Tuesday Conference

V o l . 0 1
I s s ue 3 2

Theology e-weekly

To make humanity united in worshipping God

Our Heavenly Patron

Dear Father,
During the past 50 years or so the most characteristic prayer
for unity is the Christian Unity week celebrated by many Churches
during 18-25 January. The origins of this celebration are in the
Anglican world, but it has been welcomed and adopted by the
Catholic and many other Churches.
The 32nd issue of Tuesday Conference reaches you with
an article on Ecumenism. This has been taken from the
guidelines given by CBCI in 2000, concerning the same. The
language of this issue may seem to you as exhortative since it has
been taken exactly from the document. Let us earnestly pray and
work for this noble cause.
Ecumenical spirituality should be biblical. The Bible
unities us all. In the measure in we are rooted in the

Bible more than in prayer books and manuals of

devotion, in that measure we shall be able to meet other
Christian in depth.

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Ecumenism is not merely a ministry in the Church. It is call from

God and like all spirituality it requires conversion of heart.

Introduction

The Home is

the first school

of ecumenism.

The term Ecumenism has been used for almost a century

to denote a movement for the unity of all Christians in the One,
Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. In the Past many Catholics
used to conceive unity simply as a return of all Christians or
churches to the obedience of the Roman Pontiff. In this is an
outmoded model. Any connotation of absorption of one church
into another would betray the ecumenical spirit.

It is the duty of
parents to
foster these
attitudes in

children and to
instill them an
authentic
respect.

We must also avoid the talk of restoring unity as if

ecumenism was primarily a nostalgia for the past, an imagined
ancient unity which in reality was never fully realized. Today
some Christians would be satisfied with a mere mutual
recognition of diversity and a mutual sharing in the Eucharist.
Others seek organic unity in which several Churches come to an
agreement on faith, sacraments and ministry and enter into a
new organization that embraces all. Others speaks of a
fellowship that is able to accommodate diverse historical
denominations and spiritual traditions.

Objectives of

Ecumenism: a) Christian unity, b)

witness to the Gospel through ones life, c) the proclamation

of Jesus Christ.

Power hampers relations of trust. All

ecumenical relations should be based
on a great respect for all churches,
whatever their size.

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Catholic Principles of Ecumenism

1) The one Church of Christ subsists in the Catholic Church

LG 8 states that the One, Holy Catholic And Apostolic Church constituted and
organized in the world as a society, subsists in the Catholic Church. The words
subsists was never explained or defined by the council, yet its use is extremely
significant in the context of the council discussions.
It means that now there was no longer a simple identification between the
Mystical body and the Roman Catholic Church. The mystical Body of Christ includes
all Christians and therefore it is a larger reality than the Roman Catholic Church.
The full Catholic unity cannot be immediately be equated with Roman Catholic.
2) Certain though not complete communion
UR 3 states for those who believe in Christ and have been truly baptized are
in some kind of communion with the Catholic Church, even though this communion
is not complete. This statement has been another firm theological principle of
Catholic ecumenism.

The two principles mentioned above lead to the obvious conclusion that
there is an ecclesial reality beyond the Roman Catholic Church.
3) The Hierarchy of the Truths
There emerged in subsequent
centuries
many
doctrines
as
expressions of true Catholic faith. Yet
not all the truth defined and
promulgated by the Church belong
equally to the core of faith as in the
creeds. The mere fact that a truth of
faith is defined does not make it more
important than other truths.
It all depends on how each truth is related to the foundational mystery of Christ.
Some truths express this foundation or center of our faith. Others refer more to
means of salvation that are less central. The concept of hierarchy of truths says
precisely this. This notion helps in ecumenical dialogue to order the truths

around the central mystery in a positive and constructive way.

Issues of Conflict in Ecumenical dialogue

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1) We must recognize that many of the points of friction derive not from doctrine
mainly. The right response to all these hurt does not consist in denying or
dismissing historical facts or minimizing their importance.
2) The largeness and organizational power of the Church in many areas of India.
The evangelical value of a Church is not determined by its numbers but by its
fidelity to the Gospel .
3) In India, often the accusation is made that Catholic bishops, priests and catechist
indulge in sheep stealing, especially in times of crisis, we take the opportunity to
fish in troubled waters. We must condemn and express regret for unfair means that
may have been used to increase our numbers.
4) The position of the Pope. We do not deny mistakes and the Popes themselves
have acknowledged and regretted them. Without making the Pope equivalent to
Peter, we maintain that there is an analogy between the roles of Peter and of the
Pope.

