Christ summons the Church to continual reformation as she sojourns here on earth. Le Guillou, Mission et unit. There are two main principles governing the practice of such common worship: first, the bearing witness to the unity of the Church, and second, the sharing in the means of grace. [17] Cf. Moreover, their form of worship sometimes displays notable features of the liturgy which they shared with us of old. For men who believe in Christ and have been truly baptized are in communion with the Catholic Church even though this communion is imperfect. Now that we have briefly set out the conditions for ecumenical action and the principles by which it is to be directed, we look with confidence to the future. Lumen Gentium, n. 8). 12, 83). 5. It was desired to give its proper due to the fact that outside the Catholic Church there are not only individual Christians but also "elements of Church",10 and even Churches and Ecclesial Communities which, while not in full communion, belong rightfully to the one Church and are a means of salvation for their members (cf. Pope John Paul II has called for a fraternal dialogue on the future exercise of this ministry (cf. The Council knew that the Church journeys on through history to bring to fruition in history what her deepest nature actually is ("est "). While it is true that many Christians understand the moral teaching of the Gospel differently from Catholics, and do not accept the same solutions to the more difficult problems of modern society, nevertheless they share our desire to stand by the words of Christ as the source of Christian virtue, and to obey the command of the Apostle: And whatever you do, in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. In this regard, the ecumenical movement is a charismatic phenomenon and an "operation of the Holy Spirit". This formulation of the ecumenical problem is the Council's most important theological contribution to the ecumenical question. It subsequently states with regard to the Orthodox Churches: "Through the celebration of the Eucharist of the Lord in each of these Churches, the Church of God is built up and grows in stature, and through concelebration, their communion with one another is made manifest" (Unitatis Redintegratio, n. 15). Catholics, in their ecumenical work, must assuredly be concerned for their separated brethren, praying for them, keeping them informed about the Church, making the first approaches toward them. Unitatis Redintegratio, n. 14) and that legitimate differences be recognized (cf. The Present and Future Situation of the Ecumenical Movement, in: Information Service n. 109, 2002/I-II, 11-20. CONC. Ut Unum Sint, n. 20). Newman, Tradition has not become fossilized but is living. Unitatis Redintegratio, however, did not stop there. All wish for unity and long for the one visible Church of God. "Their ecumenical activity cannot be other than fully and sincerely Catholic, that is, loyal to the truth we have received from the Apostles and the Fathers, and in harmony with the faith which the Catholic Church has always professed" (Unitatis Redintegratio, n. 24). Herders Theologischer Kommentar Zum Zweiten Vatikanischen Konzil Hthk Vat Ii Orientalium Ecclesiarum Unitatis Redintegratio Christus Dominus Educationis Nostra Aetate Dei Verbum By Peter H Nermann Dr. Roman A. Siebenrock, Universitt Insbruck) Dei Verbum (Prof. Dr. Helmut Hoping, Universitt Freiburg) 9 Letter from the Holy See to the Archbishop of Boston (1949), in: DS 3866-73. 19. Council clearly makes ecumenism binding as the work of the Spirit. But the problems we encounter must not let us forget the rich fruit that it has yielded. If this cause is wholeheartedly promoted, the Council hopes that the barrier dividing the Eastern Church and Western Church will be removed, and that at last there may be but the one dwelling, firmly established on Christ Jesus, the cornerstone, who will make both one.[38]. 17 John Paul II, Encyclical Slavorum Apostoli (1985), n. 27. The course to be adopted, with due regard to all the circumstances of time, place, and persons, is to be decided by local episcopal authority, unless otherwise provided for by the Bishops' Conference according to its statutes, or by the Holy See. 10-14). It would have been possible to formulate more clearly what it was the intention to express; but as regards the effective content, it is impossible to close one's eyes to the divergences that exist in the way in which the Church is conceived. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue: Unitatis Redintegratio, Nostra Aetate by at the best online prices at eBay! [15] Cf. The Decree started an irrevocable and irreversible process for which there is no realistic alternative. Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 47; Lumen Gentium, nn. Thus, the foundations of Eucharistic ecclesiology already exist in the Constitution on the Liturgy and in the Constitution on the Church (cf. This concern itself reveals already to some extent the bond of brotherhood between all Christians and it helps toward that full and perfect unity which God in His kindness wills. Unitatis Redintegratio, n. 14). In this eschatological perspective, the ecumenical movement is closely connected to the missionary movement. It is significant that the term "dialogue" is repeated like a refrain at the end of the various parts of this section of the Decree (cf. It's very hard to figure out a way to fix it. This gives us a good reason to enquire: what was the purpose of the Decree? 18, 36, 79). Unitatis Redintegratio Quotes & Sayings. It follows that the separated Churches[23] and Communities as such, though we believe them to be deficient in some respects, have been by no means deprived of significance and importance in the mystery of salvation. Among them, too, is a strong sense of justice and a true charity toward their neighbor. Today, 40 years later, the ecumenical . Forty years are a measure of biblical time. We must get to know the outlook of our separated brethren. 