Cardinal Kasper on Ravenna Final Document
(14 Nov 07 RV) The Vatican’s Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity will issue the final document from the October Ravenna meeting of the Joint International Commission for the Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, entitled: “The Ecclesiological and Canonical consequences of the Sacramental nature of the Church”.
Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Vatican Council who led the Catholic delegation at the meeting spoke to us about the main issues contained in the document. Countering recent speculation that it deals with the question of primacy, he described recent advances in Orthodox Catholic relations as a first step in a long road:
“Now the real breakthrough is that for the first time the orthodox were ready to speak about the universal level of the church and also on the universal level we have synodality of course, but also an authority – it means a primate which is of course according to the old order- the taxis of the ancient church, the bishop of Rome”.
But continued the Cardinal “we must be clear this is only a first step, this is only a basis, it does not solve all of the problems which are between the orthodox and the Catholic Church, we have to go on to clarify the details, we will speak next time about the role of the bishop of Rome, in the first millennium, then we have to go on to the second millennium where we have the first and second Vatican Council”. “This” – concludes Cardinal Kasper – “will not be an easy dialogue and then we can see where we will be after these steps…and this will be a long probably humanly speaking, a long and also a difficult way but not to exaggerate what we have achieved now its important a first step a basis not more and we hope with god’s help and prayers of many faithful we can go on this ecumenical pilgrimage with the orthodox churches”.
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HBK: We Will Gladly Promote Unity With Orthodox
Church
HBK representatives agree the document is a positive move because it will lay the corner stone of unification for the two churches.
The pope is 'first amongst the patriarchs', Rome is the 'first seat', the Roman Catholic Church 'lies within love'. These are conclusions from a meeting of Catholic and Orthodox Church representatives, held a month ago in Ravenna, stated in the meeting`s secret document, which was published by Italian La Repubblica daily.
Document`s significance
This document, which has great historic significance, lays the corner stone of two “opposing” Churches uniting after nearly 1,000 years of division for the East and West. This is especially visible in Croatia and the region, seeing how Croatia was a certain wall between the two Churches. Anyway, representatives of both Churches in Croatia welcomed such a document, but they point out that it is yet another in line of documents that try to unite the two Churches.
- We rejoice at every move when it comes to uniting the Catholic and Orthodox Church and we will gladly promote unity in both Churches. This is a task for all Christians – dr. Jure Zecevic told Javno, secretary of Ecumenism Council at the Croatian Bishop Conference (HBK).
When asked how might the unification refelct on Croatia, considering the Croatian Homeland War that has left great consequences, especially among people, Zecevic replies that true Christians can only rejoice at the fact.
He points out that Croatia can be proud with the ecumenism it cherishes.
HBK spokesperson Zvonimir Ancic commented the unification of the Orthodox and Catholic Church, who also welcomes every move towards unity of Churches.
- This was one of the fundamental directions of the Catholic Church after the Second Vatican Council. I welcome everything that contributed to the absolute unity of all churches – Ancic concluded.
Episcope of the Serbian Orthodox Church Jovan Pavlovic was not available for a comment because, as his office notified us, he was abroad on an official visit, as well as the Zagreb Paroh Milenko Popovic. But Popovic`s “colleague” who refused to introduce himself upon answering the telephone, did not sound too thrilled by the unification.
Paroh Boskovic: The Schism must be surpassed
- The Ravenna dosument is nonsense, this is probably ecumenical approaching and not unification – our collocutor concluded.
However, Serbian Orthodox Church Oaroh in Slovenia Peran Boskovic had more to sa, who welcoms any unification among Christians.
- We look at Christians uniting with great liking and everyone must work to surpassthe Schism – Boskovic told us over the telephone from Ljubljana. But, the Paroh did not wish to comment the document before seeing it.
Problems of the Orthodox Church
However, the problems might be in the Prthodox Church itseld because there are 15 of them and each must independently agree on the unification. Unlike the Catholic Church which has only one ruler, the pope, Benedict XVI in this case.
- When it comes to the Orthodox Church, every one must individually agree on the unification, while the Catholic Church has only one ruler, the pope and it is the way the pope decides – Zecevic explaines.
To be precise, church officials will not respond on the document passed in Ravenna.
See what Croatia npoliticians think about the Catholic and the Orthodox Church uniting in the article:
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