The root of secularism
and clericalism in the West is the split between Eastern and Western Christianity
in 1054. It was a momentous break in the gift of self that is Christian Faith.
The continued blindness of Islam with regard to the divinity of Jesus Christ
also derives from this split in Christianity. The Face of the Transfigured
Christ disappeared. And all other global conflicts, the Protestant
Reformation breaking from Rome, the clerical bureaucratization and monarchical
model that has plagued the Catholic Church plus the consequent world wars - all
derive from this schism in the body of Christ. As Christ said: “that they
be perfected in unity, and that
the world may know that thou has sent me...” (Jn. 17, 24).
* * * * * * * * * *
Hence the importance
of the unexpected meeting of Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis in the Havana
airport on February 12, 2016. Francis doesn’t go for the kill, but plants a
seed with daring and sense of speed and opportunity. I repeat posting the
common statement for the unbelievable significance of it. It harkens back to
Francis’ remark in the September 2013 interview: “We must not focus
on occupying the spaces where power is exercised, but rather on starting
long-run historical processes. We must initiate processes rather than occupy
spaces. God manifests himself in time and is present in the processes of
history. This gives priority to actions that give birth to new historical
dynamics. And it requires patience, waiting.”
* * * * * * * * * *
Consider again John
Paul II’s statement in “Ut Unum Sint” #94-96:
94. This service of
unity, rooted in the action of divine mercy, is entrusted within the College of
Bishops to one among those who have received from the Spirit the task, not of
exercising power over the people—as the rulers of the Gentiles and their great
men do (cf. Mt 20:25; Mk 10:42)—but
of leading them towards peaceful pastures. This task can require the offering
of one's own life (cf. Jn 10:11-18). Saint Augustine, after showing that
Christ is "the one Shepherd, in whose unity all are one", goes on to
exhort: "May all shepherds thus be one in the one Shepherd; may they let
the one voice of the Shepherd be heard; may the sheep hear this voice and
follow their Shepherd, not this shepherd or that, but the only one; in him may
they all let one voice be heard and not a babble of voices ... the voice free
of all division, purified of all heresy, that the sheep hear".151 The mission of the Bishop of Rome within the
College of all the Pastors consists precisely in "keeping watch" (episkopein),
like a sentinel, so that, through the efforts of the Pastors, the true voice of
Christ the Shepherd may be heard in all the particular Churches. In this way,
in each of the particular Churches entrusted to those Pastors, the una, sancta, catholica et apostolica Ecclesia is made present. All the Churches are in full
and visible communion, because all the Pastors are in communion with Peter and
therefore united in Christ.
With the power and the
authority without which such an office would be illusory, the Bishop of Rome
must ensure the communion of all the Churches. For this reason, he is the first
servant of unity. This primacy is exercised on various levels, including
vigilance over the handing down of the Word, the celebration of the Liturgy and
the Sacraments, the Church's mission, discipline and the Christian life. It is
the responsibility of the Successor of Peter to recall the requirements of the
common good of the Church, should anyone be tempted to overlook it in the
pursuit of personal interests. He has the duty to admonish, to caution and to
declare at times that this or that opinion being circulated is irreconcilable
with the unity of faith. When circumstances require it, he speaks in the name
of all the Pastors in communion with him. He can also—under very specific
conditions clearly laid down by the First Vatican Council— declare ex cathedra that a certain doctrine belongs to the deposit
of faith.152 By thus bearing witness to the truth, he
serves unity.
95. All this however
must always be done in communion. When the Catholic Church affirms that the
office of the Bishop of Rome corresponds to the will of Christ, she does not
separate this office from the mission entrusted to the whole body of Bishops,
who are also "vicars and ambassadors of Christ".153 The Bishop of Rome is a member of the
"College", and the Bishops are his brothers in the ministry.
Whatever relates to
the unity of all Christian communities clearly forms part of the concerns of
the primacy. As Bishop of Rome I am fully aware, as I have reaffirmed in the
present Encyclical Letter, that Christ ardently desires the full and visible
communion of all those Communities in which, by virtue of God's faithfulness,
his Spirit dwells. I am convinced that I have a particular responsibility in
this regard, above all in acknowledging the ecumenical aspirations of the
majority of the Christian Communities and in heeding the request made of me to
find a way of exercising the primacy which, while in no way renouncing what is
essential to its mission, is nonetheless open to a new situation. For a whole
millennium Christians were united in "a brotherly fraternal communion of
faith and sacramental life ... If disagreements in belief and discipline arose
among them, the Roman See acted by common consent as moderator".154
In this way the
primacy exercised its office of unity. When addressing the Ecumenical Patriarch
His Holiness Dimitrios I, I acknowledged my awareness that "for a great
variety of reasons, and against the will of all concerned, what should have
been a service sometimes manifested itself in a very different light. But ...