10 This concept dates back to J. Calvin; but whereas for Calvin the term referred to the sad remnants of the true Church, in the ecumenical debate it is understood in a positive and dynamic sense, directed towards the future. It must however be admitted that in these Churches and ecclesial Communities there exist important differences from the Catholic Church, not only of an historical, sociological, psychological and cultural character, but especially in the interpretation of revealed truth. The Council observed that with regard to the differences, it is often a matter of complementary rather than conflicting elements (cf. If they are true to this course of action, they will be giving ever better expression to the authentic catholicity and apostolicity of the Church. It is thus, under the action of the Holy Spirit, that Christ wills His people to increase, and He perfects His people's fellowship in unity: in their confessing the one faith, celebrating divine worship in common, and keeping the fraternal harmony of the family of God. The Catholic principles of ecumenism spelled out by the Council and later by Pope John Paul II are clearly and unequivocally opposed to irenicism and relativism, which tend to trivialize everything (cf. The Council candidly acknowledges that there are obstacles to full communion with the Catholic Church, caused by differences in doctrine, discipline, and ecclesiology. Unitatis Redintegratio, nn. Within the one Church there is leeway for a legitimate diversity of mindsets, practices, rites, canonical norms, theology and spirituality (cf. Most valuable for this purpose are meetings of the two sides - especially for discussion of theological problems - where each can treat with the other on an equal footing - provided that those who take part in them are truly competent and have the approval of the bishops. [2] Cf. The differences that exist in varying degrees between them and the Catholic Church - whether in doctrine and sometimes in discipline, or concerning the structure of the Church - do indeed create many obstacles, sometimes serious ones, to full ecclesiastical communion. But we rejoice to see that our separated brethren look to Christ as the source and center of Church unity. However, many Christian communions present themselves to men as the true inheritors of Jesus Christ; all indeed profess to be followers of the Lord but differ in mind and go their different ways, as if Christ Himself were divided. [21] Cf. Decree on Ecumenism Unitatis Redintegratio Introduction 1. However, it is evident that, when individuals wish for full Catholic communion, their preparation and reconciliation is an undertaking which of its nature is distinct from ecumenical action. 36 and 50). The way and method in which the Catholic faith is expressed should never become an obstacle to dialogue with our brethren. John Wooden, All hopes of eternity and all gain from the past he would have given to have her there, to be wrapped warm with him in one blanket, and sleep, only sleep. The ecumenical movement and the goal it has set, the full unity of disciples of Christ, remains within the furrows marked by Tradition. I do not intend to describe here the chequered movement leading up to Unitatis Redintegratio2 and eventually to abandoning the limited vision of the Post-Tridentine and Counter-Reformation Church, and to furthering not "modernism" but a return to the biblical, patristic and late mediaeval tradition which made possible a new and clearer understanding of the nature of the Church. Unitatis Redintegratiodraws out this implication explicitly, and attempts to describe what is meant by such imperfect communion. While invoking the Holy Spirit, they seek in these very Scriptures God as it were speaking to them in Christ, Whom the prophets foretold, Who is the Word of God made flesh for us. All Catholics must therefore aim at Christian perfection[24] and, each according to his station, play his part that the Church may daily be more purified and renewed. These various divisions differ greatly from one another not only by reason of their origin, place and time, but especially in the nature and seriousness of questions bearing on faith and the structure of the Church. The difference between the two is not only geographical or temporal; they are different kinds of schisms. He brings them into intimate union with Christ, so that He is the principle of the Church's unity. For the Spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as means of salvation which derive their efficacy from the very fullness of grace and truth entrusted to the Church. As the Council says, the Ecclesial Communities born from the Reformation "have not preserved the proper reality of the Eucharistic mystery in its fullness especially because of the absence of the Sacrament of Orders" (Unitatis Redintegratio, n. 22). Joseph Ratzinger given by Dr. Schler in his book Benedict XVI and the Church's View of Itself," showed how the young theologian in the 1960's thought entirely along the lines of golden coins in or out of the heap. Originally, communio and communio sanctorum did not designate the communities of Christians, but their participation (participatio) in the goods of salvation, in the sancta, that is, in the sacramenta. All Rights Reserved. Quotes of Fr. Enjoy reading and share 5 famous quotes about Unitatis Redintegratio with everyone. Moreover, it is thanks to this that the new Pentecost announced by John XXIII in his Opening Address to the Council makes head way. Full text of Unitatis Redintegratio. Lumen Gentium, n. 8; Unitatis Redintegratio, nn. It is impossible to explain here the complex historical issues connected with the problem or the current possibilities of the reinterpretation and re-acceptance of the dogmas promulgated by the First Vatican Council. 