By Chris Meehan, News Editor and Chris Dorn, Reformed Church in America

Pope Benedict XVI has been one of several church leaders who have acknowledged the newly organized World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC). The pope sent a letter to the new organization as well as a representative of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

The message was read to delegates to the Uniting General Council who are attending the founding meeting of the WCRC in Grand Rapids, a city in the Midwest United States. Representatives of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and the Reformed Ecumenical Council agreed on 18 June to merge to form a new organization representing 230 churches worldwide. The meeting concludes on 26 June.

Gregory Fairbanks, the pontifical representative, read the letter from the pope. "The theme of this gathering reflects the inspiration and spirit of unification. Out of two communions has come one," Fairbanks said before reading the letter.

In the letter addressed to Clifton Kirkpatrick, president of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and Peter Borgdorff, president of the Reformed Ecumenical Council, the leader of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church expressed his "warm greetings" and "prayerful good wishes" to the delegates assembled at the Uniting General Council.

In his letter, Benedict XVI affirmed the theme of the council, "Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace," words drawn from the Letter to the Ephesians attributed to the Apostle Paul (4:3). The Roman Pontiff assured the delegates that the "Lord will never abandon his disciples in the quest for unity," and commended the Reformed churches for the "ecumenical progress" signaled by the emergence of their new communion.

He concluded his remarks with the prayer that the commitment to Christian unity expressed through the formation of WCRC would "serve as a sign of hope and encouragement to all those who strive for that full unity which the Lord wills for his followers."

"This is really a welcome signal that the Vatican has taken interest in what we are doing," said Borgdorff.

Jerry Pillay, the newly elected president of the WCRC, said that the letter and the fact that the Vatican sent it was an important gesture of unity "that speaks volumes" for the possibility of further interactions between the WCRC and the Vatican in the future.

[Vatican City • VIS] The annual meeting of the Joint Committee for Dialogue of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue and the Permanent Committee of al-Azhar for Dialogue among the Monotheistic Religions, was held in the Egyptian capital city of Cairo on 23 and 24 February.

At the end of the meeting Sheikh Muhammad Abd al-Aziz Wasil, "wakil" (representative in juridical issues) of al-Azhar and president of the Permanent Committee for Dialogue, and Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, signed a joint declaration.

The declaration explains how "the participants were received by Muhammad Sayyed Tantawi, grand imam of al-Azhar, whom Cardinal Tauran thanked for having condemned the acts of violence in which six Christians and a Muslim policeman died in Naga Hamadi, Egypt, during the Orthodox Christmas, and for having expressed solidarity with the victims' families and reaffirmed the equality of rights and duties of all citizens, regardless of their religious confession. For his part, Sheikh Tantawi said he only did what he thought his duty in the face of those tragic events".

During its meeting the joint committee examined the theme: "The phenomenon of confessional violence: understanding the phenomenon and its causes, and proposing solutions with particular reference to the role of religions in this field".

At the end of the meeting, the participants agreed on the following recommendations: "to pay greater attention to the fact that the manipulation of religion for political or other ends can be a source of violence; to avoid discrimination on the basis of religious identity; to open hearts to mutual forgiveness and reconciliation, which is a necessary condition for peaceful and fruitful coexistence".

They also called "for similarities to be recognised and differences respected as the prerequisite of a culture of dialogue, based on shared values; for both sides again to commit themselves to recognising and respecting the dignity of each human being, without distinction of ethnicity or religion; for religious discrimination in all fields to be opposed (just laws should guarantee fundamental equality); for ideals of justice, solidarity and co-operation to be promoted in order to ensure a peaceful and prosperous life for everyone".

The participants likewise undertook "to oppose with determination any act that tends to create tension, division and conflict in societies; to promote a culture of mutual respect and dialogue through education in families, schools, churches and mosques, spreading a spirit of fraternity between all persons and the community; to oppose attacks against religions by social communications media, especially satellite channels, considering the dangerous effects these transmissions can have on social cohesion and peace among religious communities".

Finally, the members of the joint committee called for steps to be taken "to ensure that the preaching of religious leaders, as well as school education and textbooks, do not contains declarations or references to historical events that, directly or indirectly, may arouse violent reactions among the followers of different religions".

The joint committee also announced that its next meeting will be held in Rome on 23 and 24 February 2011.

