Bishop of Parramatta

The possibilities for co-operation and commitment within the Churches are many and varied. The House of Welcome resource centre for refugees and asylum seekers in western Sydney is a joint project of the Catholic, Anglican and Uniting Churches. Photograph: Hamilton Lund.

One of my Priests reported to me how a parishioner had taken him to task, objecting to his preaching on the Vatican II Decree on Ecumenism, Unitatis Redintegratio, in his Sunday homily. The objection was, "we only want the true faith preached here!"

Sadly, I found the objection not unique for there are people who wouldn't dare "tell lies or be disobedient", yet pay scant attention to the Church's teachings on ecumenism.

The Decree on Ecumenism remains one of the more neglected documents of the Second Vatican Council.

But Pope John Paul II gave us a wonderful example of how to work for Christian unity, and Pope Benedict XVI has indicated that he, too, will make the quest for unity one of the primary goals of his pontificate.

On 16 June this year he assured the Secretary-General of the World Council of Churches that the commitment of the Catholic Church to the search for Christian unity was irreversible.

Pope John Paul II said in his homily on the 40th anniversary of Unitatis Redintegratio that there were obstacles: "Misunderstanding and prejudices, lack of open-heartedness, differences in matters of faith, particularly pertaining to the Catholic Church, her nature and her ministries, and new problems in fields such as bio-ethics."

But he was adamant these were not reasons to hesitate, but reasons to continue to persevere in prayer, and in commitment to Christian unity.

The Decree itself calls us to personal and institutional renewal as the primary goal of ecumenism. This means that we must pray with non-Catholic Christians for unity, have a clear understanding of our respective beliefs, and work together in areas of social justice and charitable works.

Tidying up our own house consists of a careful and honest appraisal of what has to be done to renew ourselves in order that the life of our Church may bear witness more clearly and faithfully to the teachings that have come to us from Christ through the Apostles.

In other words, we have to aim for Christian perfection in our own lives, each according to his or her station, so that the Church may daily be more purified and renewed, and give witness to others.

At the same time we must pray together for unity among Christians of all churches at ecumenical gatherings.

We must know our own faith in order to fully present Catholic teaching to non-Catholic Christians. For those who are knowledgeable in their own faith the Decree suggests study of the teachings of non-Catholic Christians to gain an understanding of their history, their spiritual and liturgical life, their religious psychology and general background. A similar study is suggested for non-Catholic Christians.

According to the Vatican document, the manner and method in which the Catholic faith is expressed should never become an obstacle to dialogue. What is essential is that Catholic doctrine be clearly presented in its entirety.

Nothing is so foreign to the spirit of ecumenism as a false irenicism (false peace seeking) in which the purity of Catholic doctrine suffers, and its genuine and certain meaning is clouded.

The Catholic faith must be explained profoundly and precisely in such terms as our separated brethren can understand.

In this way all believers in Christ, by working together, can acquire a better knowledge and appreciation of one another and so pave the way to Christian unity.

There are already excellent examples of co-operation happening between Christians in areas of social justice and helping the poor.

Pope John Paul II in his Encyclical Letter, On Commitment to Ecumenism, summarises well: "Love for the truth is the deepest dimension of any authentic quest for full communion between Christians. This dimension, which is interior and personal, must be accompanied by a spirit of charity and humility. There must be charity towards one's partner in dialogue, and humility with regard to the truth which comes to light and which might require a review of assertions and attitudes." (N. 36)

To conclude: if we really appreciate our own Catholic faith there should be an overwhelming desire within ourselves to share it with others rather than keep it exclusive.

And, in the process, take to heart Jesus' prayer at the Last Supper: "Father, may they all be one … as you are in me and I am in you … so that the world may believe that it was you who sent me." (John 17:21)

August 2005

The Bishop's Letter

Ignorance, prejudice or pure apathy

From Bishop Kevin Manning, Catholic Outlook, August2005.