Greater Cooperation on Mutual Concerns
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The Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church had many varied contacts in 1999, as in other years. They were expressed in different forms of collaboration between individual Catholic Dioceses and Eparchies of the Russian Orthodox Church, and between the various dicasteries of the Holy See and the corresponding offices of the Patriarchate of Moscow. These contacts, at their own pace and free from any spectacularity, seek a more convinced witness and can be summed up in the Holy Father's words: "In the eyes of the world, cooperation among Christians becomes a form of common Christian witness and a means of evangelization which benefits all involved" (Ut unum sint, n. 40).
The constant element in the bilateral relations between the Holy See and the Patriarchate of Moscow are the bilateral talks in which, in a spirit of growing communion, not only is there a direct exchange of information on the most important events in the life of both Churches, but the respective delegations also seek the most appropriate solutions for issues that at the local level have a negative effect on relations between the communities of both Churches. By mutual agreement, a bilateral meeting between the delegations of the Holy See and the Patriarchate of Moscow within the first six months of 1999 was to have taken place in Rome on 25-26 March. Unfortunately, because of the deteriorating situation in Kosovo, it was necessary to postpone it.
Moscow sent fraternal delegate to Special Synod for Europe
Faced with the tragedy of the Yugoslav civilian population, especially in Kosovo, the Churches increased their efforts to find a peaceful solution to the ongoing conflict. Noteworthy in this regard is the Letter that the Holy Father wrote to His Holiness Alexei II, Patriarch of Moscow and of All the Russias, on 18 April 1999, shortly before the Patriarch's 20 April visit to Belgrade to bring an Easter message of peace and to express to the Serbian Orthodox Church and to Patriarch Pavle Christian solidarity with all the victims of the persecutions and violence (cf. L'Osservatore Romano English edition, 28 April 1999, p. 2). The sentiments of fraternal sharing in the mission undertaken by Patriarch Alexei in Belgrade are fully expressed by the following words of the Holy Father from his above-mentioned Letter: "I firmly hope that those you meet will accept the message you bring, recognizing it as the only way to restore peace and stability, so that every person, whatever his ethnic, religious or political background, can live in harmony with others".
The concern that the two Churches shared about the extent of the deadly conflict, as well as the Christian obligation to help seek and restore true lasting peace in Yugoslavia, was expressed in the support given by representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church and several representatives of the Catholic Church to a project of European Churches and Christian organizations for promoting a special peacemaking group. It was called the "Vienna Group", after the city where its first meeting was held.
The participation of representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church in events of major importance for the life of the Catholic Church and vice versa has become a well-established custom. During the year the Patriarchate of Moscow accepted the Catholic Church's invitation to appoint a fraternal delegate to the Second Special Assembly for Europe of the Synod of Bishops on the theme: Jesus Christ, Alive in His Church, the Source of Hope for Europe, which took place at the Vatican from 2 to 24 October 1999, and sent Archbishop Longhin as its representative. Another patriarchal representative also attended the Interreligious Assembly On the Threshold of the Third Millennium: Collaboration between the Different Religions, held at the Vatican from 25 to 28 October 1999 in view of the Great Jubilee.
From 22 to 25 November a delegation from the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, led by Cardinal Edward I. Cassidy, took part in an international conference in Moscow on the theme Jesus Christ is the Same Yesterday, Today and For Ever (Heb 13:8) — Christianity on the Threshold of the Third Millennium. This conference, a Jubilee initiative dedicated to the 2,000th anniversary of Christianity, was organized by the Interconfessional Consultative Committee, chaired by Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, President of the Department for External Ecclesiastical Relations of the Patriarchate of Moscow, by Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, titular Archbishop of Hippo Diarrhytus, Apostolic Administrator for Latin-rite Catholics of European Russia, and by Baptist Pastor Pyotr Konovalcik, representing various Protestant denominations in the Commonwealth of Independent States.
For this occasion the Holy Father John Paul II addressed a Message to Cardinal Cassidy, in which he said that he was "greatly encouraged by this initiative of the Christian Interconfessional Consultative Committee, since it is the result of a shared decision of the Churches and Ecclesial Communions which have traditionally carried out their pastoral activities in the territory of the Commonwealth of Independent States and in the Baltic countries". His Holiness, who also expressed his pleasure at the Jubilee nature of the Moscow Conference, emphasized in his Message that the meeting of those who are incorporated into Christ by Baptism and the rediscovery of this brotherhood in the Lord will make it possible for them to deepen their relations, intensify their cooperation and strive towards that perfect unity in the faith which is expressed in full and visible ecclesial communion, and to which Christ the Lord calls his disciples (cf. L'Osservatore Romano English edition, 1 December 1999, p. 7). The work of the conference was carried out in a climate of great brotherhood and deep reflection on the mission and role that Christians are called to play in today's world. The conference's final document lucidly explains the fundamental requirement for carrying out this mission and for the Gospel message to be accepted through the convincing witness of Christians: "At the end of a millennium of great divisions between Christians, we must fulfil the Lord's call to unity (cf. Jn 17:21), in the awareness that the unity of Christians is directly linked to their commitment to God. The closer Christians are to Christ, the closer they are to each other".
Joint Commission established to address issues in Ukraine
The Moscow visit of the delegation from the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity also made it possible to hold a session of the "Bilateral Talks" between representatives of the Holy See and those of the Patriarchate of Moscow. This meeting, held on the eve of the Jubilee conference last 22 November, permitted an exchange on subjects of mutual interest and, in particular, laid the foundations for a Joint Commission to be set up in Ukraine, composed of representatives of this country's Greek Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church. Because of their knowledge of this complex situation and their pastoral commitment to their own faithful, who are also called to foster charity and reconciliation in their lives, direct contact between representatives of these two Churches, the "heirs" of a history that began in 1946, will make a decisive contribution to dispelling the misunderstandings that still exist. Setting up a local Joint Commission in Ukraine can be an important step in the practical application of the suggestions made in the Balamand document, which expressed this hope for the Eastern Catholic Churches: "These Churches, then, should be inserted, on both local and universal levels, into the dialogue of love, in mutual respect and reciprocal trust found once again, and enter in the theological dialogue, with all its practical implications" (n. 16).
For all the Churches and for every individual Christian, the Great Jubilee of the 2,000th anniversary of the Saviour's birth is a special time of thanksgiving for the Lord's coming into the world, but also a moment for deeper reflection on the mission he entrusted to his Church. The Jubilee Year is also a time of prayer and, as various events in the lives of the Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church demonstrate, a renewed call to seek and promote unity. This desire for unity and the commitment to seeking it were expressed by the Patriarchate of Moscow in sending one of its senior representatives to attend the Ecumenical Celebration at which the Holy Father opened the Holy Door of the Basilica of St Paul-Outside-the-Walls on 18 January, the first day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
This item 2745 digitally provided courtesy of CatholicCulture.org