Prot. No. 213

Our most holy Orthodox Church today commemorates its own feast day, and – from this historical and martyric See of the Ecumenical Patriarchate – the Mother Church of Constantinople directs its blessing, love and concern to all of its faithful and dedicated spiritual children throughout the world, inviting them to concelebrate in prayer.

Blessed be the name of the Lord! Those who endeavored over the ages to suppress the Church through various visible and invisible persecutions; those who sought to falsify the Church with their heretical teachings; those who wanted to silence the Church, depriving it of its voice and witness; they all proved unsuccessful. The clouds of Martyrs, the tears of the Ascetics, and the prayers of the Saints protect the Church spiritually, while the Comforter and Spirit of Truth leads it to the fullness of truth.

With a sense of duty and responsibility, despite its hurdles and problems, as the First-Throne Church of Orthodoxy, the Ecumenical Patriarchate cares about protecting and establishing the unity of the Orthodox Church, in order that with one voice and in one heart we may confess the Orthodox faith of our Fathers in every age and even in our times. For, Orthodoxy is not a museum treasure that must be preserved; it is a breath of life that must be transmitted and invigorate all people. Orthodoxy is always contemporary, so long as we promote it with humility and interpret it in light of the existential quests and needs of humanity in each historical period and cultural circumstance.

To this purpose, Orthodoxy must be in constant dialogue with the world. The Orthodox Church does not fear dialogue because truth is not afraid of dialogue. On the contrary, if Orthodoxy is enclosed within itself and not in dialogue with those outside, it will both fail in its mission and no longer be the “catholic” and “ecumenical” Church. Instead, it will become an introverted and self-contained group, a “ghetto” on the margins of history. This is why the great Fathers of the Church never feared dialogue with the spiritual culture of their age – indeed even with the pagan idolaters and philosophers of their world – thereby influencing and transforming the civilization of their time and offering us a truly ecumenical Church.

Today, Orthodoxy is called to continue this dialogue with the outside world in order to provide a witness and the life-giving breath of its faith. However, this dialogue cannot reach the outside world unless it first passes through all those that bear the Christian name. Thus, we must first converse as Christians among ourselves in order to resolve our differences, in order that our witness to the outside world may be credible. Our endeavors for the union of all Christians is the will and command of our Lord, who before His Passion prayed to His Father “that all [namely, His disciples] may be one, so that the world may believe that You sent me.” (John 17.21) It is not possible for the Lord to agonize over the unity of His disciples and for us to remain indifferent about the unity of all Christians. This would constitute criminal betrayal and transgression of His divine commandment.

It is precisely for these reasons that, with the mutual agreement and participation of all local Orthodox Churches, the Ecumenical Patriarchate has for many decades conducted official Panorthodox theological dialogues with the larger Christian Churches and Confessions. The aim of these dialogues is, in a spirit of love, to discuss whatever divides Christians both in terms of faith as well as in terms of the organization and life of the Church.

These dialogues, together with every effort for peaceful and fraternal relations of the Orthodox Church with other Christians, are unfortunately challenged today in an unacceptably fanatical way – at least by the standards of a genuinely Orthodox ethos – by certain circles that exclusively claim for themselves the title of zealot and defender of Orthodoxy. As if all the Patriarchs and Sacred Synods of the Orthodox Churches throughout the world, who unanimously decided on and continue to support these dialogues, were not Orthodox. Yet, these opponents of every effort for the restoration of unity among Christians raise themselves above Episcopal Synods of the Church to the dangerous point of creating schisms within the Church.

In their polemical argumentation, these critics of the restoration of unity among Christians do not even hesitate to distort reality in order to deceive and arouse the faithful. Thus, they are silent about the fact that theological dialogues are conducted by unanimous decision of all Orthodox Churches, instead attacking the Ecumenical Patriarchate alone. They disseminate false rumors that union between the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches is imminent, while they know well that the differences discussed in these theological dialogues remain numerous and require lengthy debate; moreover, union is not decided by theological commissions but by Church Synods. They assert that the Pope will supposedly subjugate the Orthodox, because they latter submit to dialogue with the Roman Catholics! They condemn those who conduct these dialogues as allegedly “heretics” and “traitors” of Orthodoxy, purely and simply because they converse with non-Orthodox, with whom they share the treasure and truth of our Orthodox faith. They speak condescendingly of every effort for reconciliation among divided Christians and restoration of their unity as purportedly being “the pan-heresy of ecumenism” without providing the slightest evidence that, in its contacts with non-Orthodox, the Orthodox Church has abandoned or denied the doctrines of the Ecumenical Councils and of the Church Fathers.

