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 Published by
Zenit.org,
September 5, 2005
Pope Sees Pain of Eucharistic
Split as a Goad Toward Unity |
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In Message to Symposium of Catholic and Orthodox
Theologians
CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy, SEPT. 5, 2005 (Zenit.org).-
Benedict XVI believes that the suffering borne
by Orthodox and Catholics because they can't
concelebrate the Eucharist together, should be
the goad that prompts them to reach full unity.
The Pope makes that proposal in a message sent
to the inter-Christian symposium on "The
Eucharist in the Eastern and Western Tradition
with Particular Reference to Ecumenical
Dialogue," being held in Assisi, Italy, through
Wednesday.
The four-day initiative is organized by the
Institute of Spirituality of the Pontifical
University Antonianum of Rome and the Department
of Theology of the Aristotle University of
Thessalonica, Greece.
In the message, addressed to Cardinal Walter
Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for
Promoting Christian Unity, the Pope says that "[s]een
as particularly urgent in our time is the search
for full visible unity among all the disciples
of Christ and for this reason, there is a need
for a more profound spirituality of greater
reciprocal love."
After recalling "with how much love Eastern
Christians celebrate liturgical worship, above
all the Eucharistic celebration," the Holy
Father acknowledges that 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,"
proposes the papal message. The message was read
in the symposium's opening session Sunday.
An objective for all
Benedict XVI wrote: "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. 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.'
"In this line, the institutes of theological
teaching can play a fundamental role in the
formation of the new generations and in offering
renewed Christian witness in today's world."
The congress opened with a Eucharistic
celebration by Catholic participants, in the
crypt of St. Mary of the Angels of Assisi, in
the presence of the 40 Orthodox participants.
These symposiums began in 1992. They are held
one year in Greece and the next in Italy. The
topic of the Eucharist and ecumenism was
addressed later by Catholic Archbishop Giovanni
Spiteris of Corfu, and studied further by 12
experts -- six Orthodox and six Catholic.
Monsignor Eleuterio Fortino, undersecretary of
the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of
Christian Unity, is representing this Vatican
organization at the symposium.
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