it is out of a desire to obey the will of Christ truly that I recognize that as
Bishop of Rome I am called to exercise that ministry ... I insistently pray the
Holy Spirit to shine his light upon us, enlightening all the Pastors and
theologians of our Churches, that we may seek—together, of course—the forms in
which this ministry may accomplish a service of love recognized by all
concerned".155
96. This is an immense
task, which we cannot refuse and which I cannot carry out by myself. Could not
the real but imperfect communion existing between us persuade Church leaders
and their theologians to engage with me in a patient and fraternal dialogue on
this subject, a dialogue in which, leaving useless controversies behind, we
could listen to one another, keeping before us only the will of Christ for his
Church and allowing ourselves to be deeply moved by his plea "that they
may all be one ... so that the world may believe that you have sent me" (Jn 17:21)?
* * * * * * * * * * * *
After John Paul II on
a new way of exercising the papacy to bring about Christian unity and global
conversion, consider the remarks of Pope Francis in Evangelii Gaudium #32-33:
32. Since I am called to put into practice what
I ask of others, I too must think about a conversion of the papacy. It is my
duty, as the Bishop of Rome, to be open to suggestions which can help make the
exercise of my ministry more faithful to the meaning which Jesus Christ wished
to give it and to the present needs of evangelization. Pope John Paul II asked
for help in finding “a way of exercising the primacy which, while in no way
renouncing what is essential to its mission, is nonetheless open to a new
situation”.[35] We have made little progress in this
regard. The papacy and the central structures of the universal Church also need
to hear the call to pastoral conversion. The Second Vatican Council stated
that, like the ancient patriarchal Churches, episcopal conferences are in a
position “to contribute in many and fruitful ways to the concrete realization
of the collegial spirit”.[36] Yet this desire has not been fully
realized, since a juridical status of episcopal conferences which would see
them as subjects of specific attributions, including genuine doctrinal
authority, has not yet been sufficiently elaborated.[37] Excessive centralization, rather than
proving helpful, complicates the Church’s life and her missionary outreach.
33. Pastoral ministry in a missionary key seeks
to abandon the complacent attitude that says: “We have always done it this
way”. I invite everyone to be bold and creative in this task of rethinking the
goals, structures, style and methods of evangelization in their respective
communities. A proposal of goals without an adequate communal search for the
means of achieving them will inevitably prove illusory. I encourage everyone to
apply the guidelines found in this document generously and courageously,
without inhibitions or fear. The important thing is to not walk alone, but to
rely on each other as brothers and sisters, and especially under the leadership
of the bishops, in a wise and realistic pastoral discernment.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
And now consider the
following achievement:
The Common Statement of Pope Francis and
Patriarch Kirill
(Full Text)
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12,
2016 - since
1054
"It Is With Joy
That We Have Met Like Brothers"
Released by the Holy
See immediately upon its signing in Havana, below is the official English text
of today's Joint Declaration of Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and
All Russia following the first-ever meeting between the heads of Christianity's
two largest branches.
* * *
The grace of the Lord
Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the fellowship of the holy
Spirit be with all of you” (2 Cor 13:13).
1. By God the Father’s will, from which all gifts come, in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ, and with the help of the Holy Spirit Consolator, we, Pope Francis
and Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, have met today in Havana. We
give thanks to God, glorified in the Trinity, for this meeting, the first in
history.
It is with joy that we
have met like brothers in the Christian faith who encounter one another “to
speak face to face” (2Jn12), from heart to heart, to discuss the mutual
relations between the Churches, the crucial problems of our faithful, and the
outlook for the progress of human civilization.
2. Our fraternal meeting has taken place in Cuba, at the crossroads of North
and South, East and West. It is from this island, the symbol of the hopes of
the “New World” and the dramatic events of the history of the twentieth
century, that we address our words to all the peoples of Latin America and of
the other continents.
It is a source of joy
that the Christian faith is growing here in a dynamic way. The powerful
religious potential of Latin America, its centuries–old Christian tradition,
grounded in the personal experience of millions of people, are the pledge of a
great future for this region.
3. By meeting far from the longstanding disputes of the “Old World”, we
experience with a particular sense of urgency the need for the shared labour of
Catholics and Orthodox, who are called, with gentleness and respect, to give an
explanation to the world of the hope in us (cf.1Pet3:15).
4. We thank God for the gifts received from the coming into the world of His
only Son. We share the same spiritual Tradition of the first millennium of
Christianity. The witnesses of this Tradition are the Most Holy Mother of God,
the Virgin Mary, and the saints we venerate. Among them are innumerable martyrs
who have given witness to their faithfulness to Christ and have become the
“seed of Christians”.
