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Catholic World News News Feature

Conference to assess 40 years of ecumenism November 10, 2004

Marking the 40th anniversary of the Vatican decree on ecumenism, Unitatis Redintegratio , the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity is organizing an international conference for November 11- 13.

The conference, to be held at Rocca di Papa, southeast of Rome, will bring together Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant representatives to discuss the ecumenical goals set by the Vatican Council, and the subsequent steps toward those goals. Over 250 people will participate, including representatives of 104 different episocopal conferences, the Eastern Catholic patriarchates, 27 Orthodox churches, and various other Christian groups.

Cardinal Walter Kasper, the president of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity, will host the conference and deliver an opening address. Other leading prelates taking part in the event include Cardinal Ivan Dias of Bombay and Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor of Westminster. The participants will join in an ecumenical Vespers service on November 13 in St. Peter's Basilica, with Pope John Paul II presiding.

In announcing plans for the conference, Cardinal Kasper reminded reporters of the opening lines from Unitatis Redintegratio : "The restoration of unity among all Christians is one of the principal concerns of the Second Vatican Council. Christ the Lord founded one Church and one Church only."

The struggle to restore Christian unity has seen great progress since 1964, the cardinal said. But he acknowledged that imposing barriers remain, including "on the one hand a relativism and qualitative post-modern pluralism," and "on the other, an aggressive fundamentalism."