Beloved children in the Lord, Orthodoxy has no need of either fanaticism or bigotry to protect itself. Whoever believes that Orthodoxy has the truth does not fear dialogue, because truth has never been endangered by dialogue. By contrast, when in our day all people strive to resolve their differences through dialogue, Orthodoxy cannot proceed with intolerance and extremism. You should have utmost confidence in your Mother Church. For the Mother Church has over the ages preserved and transmitted Orthodoxy even to other nations. And today, the Mother Church is struggling amid difficult circumstances to maintain Orthodoxy vibrant and venerable throughout the world.

From the Ecumenical Patriarchate, this sacred Center of Orthodoxy, we embrace all of you lovingly and bless you paternally, praying that you may journey in health through the holy period of contrition and asceticism known as Holy and Great Lent in order that you may become worthy of celebrating the pure Passion and glorious Resurrection of our Savior Lord with all faithful Orthodox Christians throughout the world.

Sunday of Orthodoxy 2010

+ Bartholomew of Constantinople
Fervent supplicant to God for all

+ Constantine of Derkon
+ Evangelos of Perge
+ Kallinikos of Lystra
+ Michael of Austria
+ Alexios of Atlanta
+ Joseph of Proikonnisos
+ Demetrios of Sevasteia
+ Irenaios of Myriophyton and Peristasis
+ Chrysostom of Myra
+ Emmanuel of France
+ Makarios of Gortyna and Arkadia
+ Amphilochios of New Zealand

Court rules church properties remain with diocese of New Westminster

[Anglican Journal] The Supreme Court of British Columbia ruled yesterday that the Anglican Church of Canada’s diocese of New Westminster retains possession of four church properties worth an estimated $20 million. Members of congregations in these churches, who voted to leave the Anglican Church of Canada and join the more conservative Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC), claimed these properties were held in trust for them.

Justice Stephen Kelleher did, however, rule that a $2.2 million bequest from a parishioner at one of the four churches should be held in trust for the building fund of the ANiC congregation.

The congregation at St. John’s (Shaughnessy), the largest parish in Canada, as well as congregations at Parish of the Good Shepherd, St. Matthias and St. Luke in Vancouver, and St. Matthew’s in Abbotsford all voted to leave the Anglican Church of Canada over theological differences, including objections to the blessing of same-sex unions and interpretations of Scriptural authority. In the ensuing dispute over who rightfully controlled the church properties, representatives of the parishes filed two lawsuits against the diocese. They claimed that parish properties are held in trust for the purposes of ministry consistent with historic, orthodox Anglican doctrine and practice, and that the Anglican Church of Canada had broken with that doctrine and practice, notably by allowing the blessing of same-sex unions.

In his judgment, however, Justice Kelleher wrote that “a trust which freezes doctrine at a point in history is inconsistent with the history of change and evolution in Anglicanism. For example, the ACC now permits the remarriage of divorced persons. The church ordains women as priests, and there are also female diocesan bishops in the [Anglican Church of Canada]. These developments are inconsistent with what many would consider historic and orthodox Anglicanism.” He also wrote that, according to resolutions passed at General Synod 2007, the issue of same-sex blessings is one of doctrine, but not core or fundamental doctrine, for the Anglican Church of Canada. “Accordingly, there is no breach of trust on even the terms the plaintiffs put forth.” He concluded that the parish properties are “held on trust for Anglican ministry as defined by the [Anglican Church of Canada].”

The ruling also said “a parish does not have the authority to unilaterally leave the Diocese” and that “property effectively remains with the Diocese unless the Executive Committee and Bishop agree to mortgage, sell or otherwise dispose of it.”

Other parishes across the country are in the midst of similar legal battles over property, and George Cadman, chancellor for the diocese of New Westminster, said this “may well be a precedent-setting decision.”

ANiC chancellor Cheryl Chang said in a statement that it would take some time for ANiC and its lawyers to review the decision. But she added, “It is a great concern to hear that a majority can redefine and change the doctrine of the church and that those who wish to remain faithful to the church’s teaching must change their beliefs or sacrifice their buildings. At the end of the day, if forced to choose, we will have to choose our faith over our buildings.”

