CDF official: ecumenism’s goal is union with Pope; Lutheran ordinariate in works?
March 03, 2011
In an interview with The Portal-- a new publication devoted to the ordinariate of Anglican communities received into the Catholic Church-- an official of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith emphasized that the goal of ecumenical dialogue is the restoration of full communion between non-Catholic Christians and the Pope.
“The ordinariate is very important to the Holy Father,” said Father Hermann Geissler, the Austrian priest who leads the Congregation’s doctrinal office. “The ordinariate promotes unity and is a powerful instrument for unity, it will help Christians to be evangelists.” Noting that “we must cooperate and grow together,” the priest said that the Church will be enriched by the Anglican patrimony of music.
“The goal of the ecumenical movement is complete visible union with one Christ and with Peter in one Church,” Father Geissler emphasized.
The Portal also reported that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has begun to receive requests from Lutherans to establish a similar canonical structure that would allow them to enter the Catholic Church while retaining aspects of the Lutheran heritage. “The Holy Father will do all he can to bring other Christians into unity,” Father Geissler commented.
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Posted by: Lucius49 -
Mar. 04, 2011 2:16 PM ET USA
This was refreshing a fruit no doubt of SCDF's instruction Dominus Iesus and a nod to Mortalium Animos of Pope Pius XI. Ecumenism has to mean according to Catholic doctrine re-union in full with the Catholic Church.
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Posted by: samuel.doucette1787 -
Mar. 04, 2011 8:17 AM ET USA
Wouldn't that be one of history's great ironies -- bringing the Lutherans back to Rome under a personal ordinariate? That would effectively end the Protestant Rebellion.
