Quotations: Ecumenism
Come home wayward souls.New traditions around SwD. Wednesdays will see posts based on quotations. Hopefully encouraging discussion. This week the topic is ecumenism.
The Second Vatican Council reminded opportunely "with how much love Eastern Christians celebrate liturgical worship, above all the Eucharistic celebration, source of the life of the Church and pledge of future glory ("Unitatis Redintegratio," No. 15), and explained that in virtue of the apostolic succession, the priesthood and the Eucharist "are united to us with very close links" (ibid.).
Dialogue and confrontation in truth and charity, which will be developed during the symposium, will certainly make the common faith emerge, as well as those theological and liturgical aspects peculiar to the East and West, which are complementary and dynamic for the building of the People of God and which are a richness for the Church. The absence of full communion does not allow, unfortunately, the concelebration that for both is the sign of that full unity to which we are all called. In any case, it will be a call to intensify prayer, study and dialogue with the objective of resolving the differences that still remain.
To achieve the full communion of Christians must be an objective for all those who profess faith in the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church, "faithful and shepherds alike. -Pope Benedct XVI
So, Venerable Brethren, it is clear why this Apostolic See has never allowed its subjects to take part in the assemblies of non-Catholics: for the union of Christians can only be promoted by promoting the return to the one true Church of Christ of those who are separated from it, for in the past they have unhappily left it. To the one true Church of Christ, we say, which is visible to all, and which is to remain, according to the will of its Author, exactly the same as He instituted it. During the lapse of centuries, the mystical Spouse of Christ has never been contaminated, nor can she ever in the future be contaminated, as Cyprian bears witness: "The Bride of Christ cannot be made false to her Spouse: she is incorrupt and modest. She knows but one dwelling, she guards the sanctity of the nuptial chamber chastely and modestly." The same holy Martyr with good reason marveled exceedingly that anyone could believe that "this unity in the Church which arises from a divine foundation, and which is knit together by heavenly sacraments, could be rent and torn asunder by the force of contrary wills." For since the mystical body of Christ, in the same manner as His physical body, is one, compacted and fitly joined together,it were foolish and out of place to say that the mystical body is made up of members which are disunited and scattered abroad: whosoever therefore is not united with the body is no member of it, neither is he in communion with Christ its head.
11. Furthermore, in this one Church of Christ no man can be or remain who does not accept, recognize and obey the authority and supremacy of Peter and his legitimate successors. Did not the ancestors of those who are now entangled in the errors of Photius and the reformers, obey the Bishop of Rome, the chief shepherd of souls? Alas their children left the home of their fathers, but it did not fall to the ground and perish for ever, for it was supported by God. Let them therefore return to their common Father, who, forgetting the insults previously heaped on the Apostolic See, will receive them in the most loving fashion. For if, as they continually state, they long to be united with Us and ours, why do they not hasten to enter the Church, "the Mother and mistress of all Christ's faithful"? Let them hear Lactantius crying out: "The Catholic Church is alone in keeping the true worship. This is the fount of truth, this the house of Faith, this the temple of God: if any man enter not here, or if any man go forth from it, he is a stranger to the hope of life and salvation. Let none delude himself with obstinate wrangling. For life and salvation are here concerned, which will be lost and entirely destroyed, unless their interests are carefully and assiduously kept in mind."
12. Let, therefore, the separated children draw nigh to the Apostolic See, set up in the City which Peter and Paul, the Princes of the Apostles, consecrated by their blood; to that See, We repeat, which is "the root and womb whence the Church of God springs," not with the intention and the hope that "the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth" will cast aside the integrity of the faith and tolerate their errors, but, on the contrary, that they themselves submit to its teaching and government. Would that it were Our happy lot to do that which so many of Our predecessors could not, to embrace with fatherly affection those children, whose unhappy separation from Us We now bewail. -Mortalium Animos - Pope Pius XI
Discuss.
