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 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). The Council, therefore, knew that forms of holiness exist outside the Catholic Church which can even reach the point of martyrdom (cf. This formulation of the ecumenical problem is the Council's most important theological contribution to the ecumenical question. Vatican II's Decree on Ecumenism (Unitatis Redintegratio) was issued on November 21, 1964, the same day as the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church and the Decree on the Catholic Eastern Churches . Is it ideal? Set your heights more than what you see around you, see beyond. This is the way that, when the obstacles to perfect ecclesiastical communion have been gradually overcome, all Christians will at last, in a common celebration of the Eucharist, be gathered into the one and only Church in that unity which Christ bestowed on His Church from the beginning. VIII (1439), Decretum Exultate Deo: Mansi 31, 1055 A. Full text of Unitatis Redintegratio. Le Guillou, Mission et unit. This happens thanks to the concept of "communio". It was passed by a vote of 2,137 to 11 of the bishops assembled at the Council, and was promulgated by Pope Paul VI on 21 November 1964. When such actions are undertaken prudently and patiently by the Catholic faithful, with the attentive guidance of their bishops, they promote justice and truth, concord and collaboration, as well as the spirit of brotherly love and unity. 1 ff., 9, et al.). [21] Cf. Let us hope that it will soon be possible to resume the international theological dialogue and above all, that it will be devoted to the study of this topic. 990; CONC. They must take full account of all these factors and, where this is done, it will greatly contribute to the dialogue that is looked for. We believe that this unity subsists in the Catholic Church as something she can never lose, and we hope that it will continue to increase until the end of time. Ecumenical Quotes. No. [19] Cf. It is the Lord's will that we follow this path, with prudence but also with courage, patience and above all, with steadfast hope. Pope John XXIII was responsible for taking the first steps. Lumen Gentium, nn. The path of ecumenism is not a journey towards the unknown. Margaret Elizabeth Sangster, Approval is a greater motivator than disapproval, but we have to disapprove on occasion when we correct. At the same time, the Catholic faith must be explained more profoundly and precisely, in such a way and in such terms as our separated brethren can also really understand. Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 47; Lumen Gentium, nn. In this regard, the ecumenical movement is a charismatic phenomenon and an "operation of the Holy Spirit". A love and reverence of Sacred Scripture which might be described as devotion, leads our brethren to a constant meditative study of the sacred text. 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. ; Ut Unum Sint, n. 66), and in part also of moral issues (cf. The ecumenical movement discards nothing that has so far been precious and important for the Church or in her history; it stays faithful to the truth recognized and defined as such in history and adds nothing that is new. With the Toronto Declaration (1950) it also entered into the language of the World Council of Churches. 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. This expression was taken up in the Common Declaration of Pope John Paul II and the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in 1995. Ut Unum Sint, nn. Christ the Lord founded one Church and one Church only. Les exigeances de la communion, Paris, 1959; Y. Congar, Diversit et communion, Paris, 1982, 239 ff. Thus they promote the right ordering of Christian life and, indeed, pave the way to a full vision of Christian truth. To make easier the ecumenical dialogue in spite of these differences, we wish to set down some considerations which can, and indeed should, serve as a basis and encouragement for such dialogue. Spiritus Sanctus, qui credentes inhabitat totamque replet atque regit Ecclesiam, miram illam communionem fidelium efficit et tam intime omnes in Christo coniungit, ut Ecclesiae unitatis sit Principium. 8, 15; Unitatis Redintegratio, n. 3; Ut Unum Sint, nn. F ORTY years ago, when the Council opened its sessions, the majority of the Fathers favoured a sound Catholic ecumenism, designed as a generous and charitable invitation addressed to Christians separated from Rome to come back to the fold, to reintegrate Catholic unity.. An echo of this zeal can be found at number 2 of the conciliar Decree Unitatis redintegratio: | Contact Us To achieve this purpose, study is of necessity required, and this must be pursued with a sense of realism and good will. Baptism, therefore, envisages a complete profession of faith, complete incorporation in the system of salvation such as Christ willed it to be, and finally complete ingrafting in eucharistic communion. Unitatis Redintegratio, however, did not stop there. There from the glorious times of the holy Fathers, monastic spirituality flourished which, then later flowed over into the Western world, and there provided the source from which Latin monastic life took its rise and has drawn fresh vigor ever since. The title of the document is taken from the opening words of the Latin text. Il Concilio Vaticano II. cit., 214-217. We now turn our attention to the two chief types of division as they affect the seamless robe of Christ. All however, though in different ways, long for the one visible Church of God, a Church truly universal and set forth into the world that the world may be converted to the Gospel and so be saved, to the glory of God. 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. But Sacred Scriptures provide for the work of dialogue an instrument of the highest value in the mighty hand of God for the attainment of that unity which the Saviour holds out to all. Cooperation among Christians vividly expresses the relationship which in fact already unites them, and it sets in clearer relief the features of Christ the Servant. This clarification was provided by the Council in the Constitution on the Church with the much-discussed formula "subsistit in": the Church of Jesus Christ subsists in the Catholic Church (cf. But their primary duty is to make a careful and honest appraisal of whatever needs to be done or renewed in the Catholic household itself, in order that its life may bear witness more clearly and faithfully to the teachings and institutions which have come to it from Christ through the Apostles. Here is the text in its entirely in html and also as a free pdf download. Together with the mission, ecumenism is the way of the Church through the 21st century and the third millennium. 