In a letter to be read to parishioners this Sunday, Bishop Michael Ingham of the diocese of New Westminster said he intends to invite these congregations to remain in the buildings where they worship. “I intend to appoint new clergy who will respect and continue the worshipping style of the congregation, who will also work co-operatively with me and the diocese.” His letter also said that the Anglican Church of Canada and throughout the world is a “big tent” with room for a diversity of opinion. “We have a long history of welcome and respect for all people. What unites us is a strong commitment to Jesus Christ and the Christian faith, a tradition of beautiful and sacred worship, and a compassionate response to people in many kinds of need and hardship.”

Justice Kelleher did rule in favour of the plaintiffs on the question of Bishop Michael Ingham’s dismissal of the trustees of St. Matthew’s and St. Matthias and St. Luke, which he ruled “was illegal and of no force and effect.” He wrote that those elected or appointed at the annual vestry meetings on Feb. 24, 2008 “continue to hold their positions as trustees of their respective parish corporations.” But he also stipulated that those trustees must exercise their authority in accordance with the constitution, canons, rules and regulations of the diocese. In light of other parts of his decision, Justice Kelleher said they may not want to remain in those positions, but he left it to the parties to find a workable solution or return to court.

Justice Kelleher also ruled that a $2.2 million bequest left to the “the building fund of Church of the Good Shepherd” by Dr. Daphne Wai-Chan Chun should be held in trust for the ANiC congregation. “Dr. Chun intended the proceeds to be applied to the building needs of the parish that served the Chinese community. That parish voted unanimously to receive Episcopal oversight from the Province of the Southern Cone and to affiliate with ANiC. In the circumstances, I conclude that a scheme whereby the funds are held on trust for the building needs of the ANiC congregation will best fulfil Dr. Chun’s charitable intent.”

“We are very grateful that Mr. Justice Kelleher understood and respected Dr. Chun’s intention when she left her bequest to our building fund” said Eric Law, a trustee of the congregation of Good Shepherd. “We look forward to using those funds toward the building we currently worship in.”

Bishop Ingham also wrote in his letter to parishioners that his prayer is that “we might put all this sad conflict behind us and get on with the mission of Jesus Christ. No good is served by bitterness or triumphalism. The decision of the Court is clear. And the purpose of the Church is equally clear. We are here to serve the mission of God and the well-being of all of God’s children.”

[Washington • USCCB Media 09-236] Muslims and Catholics discussed religion in the public square at an interreligious dialogue, October 25-27, in Milwaukee.

The annual meeting of the Midwest Catholic Muslim Interreligious Dialogue was hosted by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee Office for Ecumenical and Interreligious Initiatives and the Islamic Society of Milwaukee. The meeting was co-chaired by Dr. Sayyid M. Syeed of the Islamic Society of North America and Bishop Francis Reiss, Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit, on behalf the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

Deliberations began with a well-attended public lecture entitled, “Faithful Citizenship – Catholic and Muslim Engagement in Civic Life” at the Islamic Center School. The Catholic perspective was presented by Michael Hovey, coordinator of the Office for Ecumenical and Interfaith Affairs of the Archdiocese of Detroit. The Islamic perspective was given by Dr. Irfan Omar, Professor of Islamic Studies at Marquette University.

The dialogue continued October 26, at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist with two presentations on “The Nature and Dignity of the Human Person: Implications for the Public Square.” The Catholic perspective was presented by Father Leo Walsh, Associate Director of the Secretariat of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs at the USCCB. The Muslim perspective was presented by Dr. Zeki Saritoprak of John Carroll University, Cleveland. The participants noted several points of convergence arising from a common experience of both communities, especially regarding the experience of immigrant communities in the United States.

Bishop Reiss at a luncheon emphasized that practical cooperation of Catholics and Muslims in the public square is increasingly important in an era when contemporary society does not value the contribution of theology and religious conviction in public discourse.

Other sessions explored the theme “The Dignity of the Family: Catholic and Muslim Family Life and the Public Square – Blessings, Challenges and Opportunities.” Presenters included Joan Crist, PhD., Coordinator, Ecumenism & Interreligious Affairs of the Diocese of Gary, Indiana, and professor at Calumet College of St. Joseph and from Dr. Zulfiqar Ali Shah, Imam for the Islamic Society of Milwaukee.