Michael Brendan Dougherty
in Religion, Quotations
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6 Comments
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Source: Mortalium AnimosWe were created by God, the Creator of the universe, in order that we might know Him and serve Him; our Author therefore has a perfect right to our service. God might, indeed, have prescribed for man's government only the natural law, which, in His creation, He imprinted on his soul, and have regulated the progress of that same law by His ordinary providence; but He preferred rather to impose precepts, which we were to obey, and in the course of time, namely from the beginnings of the human race -
I have received with joy the news that in Assisi, oasis and call for peace, the 9th symposium is being held promoted by the Franciscan Institute of Spirituality of the Pontifical University Antonianum and by the Faculty of Theology of the Aristotle University of Thessalonica, the city to whose first Christian community St. Paul sent two letters.
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Source: Dominus IesusTherefore, there exists a single Church of Christ, which subsists in the Catholic Church, governed by the Successor of Peter and by the Bishops in communion with him.58 The Churches which, while not existing in perfect communion with the Catholic Church, remain united to her by means of the closest bonds, that is, by apostolic succession and a valid Eucharist, are true particular Churches.59 Therefore, the Church of Christ is present and operative also in these Churches, even though they lack fu
Reader Comments (6)
A sound ecclesiological position adopted by all would force all Catholic and Orthodox bishops and theologians to face up to the reality of meaningful doctrinal divisions that must either be considered as unimportant or fundamental, and I doubt very much that anyone can credibly make the argument that these disagreements are over simply unimportant things. From the Orthodox perspective, the distinction between essence and energies in God, for example, is a fundamental teaching (which I believe, incidentally, is also fundamental to our shared Christology). To the extent that traditonal Catholics believe that teaching to be in error, I see little chance in the near term for reconciliation.
I am not sure that there can be said to be any precise teachings in the quotation from Benedict xvi. It is a statement of greeting. I am not literate enough in these matters to discern whether a 'symposium' with representatives of the schismatic Eastern Churches would fall under the rubric of "assemblies with non-Catholics", inasmuch as the purpose of a symposium is not worship.
There may not be a communion with the Orthodox and non-Chalcedonian Churches, but these do have valid holy orders and recognition of that was not an innovation of the last four decades.
The Eastern-rite Catholic Churches came into being as particular Orthodox and non-Chalcedonian bishops submitted to the authority of the Supreme Pontiff, carrying their flocks with them. There is thus a qualified precedent for a re-animated communion achieved through discussions between hierarchs and heresiarchs. (One which would not apply to the protestant congregations, which have no one in apostolic succession).
Christopher Ferrara has spoken of there having been a corrosive innovation not in ecclesiology (though he has been perturbed by some of the writings of Cdl. Ratzinger on these matters), but in the realm of what he calls "ecclesial attitudes". Is that what you all had in mind to display?
Incidently, as a polemical point - I find it fascinating that Benedict mentions explcitly the love of the Orthodox for their liturgy. It was not long ago that some in the Western Church, after the excitement of Vatican II, encouraged the Orthodox to reform their liturgy likewise as the Western Church did.
We can thank the heavens that they did not.We ought to pray the rumors of a "released" traditional Mass are true. It can only do good for the Church and for the West.
From our perspectives, the Orthodox conception of Original Sin and the question of the Bishop of Rome are also enormous stumbling blocks to reconciliation.
As you imply, we need to get something straight between us: from each of our mutual perspectives, the other is in schism and not a part of the living, universal Church, even if he has preserved the line of succession. Any talk of "learning" from each other has to be accompanied by a fortiduous guard of the true faith on the part of he who holds it.
I am confused. Is it your contention that Benedict's use of the term 'Christian' is in error and applies properly only to those in union with Rome?
I don't believe Michael intended to say that it was incorrect for Pope Benedict to refer to non-Catholics as Christians. As I see it, anyone who confesses at least a Nicene Christianity has to be acknowledged as and called a Christian, even if he might depart from correct teaching elsewhere.