5) Besides distrust of the papacy many Christians of other Churches are critical of
the ostentatiousness of the Roman Church and its curia, so little in consonance with
the poor man of Nazareth.

Roman Catholic teaching prior to the Vatican II simply

identified the church of Christ with the Roman Catholic Church
and saw it as the sole source of salvation. The only way non-Catholics
could secure salvation was through an unconscious desire for the membership in
the Roman Catholic Church. Vat II marked a sharp turning point in the

ecumenical policies of the Catholic Church.

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Ecumenical prayer was anticipated by Jesus in in

Jn 17. Prayers has been recognized as the soul of
ecumenism.

Ecumenical Formation of Priests &

Seminarians
All faculties of theology and formation centers
in

religious

congregations

should

include

ecumenism and in seminaries a special course on

ecumenism is made compulsory by the decree of the
Holy See. Opportunities for ecumenical experience
should be provided for the students through
participation in ecumenical prayer meetings,
celebrations and attendance of at important
liturgical events of other communities. If
possible trustworthy teachers of denominations may
be invited to seminaries and allow students to take
some appropriate academic credits in an institution
of another Church. It is important that all courses especially ecclesiology, Church

history and sacramentology, should be taught in an ecumenical spirit.

Ut Unum Sint (1995)

This is the first ever papal encyclical on
ecumenism. In the journey towards the
necessary and sufficient visible unity, one

must not impose any burden beyond

that which is strictly necessary.(78)
The Pope himself make an impassionate
plea for a truly ecumenical study of this
question: Could not the real but imperfect

communion existing between us persuade

Church leaders and their theologians to
engage with me in a patient and fraternal
dialogue on this subject???

Page - 06

Sacramental life: We recognizes as valid and sacramental the baptism

conferred with water and the invocation of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, in
any Church or Denomination. As most Churches confer baptism in the way
mentioned above, their members must be truly considered our brothers and sisters
in Christ, even if canonically they belong to different Churches. It is important that
this faith recognition of baptism be made known to all Christians.

Proselytism which aims at drawing individuals from one church to another is

not part of Christian mission. The right to take personal decision in religious matters
belongs equally to everybody. Even if we consider someones decision to leave our
Church and join another group, still we must show respect for the decision taken by
the individual and should avoid attributing it to bad will or unworthy motives.

Mixed marriages are a fruitful field of ecumenical collaboration whereby

Christian pastors mutually consult one another to support such marriages. The
partner will of course be informed the desire which Catholic has (to have their child
be baptized in our community) but should not be burdened with any written or oral
promise. Canon law does not require any such promise.
If the Catholic partner of a marriage communicates a decision to pass over to
the Church of the other, the priest in charge make clear of its implications and show
that the person can live an authentic Christian life within the catholic communion ,
in close contact with the other Church. In no case should a priest call such persons
apostates or renegades from the Christian faith.

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Pastoral Guidelines

1) Catholics should make a special effort to know and visit

Christians of other denominations in the neighborhood.
2) Ecumenical witness can be given in missionary activity
itself. The basis for ecumenical cooperation with other
Christians in mission is the foundation of baptism and
the patrimony of faith which is common to us.
3) All parish should be centers where the ecumenical
spirit is vibrant and communicated to all parishioners at
the level both of theory and practice.
4) In Unity week a special sermon on ecumenism could
be given in a spirit of love.
5) Pastors and Christians other denominations could be invited to the social
celebrations of our parishes. Catholics should also show readiness to join in the
celebrations of other Christian denominations of the neighborhood when they are
invited to do so.

Readers Desk
Sir, The children who confess the crime
and understand the gravity of the crime may

Dear Brothers it is excellent. Is it

possible to send one copy to me? Or

be sent to a faraway place where the people

you can send the copy through the mail

may not identify them probably to a

rehabilitation centre run by responsible social
workers for a period of ten or more years

itself. I like to know more about this

topic. As a priest I like to know more
about myself and my role as a priest.

before sending back to their place. By that

time they should be converted as a
responsible citizen.
Fr. Thomas
Chakramakal

Regards
Fr.Rayappa M.

Congratulations.....keep on doing the

same,

dealing

with

more

and

more

contemporary issues. I shall send some mail

ids .
Tijo Kochutharayil VC

It is the first time I read this journal... I

am very happy to appreciate your
wonderful work. I am eagerly waiting
for the next journal............
Arun Mathew
paranjattuarun@gmail.com

Published from Vincentian Vidyabhavan, Aluva.