Members of the dialogue noted many common concerns including efforts to maintain a faith-filled family life and passing on their religious heritage to the next generation despite the fact that society seems increasingly irreligious. They also cited cultural and socio-economic factors such as suburban sprawl as challenges to all people of faith.

Members of the dialogue discussed plans for publishing the results of their conversations and formed a subcommittee to determine a future course of action. They also expressed a desire to collaborate with the members of the West Coast and Mid-Atlantic regional Muslim-Catholic Dialogues.

The next meeting of the Midwest Muslim-Catholic Dialogue is slated for October, 2010, at a yet to be determined location.

In addition to the co-chairs, the Muslim representatives who attended this recent meeting include Dr. Ghulam-Haider Aasi, Professor, American Islamic College; Inshirah Farhoud, Outreach Coordinator, Islamic Society of Milwaukee; and Mohammad O. Farooq Associate Professor of Economics & Finance, Upper Iowa University. Muslim observers in attendance included presenters Dr. Irfan Omar, Dr. Saritoprak, and Dr. Zulfiqar Ali Shah.

Additional Catholic representatives included Scott Alexander, PhD., Associate Professor of Islam and Director Catholic-Muslim Studies, Catholic Theological Union, Chicago; Benedictine Sister Barbara Austin, Board Member, Monastic Interreligious Dialogue; Father Thomas Baima, Ph.D., Provost, University of St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein; Dr. Crist; Msgr. Patrick Halfpenny, Ecumenical/Interfaith Officer, Archdiocese of Detroit; Ms. Judith Longdin, Director, Office of Ecumenical & Interfaith Concerns, Archdiocese of Milwaukee; Dominican Sister Joan McGuire, Director, Office for Ecumenical & Interreligious Affairs, Archdiocese of Chicago; Father Raymond J. Webb, Professor, University of Saint Mary of the Lake, Mundelein; and Father Walsh, S.T.D, who serves as staff. Catholic observers included Hovey, Father Bob Flannery, President of the Catholic Association of Diocesan Ecumenical and Interreligious Officers (CADEIO), and Steven Cottam, Intern, Catholic Theological Union.

The Midwest Muslim-Catholic Dialogue has been sponsored jointly by the Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and the Islamic Society of North America since 1996. Its latest statement, Revelation: Catholic and Muslim Perspectives was published in 2006. This and other texts are available on the USCCB Website.

[Washington • USCCB Media 09-237] The challenges of clergy transfers between churches stood as a key topic at the annual Polish National Catholic-Roman Catholic dialogue, this year at the Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC) Center in Scranton, Pennsylvania, September 28-29. Bishop Edward U. Kmiec of Buffalo and Bishop Anthony Mikovsky of the Central diocese of the PNCC co-chaired the meeting.

Members held a lengthy discussion on proposed recommendations about difficulties that arise when a clergyman transfers from one church to the other. A proposed text was refined and a process of consultation with appropriate bodies in the two churches will now be undertaken. Further revisions resulting from these consultations will be considered at the next meeting.

Msgr. John Strynkowski, Rector of the Cathedral Basilica of St. James in Brooklyn, New York, spoke on the development of doctrine using principles from Cardinal Newman's Essay on the Development of Doctrine. He applied these to the Christological controversies of the early Church and the Eucharistic controversies at the time of the Reformation.

Members also considered two Roman Catholic Marian dogmas, the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption. The PNCC members distributed a text on the Mother of God taken from “The Road to Unity,” a collection of agreed statements of the joint Old Catholic-Orthodox Theological Commission that was adopted by a PNCC General Synod in 1990. Both churches have devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and seek her intercession, but differ over the Pope’s authority to raise these Marian teachings to the level of dogma.

Members of the dialogue also prayed together in the chapel of the Polish National Catholic Church Center, where Bishop Mikovsky presided over an exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction.

The next meeting of the dialogue is slated to take place in Baltimore, Maryland, on November 11 and 12, 2010.

