it with the proverbial ten-foot pole, but never taking an active part.
Any student of ecclesiastical history will tell you that the Roman Catholic Church's particular charism was to clarify the truth in times of confusion and, to counter what was novel or erroneous by clinging to and defining what she has always believed since the time of the Apostles. Thus when Martin Luther denied so much of what the Roman Church held true, she took care of this problem at the Council of Trent... defining in detail each one of the Seven Sacraments, indulgences, justification, etc. The Church does not invent new doctrines at these councils, but defines and clarifies in a solemn and official manner what she has always believed. The Councils of the past took the Church and the world from a time of confusion, into a period of theological stability.
Unfortunately, Vatican II is the first council in the history of the Church that did not help in this regard. As a matter of fact, we must regretfully admit that all evidence clearly shows she only made things far worse.
Welcome to Free Republic!
AMEN I hope so as well. Catholics have nothing to apologise for. We do have enemies, the catholic version of ex-smoker zealots like Bloomberg running around claiming to have the modern day spirit of the Church. It's anything BUT...
http://www.matthewfox.org/sys-tmpl/recentarticlesbymatthewfox/
Ever since you jumped the Latin ship, you've been quite cozy with the schismatic Orthodox. Why are you so concerned with perceived "schisms" within the Latin rite while ignoring others?
Stephen Hand? Can't you do better than that?
Are these Ratzinger's words, or aren't they?
Who knows? Stephen Hand can't be trusted.
They're scraping the bottom of the barrel.
Can Richard Williamson be trusted?
Who is he and what does he have to do with this thread.
Williamson has as much to do with this thread as Stephen Hand does.
Correct, they have nothing to do with this thread.
I have introduced neither. It was you and NYer who interjected them into the discussion.
Absolutely. I can't think of another living human being who cares more about the state of my eternal soul than Bishop Williamson. The fact that you are so reviled by him gives me comfort.
And, as is your wont, you are simply disrupting the thread.
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