Catholic Presence at the Harare Assembly
The relationship between the Catholic Church and the World Council of Churches (WCC) started soon after the Second Vatican Council in 1965 with the establishment of a Joint Working Group (JWG), which receives its mandate from its sponsoring bodies every seven years. Each mandate normally concludes with a review of the relationship by means of a careful evaluation of the work of the JWG over the seven years. The evaluation of the 1991-98 mandate resulted in the Seventh Report of the JWG, which was presented to the Plenary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU) in February 1998, and to the WCC Eighth Assembly in December 1998.
During the past year the most important activity was the participation of the Catholic Church at the WCC Eighth Assembly. This article therefore intends to focus on the relationship from three aspects: 1) a brief overview of the Assembly; 2) the way in which the relationship was dealt with by the Assembly; and 3) some prospects for the future.
1. The Harare Assembly
The Eighth Assembly of the WCC took place in Harare, Zimbabwe, from 3 to 14 December, last year, with the theme Turn to God-Rejoice in Hope. The Assembly coincided with the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the WCC in Amsterdam in 1948, thus providing an occasion to celebrate in one special plenary followed by a joyful non-Eucharistic worship in a large tent of worship.
a) Participants
The Assembly brought together 966 official delegates from 330 member Churches of the WCC; 31 delegates from Associated Churches; 430 invited guests, representatives from organizations not linked to the WCC, observers, advisers; 440 stewards and staff. Twenty-three persons officially represented the Catholic Church from different parts of the world in the capacity of delegated observers. In addition there were some 2,000 visitors everyday mainly from Zimbabwe, but also from other countries. Among the visitors were more than 200 Catholics from all over the world. Some of those present officially represented their local Council of Churches in which their Bishops' Conferences are full members, for example, South Africa, Australia, England and Jamaica.
b) Main Agenda of the Assembly
The delegates reflected on the theme of the Assembly, Turn to God-Rejoice in Hope. They also evaluated the programmes of the WCC through the report of the Moderator of the Central Committee, His Holiness Aram I, and the report of the General Secretary, Dr Konrad Raiser. Five groups also met to examine the main activities of the WCC. In addition, special plenary sessions were dedicated to a document summing up the study process Towards a Common Understanding and Vision of the WCC (CUV), and the conclusions arising from the WCC Ecumenical Decade for Churches in Solidarity with Women (1988-98). Several business sessions were dedicated to the election of a new Central Committee of 150 members and a presidium of eight persons for the new period (1999-2005). With regard to the direction of the WCC's future work, six groups met separately to offer ideas on the content and method' of specific programmes. Another special plenary on Africa focused on the serious issues facing the Churches in Africa today. The Assembly also dealt with certain key regional and international questions, resulting in several policy statements on debt cancellation, globalization, human rights, the status of Jerusalem and the use of children in warfare.
2. Relationship with the Catholic Church
a) Message of the Holy Father
As on past occasions of WCC Assemblies, the Holy Father Pope John Paul II sent a Message addressed to Dr Konrad Raiser, General Secretary of the WCC. His Excellency Bishop Mario Conti of Aberdeen, Scotland, and leader of the Catholic delegation, read the Message, which was warmly received with deep appreciation. Among the key points in the Message, besides offering wishes to delegates of the member Churches gathered at the Assembly, the Holy Father expressed appreciation for the contribution of the WCC to the ecumenical movement. Turning to the WCC golden jubilee, John Paul II said the anniversary was an important occasion for giving thanks and praise to the Triune God for progress made towards unity, and for the journey towards the Great Jubilee Year 2000. This "could provide a special opportunity for all Christians to offer common witness in concrete ways to their one Lord Jesus Christ". On the occasion of the Assembly, the Holy Father reiterated the irreversible commitment of the Catholic Church "to work tirelessly for the realization of full Christian unity". The Message was a great encouragement to the Assembly on the way forward.
b) The Catholic Delegation
The WCC, as in the past, had invited the Catholic Church through the PCPCU to send an observer delegation to the Eighth Assembly. This time the Catholic delegation consisted of 23 persons selected from different parts of the world, headed by Bishop Mario Conti.
At the request of the Assembly Programme Committee, members of the delegation offered three sessions to visitors and participants on the topic The Catholic Church in the Ecumenical Movement. These sessions were part of a series of over 600 workshops ("padare"), open to all participants. The topics offered were the following: Catholic-WCC relations; examples of ecumenical involvement at the regional (Middle East) and local levels (Swaziland), where the Catholic Church is a full member of the Council of Churches; and the contribution of the Catholic Church to the Faith and Order work in various ways.
c) Assembly Documents on Catholic Relations
The report of the Moderator, His Holiness Aram I, reviewed the relation between the WCC and the Catholic Church very positively. His report made reference to the Holy Father's Encyclical Ut unum sint, which emphasizes "the Roman Catholic Church's 'irrevocable commitment' to the ecumenical movement as an organic part of her life and work". Aram I concluded that this "should be considered as a milestone in the recent history of the ecumenical movement". He also referred to two other recent documents of the Catholic Church, namely, the Directory for the Application of the Principles and Norms of Ecumenism (1993) and the Ecumenical Dimension in the Formation of those Engaged in Pastoral Work (1997). His comment on these documents is important. "Although these documents address the internal ecumenical life of the RCC, their potential impact transcends the Roman Catholic Church. They are sources of inspiration for the whole ecumenical community". Another positive evaluation was made on the response of the PCPCU to the draft document on "Common Understanding and Vision of the WCC (CUV)". Aram I said: "One of the most significant responses to the CUV process was that of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU)". The report then offered a positive evaluation of the work of the JWG, underlining the important contribution of the Catholic Church through Faith and Order and the Commission on World Mission and Evangelism. This collaboration "has been significantly enhanced in the last seven years".
The report of the Policy Reference Committee on Catholic-WCC relations focused on the Seventh Report of the JWG. It says: "The Committee expressed deep appreciation for the tangible expression of the irrevocable commitment of the RCC to the ecumenical movement found in the cordial and encouraging Message sent to the Eighth Assembly by Pope John Paul II".
With regard to the Jubilee Year 2000, the same Committee recommended that "the Eighth Assembly request that the Central Committee of the WCC takes into consideration opportunities to encourage common ecumenical celebrations at local, regional and global levels for the year 2000".
The report then evaluates the Seventh Report positively, and recommends it to the Assembly for approval, for endorsement of the priorities suggested by the JWG, and for encouragement to the JWG to continue its efforts to find ways of future collaboration in the social field.
3. Prospects for the Future
The Seventh Report of the JWG had recommended to its authorities two general priorities of joint study during the next mandate from 1999 to 2005. These include: — issues affecting koinonia: — common concerns facing the Catholic Church and the World Council of Churches.
Among the common concerns will be an exploration on possible ways of further collaboration in the social field, and a study on the nature, purpose and methods of dialogue.
Another common concern that the JWG will have to follow carefully will be the proposal for "a forum of Christian Churches and ecumenical organizations". The Eighth Assembly of the WCC has already given a mandate to the Central Committee to study the proposal.
During this final year before the Great Jubilee Year 2000, the JWG could play an important role in encouraging common ecumenical celebrations at local, regional and global levels.
© L'Osservatore Romano, Editorial and Management Offices, Via del Pellegrino, 00120, Vatican City, Europe, Telephone 39/6/698.99.390.
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