Webeditors note: The PNCC was established in the 19th century from Polish Roman Catholics and is found primarily in the US. The Roman Catholic Church recognizes the PNCC's clerical orders and other sacraments. The two churches have an agreement permitting sacramental sharing in exceptional circumstances. The PNCC was in full communion with the Old Catholic Union of Utrecht until recently when the latter decided to ordain women. As this press release indicates, a central issue in the continuing dialogue between the RCC and the PNCC is the role and authority of the papacy.

This morning the Vatican announced the publication of the apostolic constitution enacting the canonical provisions for new Anglican ordinariates. As well, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued "complementary norms" to accompany the apostolic constitution.

• The Vatican Information Service press release is found below.
• The apostolic constitution "Anglicanorum Coetibus" is found here
• The complementary norms are found at here
• An official canonical commentary issued by the Vatican is available here

ANGLICANORUM COETIBUS AND COMPLEMENTARY NORMS

VATICAN CITY, 9 NOV 2009 (VIS) - The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith today published the Apostolic Constitution "Anglicanorum coetibus", which provides for personal ordinariates for Anglicans entering into full communion with the Catholic Church, and some Complementary Norms for the same Apostolic Constitution.

Both documents are dated 4 November, feast of St. Charles Borromeo, and are signed by Cardinal William Joseph Levada and Archbishop Luis F. Ladaria S.J., respectively prefect and secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

An English-language communique released by the congregation recalls how on 20 October, Cardina Levada "announced a new provision responding to the many requests that have been submitted to the Holy See from groups of Anglican clergy and faithful in different parts of the world who wish to enter into full visible communion with the Catholic Church.

"The Apostolic Constitution 'Anglicanorum coetibus' which is published today introduces a canonical structure that provides for such corporate reunion by establishing personal ordinariates, which will allow the above mentioned groups to enter full communion with the Catholic Church while preserving elements of the distinctive Anglican spiritual and liturgical patrimony. At the same time, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is publishing a set of Complementary Norms which will guide the implementation of this provision.

"This Apostolic Constitution opens a new avenue for the promotion of Christian unity while, at the same time, granting legitimate diversity in the expression of our common faith. It represents not an initiative on the part of the Holy See, but a generous response from the Holy Father to the legitimate aspirations of these Anglican groups. The provision of this new structure is consistent with the commitment to ecumenical dialogue, which continues to be a priority for the Catholic Church.

"The possibility envisioned by the Apostolic Constitution for some married clergy within the personal ordinariates does not signify any change in the Church's discipline of clerical celibacy. According to the Vatican Council II, priestly celibacy is a sign and a stimulus for pastoral charity and radiantly proclaims the reign of God".

The Apostolic Constitution contains thirteen sections which concern, among other things: the formation of the new ordinariates which possess, according to paragraph 3 of section 1, "public juridic personality by the law itself (ipso iure)" and are "juridically comparable to a diocese"; the power of the ordinary, "to be exercised jointly with that of the local diocesan bishop in those cases provided for in the Complementary Norms"; candidates for Holy Orders; erection, with the approval of the Holy See, of new Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life; the "ad limina" visit of the ordinary, etc.

The Complementary Norms concern the jurisdiction of the Holy See; relations with episcopal conferences and diocesan bishops; the ordinary; the faithful of the ordinariate; the clergy; former Anglican bishops; the governing council; the pastoral council, and personal parishes.

[ACNS 4666 • Canterbury] The Anglican-Old Catholic International Co-ordinating Council (AOCICC) met in the International Study Centre, Canterbury, England, from 26 to 29 October 2009. The Council welcomed the Revd Carola von Wrangel from the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe as a new member.

The members received reports of developments in each Communion and reviewed present ecumenical dialogues in which our Communions are engaged. The Council studied several papers on the theology of blessing. It also discussed and adopted an information leaflet about the Old Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht.

A draft text for a common statement on ecclesiology and mission was discussed. The Council will present it to the Anglican and Old Catholic Bishops' Conference and recommends that it be made the theme of the forthcoming International Old Catholic and Anglican Theological Conference in 2011.

Attention was given to the recently published document "Kirche und Kirchengemeinschaft" (Church and Communion) of the International Roman Catholic-Old Catholic Dialogue Commission (IRAD), as well as to the recent Vatican announcement of the Apostolic Constitution to provide personal ordinariates for Anglicans and former Anglicans.