5, 11, 24; Ut Unum Sint, nn. 18. [35] Hence, through the celebration of the Holy Eucharist in each of these churches, the Church of God is built up and grows in stature[36] and through concelebration, their communion with one another is made manifest. Therefore, the contribution of Unitatis Redintegratio to the solution of the ecumenical problem is not "the ecclesiology of the elements" but the distinction between full communion and partial communion (cf. 12 Cf. The distribution of graces and offices is His work too,[8] enriching the Church of Jesus Christ with different functions in order to equip the saints for the work of service, so as to build up the body of Christ. In the Decree Unitatis Redintegratio, the Second Vatican Council recognized that the ecumenical movement is a sign of the Holy Spirit's action and said that it considered the promotion of this movement to be one of its principal tasks. This phrase suggests a quantitative, almost materialistic, dimension, as though it were possible to quantify or count all the elements, checking to see whether their numbers were complete. This close identification of the Church of Jesus Christ with the Catholic Church is present, for example, in the Encyclicals Mystici Corporis (1943) and Humani Generis (1950).8, However, Mystici Corporis also recognizes that there are persons who, while they may not be baptized, belong to the Catholic Church because they so desire (cf. The true Church cannot defect The "Fundamental Truths" myth Church in the Modern World: Gaudium et Spes Ratzinger: A "revision of Pius IX's Syllabus" The point: man has changed Unitatis Redintegratio affirms that it is in the Eucharist where "the unity of the Church is both signified and brought about" (Unitatis Redintegratio, n. 2). All this, quite apart from external causes, prepared the way for decisions arising also from a lack of charity and mutual understanding. 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. We are also linked to the Communities born of the Reformation by many important elements of the true Church, including above all the proclamation of the Word of God and Baptism. These liturgical actions must be regarded as capable of giving access to the community of salvation. The integration of ecumenical theology in the ecclesiology of communio makes it possible to distinguish two types of division in the Church: the schism between East and West, and the internal divisions in the Church of the West from the 16th century. The way and method in which the Catholic faith is expressed should never become an obstacle to dialogue with our brethren. The Council is the Magna Charta for the Church's journey in the 21st century (cf. Dogmatic laxism leads to the refusal to recognize the essence of the Church's eschatological dimension. Ecumenism and mission are like twins.3. Ut Unum Sint, n. 95). Nevertheless, our separated brethren, whether considered as individuals or as Communities and Churches, are not blessed with that unity which Jesus Christ wished to bestow on all those who through Him were born again into one body, and with Him quickened to newness of life - that unity which the Holy Scriptures and the ancient Tradition of the Church proclaim. Though the ecclesial Communities which are separated from us lack the fullness of unity with us flowing from Baptism, and though we believe they have not retained the proper reality of the eucharistic mystery in its fullness, especially because of the absence of the sacrament of Orders, nevertheless when they commemorate His death and resurrection in the Lord's Supper, they profess that it signifies life in communion with Christ and look forward to His coming in glory. Above all, prayer is the heart of the ecumenical movement (cf. Last year was the 25th anniversary of Ut Unum Sint in which Pope John Paul II confirmed that the Church's commitment to ecumenism is . This expression, still fairly vague in the Decree on Ecumenism, was taken up and developed in the Tomos Agapis,19 the exchange of Messages between Pope Paul VI and the Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras. Enjoy reading and share 5 famous quotes about Unitatis Redintegratio with everyone. 19. [9], In order to establish this His holy Church everywhere in the world till the end of time, Christ entrusted to the College of the Twelve the task of teaching, ruling and sanctifying. Moreover, in ecumenical dialogue, Catholic theologians standing fast by the teaching of the Church and investigating the divine mysteries with the separated brethren must proceed with love for the truth, with charity, and with humility. 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. Tim Heidecker, My own opinion is that youthfulness of feeling is retained, as is youthfulness of appearance, by constant use of the intellect. For men who believe in Christ and have been truly baptized are in communion with the Catholic Church even though this communion is imperfect. This active faith has been responsible for many organizations for the relief of spiritual and material distress, the furtherance of the education of youth, the improvement of the social conditions of life, and the promotion of peace throughout the world. As distinct from what occurred in the situation of the schism of the East, with the Communities that resulted from the Reformation we are not only in the presence of doctrinal divergences but also of fundamental structure and of another type of Church. This concern extends to everyone, according to his talent, whether it be exercised in his daily Christian life or in his theological and historical research. 4, 7, 12, 49; Apostolicam Actuositatem, n. 3; Ad Gentes nn. Mission and ecumenism are two forms of the eschatological journey and the eschatological dynamic of the Church. The re-establishment of full communion implies that due attention be paid to the different factors that led to the separation (cf. 25 Cf. This "ecclesiology of elements" was already criticized at the Conciliar debates and especially after the Council." Let us merely recall that a symposium organized in May 2003 by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity with the Orthodox Churches led to openness on both sides .22. 5-8); Ut Unum Sint, nn. Unitatis Redintegratio, n. 4), and marked a decisive turning point with the creation of the "World Council of Churches" in 1948. Transferring this concept of unity to the ecumenical problem, the ecumenical unity to which we are aspiring means something more than a network of confessional Churches which, by entering into the communion of the Eucharist and of the pulpit, mutually recognize one another. The difference is accentuated when it is a question of the Eucharist. 12, 83). Thus if, in various times and circumstances, there have been deficiencies in moral conduct or in church discipline, or even in the way that church teaching has been formulated - to be carefully distinguished from the deposit of faith itself - these can and should be set right at the opportune moment. Lumen Gentium, nn. [37] It is the Council's urgent desire that, in the various organizations and living activities of the Church, every effort should be made toward the gradual realization of this unity, especially by prayer, and by fraternal dialogue on points of doctrine and the more pressing pastoral problems of our time. It serves to prepare the new historical features of the Church, not a new Church but a Church that is spiritually renewed and enriched. It is neither an addition nor some sort of appendix, but an integral, organic part of the life and pastoral activity of the Church (cf. She journeys on to fully achieve her nature in life. 8. II, vol. 11, 52. 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