Pope Calls for “Mutual Forgiveness Between Catholics and Lutherans”

La Stampa-Vatican Insider ^ | 10/21/13 | Domenico Agasso Jr

[marshmallow]

In his address to the Lutheran World Federation and representatives of the Lutheran-Catholic Commission on Unity, Francis said “there are no lack of difficulties but we must not be afraid”

“Catholics and Lutherans can ask forgiveness for the harm they have caused one another and for their offenses committed in the sight of God,” Francis said during this morning’s audience with the delegation of the Lutheran World Federation and representatives of the Lutheran-Catholic Commission on Unity.

The Pope’s meeting with Bishop Munib Younan, the Federation’s president and its secretary, Martin Junge, follows on from the “very cordial and pleasant meeting” which took place during the inaugural celebration of Francis ministry as the Bishop of Rome.

“It is with a sense of profound gratitude to our Lord Jesus Christ that I think of the many advances made in relations between Lutherans and Catholics in these past decades, not only through theological dialogue, but also through fraternal cooperation in a variety of pastoral settings, and above all, in the commitment to progress in spiritual ecumenism. In a certain sense, this last area constitutes the soul of our journey towards full communion, and permits us even now a foretaste of its results, however imperfect. In the measure in which we draw closer to our Lord Jesus Christ in humility of spirit, we are certain to draw closer to one another. And, in the measure in which we ask the Lord for the gift of unity, we are sure that he will take us by the hand and be our guide,” Francis said.

“This year, as a result of a now fifty year old theological dialogue and with a view to the commemoration of the five-hundredth anniversary of the Reformation, the text of the Lutheran-Catholic Commission on Unity was published, with the significant title.......

[redgolum]

It is like the old Fraternity joke.

“If it is you and me, it will be me. If it is Us and Them, then it will be US!”.

In other words we can and do through pies at each other, but we are still on the same side. It took a long time to get past the point of arguing via rifle sights.

[redgolum]

Correct.

The Pope can and is wrong, as we all are. When we are wrong, we are anti christ.

Now he isn’t (and hasn’t been) THE anti christ.

[onedoug]

Be careful. This Pope is off on some strange tangents. I wonder what he’ll say today.

[Gamecock]

Lutheran World Federation, of which the liberal Evangelical Church US is a member.

Not the LCMS or the WELS. The ELCA.

Just sayin’.

[onedoug]

...confusion reigns ping....

[aimhigh]

If the Lutherans just patch those nail holes in the door we'll forget it ever happened.

Thanks for a morning laugh!!

[tomsbartoo]

She obviously practices the Novus Ordo version of Catholicism and not Traditional Catholicism. Suggest that she check out traditio.com and I’m sure she’ll never say that again. Traditional Catholicism id true Catholicism. Not “fun”, but holy. Of course, if she’s actually looking for another version of the Protestant religion, she’s found it in the Vatican II Church.