The Council participated in daily Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer and the Eucharist in the Cathedral. The Bible Studies each morning were led by members of the Council. The Council was present at the consecration of the Bishop of Shrewsbury (Diocese of Lichfield) by the Archbishop of Canterbury in Westminster Abbey. Old Catholic bishops Joachim Vobbe and Harald Rein joined with the College of Anglican bishops in the laying on of hands.

At a dinner hosted by the Dean of Canterbury he welcomed members of the Council and led them on a candle-lit pilgrimage in the Cathedral.

The next meeting of the Council will take place 8-12 November 2010 in Germany.

Bishop Harold Rein extended an invitation to the 30th International Old Catholic Congress, to be held 9-13 August 2010 in Zurich.

For further information, please contact the Revd Professor Dr Angela Berlis, tel +41 (0)31 631 4193, email , or Neil Vigers at the Anglican Communion Office, tel +44 (0)20 7313 3929, email .

The members of the Anglican-Old Catholic International Co-ordinating Council are:

Anglicans

The Rt Revd Jonathan Gledhill - Co-chair
Mr Neil Vigers - acting Co-secretary
The Rt Revd David Hamid
Mrs Maryon Jägers
The Revd Dr Jeremy Morris
The Revd Carola von Wrangel

Old Catholics

The Rt Revd Joachim Vobbe - Co-chair
The Revd Professor Dr Angela Berlis - Co-secretary
The Revd Henriette Crüwell (absent)
The Revd Professor Dr David R. Holeton
The Rt Revd Dr Harald Rein
The Rt Revd Dr Dick Schoon (absent)

Administrative Support and Interpreter: The Revd Lars Simpson

• This item is also available in German.

[Washington • USCCB Media] The North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation finalized a joint response to the international dialogue’s 2007 “Ravenna Document” at their 77th meeting, held at Saint Paul’s College in Washington, October 22-24. Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Maximos of Pittsburgh and Roman Catholic Archbishop Gregory Aymond of New Orleans presided over it.

This was Archbishop Aymond’s first meeting as Catholic Co-Chair. Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Atlanta, Chairman of the Bishops’ Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, named Archbishop Aymond to succeed Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk last summer. Archbishop Aymond, who had been with His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in New Orleans the day before the meeting, extended the Patriarch’s warm greetings to the Consultation. Most of the meeting centered on finalizing the Common Response, the full text of which is found at http://www.usccb.org/seia/RavennaResponse.pdf

Overall the North American dialogue welcomed the document, and viewed its adoption as a sign that the international dialogue, that has faced significant difficulties in the recent past, has been able to resume its study of ecclesiology and present an approved statement on the topic.

The Common Response examines the Ravenna Document’s treatment of conciliarity and authority at three levels within the Church: the local level (diocese), the regional level (Episcopal conferences, metropolitanates and patriarchates) and the universal level. It also takes exception to the sole footnote in the Ravenna document, and argues that the representations of both the Orthodox and Catholic understandings of the Church in the footnote are inaccurate.

The full title of the Ravenna Document is “Ecclesiological and Canonical Consequences of the Sacramental Nature of the Church: Ecclesial Communion, Conciliarity and Authority.” It is available on the Vatican website and on the website of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. The North American consultation has also issued common responses to the earlier agreed statements produced by the international dialogue.

Members also continued work on the theme of primacies and conciliarity in the Church. They examined a first draft of a proposed agreed statement on this question, entitled “Steps Towards a United Church: A Sketch of an Orthodox-Catholic Vision for the Future.” Still in its preliminary stages, the text will be revised and considered again at the next meeting of the dialogue. To enhance the consultation’s examination of this theme, Father John Erickson presented a paper entitled “Primacy and Conciliarity at the Regional Level,” and Father Joseph Komonchak spoke on the analysis of the Council of Sardica (343 AD) by the noted French Dominican theologian Hervé Legrand.

One session of the meeting was devoted to a sharing of information about major events in the lives of the two churches. The topics discussed included the Fourth Pre-Conciliar Pan-Orthodox Conference and its implications for Orthodoxy in North America, the papal encyclical Caritas in Veritate, the nomination of a new U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, relations between the two Romanian Orthodox jurisdictions in North America, the recently announced creation of personal ordinariates for former Anglicans within the Catholic Church, and the situation of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese.

The next meeting of the dialogue is scheduled to take place at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts, June 1-3, 2010.