12 Cf. They derive their strength too from the living tradition of the apostles and from the works of the Fathers and spiritual writers of the Eastern Churches. It seemed the sleep with the woman in his arms was the only necessity. It fits into the context of the ecumenical movement that came into being in the 20th century outside the Catholic Church (cf. Chapter I - Catholic Principles on Ecumenism Ecumenism under the banner of the ecclesiology of communion. Protestants do not want to be Church in the way the Catholic Church desires herself to be; they represent another kind of Church and for this reason, according to the criterion of Catholic identity, they are not a Church in the proper sense. But while the Christians who are separated from us hold the divine authority of the Sacred Books, they differ from ours - some in one way, some in another - regarding the relationship between Scripture and the Church. If they know we care for them, our correction won't be seen as judgmental. CONC. Commitment to ecumenism responds to the prayer of the Lord Jesus that "they may all be one" (Jn 17:21). but we can pray with non-Catholics in the sense of praying "in their presence.". On several occasions the Pope has said that the ecumenical venture is irrevocable (cf. These most certainly can truly engender a life of grace in ways that vary according to the condition of each Church or Community. especially, H. Mlhlen, Una mistica persona, Munich-Paderborn, 1968, 496-502, 504-513. VI (1439), Definitio Laetentur caeli: Mansi 31, 1026 E. [27] Cf. 32, Enarr. This happens thanks to the concept of "communio". 15 ff., 2127). 8, 15; Unitatis Redintegratio, n. 3; Ut Unum Sint, nn. For this reason the Holy Council urges all, but especially those who intend to devote themselves to the restoration of full communion hoped for between the Churches of the East and the Catholic Church, to give due consideration to this special feature of the origin and growth of the Eastern Churches, and to the character of the relations which obtained between them and the Roman See before separation. As will shortly be pointed out, this axiom is of capital importance for understanding the Oriental Churches and the distinction that exists between them and the Protestant Ecclesial Communities. The Decree on Ecumenism did not appear out of thin air. Everyone also knows with what great love the Christians of the East celebrate the sacred liturgy, especially the eucharistic celebration, source of the Church's life and pledge of future glory, in which the faithful, united with their bishop, have access to God the Father through the Son, the Word made flesh, Who suffered and has been glorified, and so, in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, they enter into communion with the most holy Trinity, being made sharers of the divine nature. 'Subsistit in' expresses a historically concrete ecclesiology. The Council moreover professes its awareness that human powers and capacities cannot achieve this holy objective - the reconciling of all Christians in the unity of the one and only Church of Christ. Wherever this occurs there is a real risk of relativism and indifferentism, of "cheap ecumenism" that ends by becoming superfluous. gentle in the service of others, and to have an attitude of brotherly generosity towards them. After taking all these factors into consideration, this Sacred Council solemnly repeats the declaration of previous Councils and Roman Pontiffs, that for the restoration or the maintenance of unity and communion it is necessary to impose no burden beyond what is essential. However, the heritage handed down by the apostles was received with differences of form and manner, so that from the earliest times of the Church it was explained variously in different places, owing to diversities of genius and conditions of life. Thanks to "subsistit in", the Council was able to make a remarkable qualitative leap. The basic idea of the Second Vatican Council and in particular the Decree on Ecumenism can be summed up in one word: communio.14 The term is important for a proper understanding of the issue of the "elementa ecclesiae". 6 Overview in Synopsis historica, edited by G. Alberigo-F. Magistretti, Bologna, 1975, 38; 439 ff. Top Unitatis Redintegratio Quotes. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.[33]. In addition, the way is prepared for cooperation between them in the duties for the common good of humanity which are demanded by every Christian conscience; and, wherever this is allowed, there is prayer in common. The Decree on Ecumenism, aka Unitatitis Redintegratio, was not among the longest or most weighty documents of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, but it was certainly ranks among its greatest achievements. This importance is the greater because the instruction and spiritual formation of the faithful and of religious depends so largely on the formation which their priests have received. 5-12). We rediscover this humble and realistic vision primarily in Lumen Gentium (n. 8), where the Council, by means of "subsistit in", not only makes room for elements of the Church outside her own visible structure, but also for members and structures of sin within the Church herself.13 The People of God also has sinners in its ranks, with the results that the Church's spiritual nature does not appear clearly to the separated brethren or the world, the Church shares responsibility for the existing divisions, and the growth of the Kingdom of God is delayed (cf. It is a mystery that finds its highest exemplar and source in the unity of the Persons of the Trinity: the Father and the Son in the Holy Spirit, one God. A SINGLE LETTER TO BE CHANGED. Margaret Elizabeth Sangster, Approval is a greater motivator than disapproval, but we have to disapprove on occasion when we correct. Situation of the Church ( cf Una mistica persona, Munich-Paderborn, 1968,,. 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