In addition to the co-chairs, the Consultation include Orthodox representatives Father Thomas FitzGerald (Secretary), Father Nicholas Apostola, Father Erickson, Susan Ashbrook Harvey, Ph.D., Father James Dutko, Paul Meyendorff, Ph.D., Father Alexander Golitzin, Robert Haddad, Ph.D., Father Robert Stephanopoulos, Father Theodore Pulcini, and Father Mark Arey, General Secretary of the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas SCOBA (staff).

Additional Catholic members are Jesuit Father Brian Daley (Secretary), Thomas Bird, Ph.D., Sylvain Destrempes, Ph.D., Father Peter Galadza, Chorbishop John D. Faris, Father John Galvin, Father Sidney Griffith, Father Komonchak, Father Paul McPartlan, Father David Petras, Sister of Charity of Leavenworth Susan K. Wood, Vito Nicastro, Ph.D., and Paulist Father Ronald Roberson, who serves as staff.

The North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation is sponsored jointly by SCOBA, the Bishops' Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. Since its establishment in 1965, the Consultation has now issued 23 agreed statements on various topics. All these texts are now available on the USCCB Website and the SCOBA website.

[Anli Serfontein • Wittenberg, Germany • ENI] The Vatican official responsible for links with other churches has rejected suggestions of a "standstill" in the search for Christian unity.

"There has already been a lot of movement," Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, told Ecumenical News International in Wittenberg, the eastern German town where in 1517, Martin Luther published his 95 Theses, thereby setting in train the breach with the papacy.

"I hope that there can be even more movement for the unity of the Church, the cohesion of Christianity and for common witness," said the cardinal when interviewed on 1 November while attending a ceremony seeking closer ties on the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017.

"We have learned a lot in the last 50 years," noted Kasper, a former professor of theology in Münster and Tübingen, and bishop of Stuttgart in southern Germany from 1989 to 1999. "At the university I spent a lot of time teaching about Martin Luther, and I have learned from that experience too."

Kasper was asked about comments by Wolfgang Huber, who retired at the end of October as Germany's senior Protestant bishop, in which he said the Vatican had created "difficulties" for ecumenical dialogue in the past decade.

"Well we caused each other difficulties," said Kasper, laughing. "Difficulties are always made from both sides. I also wished for more, but one can wish for a lot in life and it does not happen.

"The main point is that we should stay on the ball and should continue," said the cardinal. "Difficulties are sometimes from the one side and sometimes from the other, one should not overrate them. The basics, the direction is right and we should jointly continue the course."

The Wittenberg event followed celebrations in Augsburg the previous day to mark the 10th anniversary of the Lutheran World Federation and the Roman Catholic Church signing an agreement about the doctrine of justification, a central point of contention at the time of the 16th-century Reformation.

Kasper described the 1999 agreement as a "milestone, but also an interim step, and one on which we would like to build". He added, "In the council for promoting Christian unity we are to hold a conference in February to look towards the future together with our ecumenical partners. We want to think together about what the next steps could be."

At the 10th anniversary celebrations in Augsburg, Kasper had described the joint declaration as a sign of the workings of the Holy Spirit. "We cannot be thankful enough for that and for many, many other steps that have been possible since," he said in a sermon at Augsburg Cathedral, the city where the declaration had been signed 10 years earlier.

"The godless complain about the supposed standstill in the ecumenical movement and the miserable moan about what has not yet been achieved, forgetting all that has been given us in the last few years, all that is sheer ingratitude," asserted the cardinal.

In 2006, the Methodist World Council also affirmed the joint declaration.

In remarks during the Augsburg celebrations, the LWF general secretary, the Rev. Ishmael Noko, said in signing the joint declaration, Lutherans and Catholics had "set out a common journey of healing" their memories of mutual condemnation.

"Ten years ago in this city we committed ourselves to a joint ecumenical journey. We did not doubt that we will walk forward together in new ways," said Noko.

"Of course the mutual condemnations of the past remain a part of our history; that cannot be changed. And the painful legacy of our estrangement gives us memories which bear the wounds of our separation," noted the LWF general secretary. "Ten years ago, in this city of Augsburg we said that these memories of separation and hostility would not be the memories of our children."

In Wittenberg, Noko told ENI that the ecumenical movement continues to grow. "The seeds have been sown and it serves no purpose to be suspicious all the time," he said.