5. Notwithstanding this shared Tradition of the first ten centuries, for nearly
one thousand years Catholics and Orthodox have been deprived of communion in
the Eucharist. We have been divided by wounds caused by old and recent
conflicts, by differences inherited from our ancestors, in the understanding and
expression of our faith in God, one in three Persons – Father, Son and Holy
Spirit. We are pained by the loss of unity, the outcome of human weakness and
of sin, which has occurred despite the priestly prayer of Christ the Saviour:
“So that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you … so that
they may be one, as we are one” (Jn17:21).
6. Mindful of the permanence of many obstacles, it is our hope that our meeting
may contribute to the re–establishment of this unity willed by God, for which
Christ prayed. May our meeting inspire Christians throughout the world to pray
to the Lord with renewed fervour for the full unity of all His disciples. In a
world which yearns not only for our words but also for tangible gestures, may
this meeting be a sign of hope for all people of goodwill!
7. In our determination to undertake all that is necessary to overcome the
historical divergences we have inherited, we wish to combine our efforts to
give witness to the Gospel of Christ and to the shared heritage of the Church
of the first millennium, responding together to the challenges of the
contemporary world. Orthodox and Catholics must learn to give unanimously
witness in those spheres in which this is possible and necessary. Human
civilization has entered into a period of epochal change. Our Christian
conscience and our pastoral responsibility compel us not to remain passive in
the face of challenges requiring a shared response.
8. Our gaze must firstly turn to those regions of the world where Christians are
victims of persecution. In many countries of the Middle East and North Africa
whole families, villages and cities of our brothers and sisters in Christ are
being completely exterminated. Their churches are being barbarously ravaged and
looted, their sacred objects profaned, their monuments destroyed. It is with
pain that we call to mind the situation in Syria, Iraq and other countries of
the Middle East, and the massive exodus of Christians from the land in which
our faith was first disseminated and in which they have lived since the time of
the Apostles, together with other religious communities.
9. We call upon the international community to act urgently in order to prevent
the further expulsion of Christians from the Middle East. In raising our voice in
defence of persecuted Christians, we wish to express our compassion for the
suffering experienced by the faithful of other religious traditions who have
also become victims of civil war, chaos and terrorist violence.
10. Thousands of victims have already been claimed in the violence in Syria and
Iraq, which has left many other millions without a home or means of sustenance.
We urge the international community to seek an end to the violence and
terrorism and, at the same time, to contribute through dialogue to a swift
return to civil peace. Large–scale humanitarian aid must be assured to the
afflicted populations and to the many refugees seeking safety in neighbouring
lands.
We call upon all those
whose influence can be brought to bear upon the destiny of those kidnapped,
including the Metropolitans of Aleppo, Paul and John Ibrahim, who were taken in
April 2013, to make every effort to ensure their prompt liberation.
11. We lift our prayers to Christ, the Saviour of the world, asking for the
return of peace in the Middle East, “the fruit of justice” (Is32:17), so that
fraternal co–existence among the various populations, Churches and religions
may be strengthened, enabling refugees to return to their homes, wounds to be
healed, and the souls of the slain innocent to rest in peace.
We address, in a
fervent appeal, all the parts that may be involved in the conflicts to
demonstrate good will and to take part in the negotiating table.
At the same time, the
international community must undertake every possible effort to end terrorism
through common, joint and coordinated action.
We call on all the
countries involved in the struggle against terrorism to responsible and prudent
action.
We exhort all
Christians and all believers of God to pray fervently to the providential
Creator of the world to protect His creation from destruction and not permit a
new world war. In order to ensure a solid and enduring peace, specific efforts
must be undertaken to rediscover the common values uniting us, based on the
Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
12. We bow before the martyrdom of those who, at the cost of their own lives,
have given witness to the truth of the Gospel, preferring death to the denial
of Christ. We believe that these martyrs of our times, who belong to various
Churches but who are united by their shared suffering, are a pledge of the
unity of Christians. It is to you who suffer for Christ’s sake that the word of
the Apostle is directed: “Beloved … rejoice to the extent that you share in the
sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice
exultantly” (1Pet4:12–13).
13. Interreligious dialogue is indispensable in our disturbing times.
Differences in the understanding of religious truths must not impede people of
different faiths to live in peace and harmony. In our current context,
religious leaders have the particular responsibility to educate their faithful
in a spirit which is respectful of the convictions of those belonging to other
religious traditions. Attempts to justify criminal acts with religious slogans
are altogether unacceptable. No crime may be committed in God’s name, “since
God is not the God of disorder but of peace” (1Cor14:33).
14. In affirming the foremost value of religious freedom, we give thanks to God
for the current unprecedented renewal of the Christian faith in Russia, as well
as in many other countries of Eastern Europe, formerly dominated for decades by
atheist regimes.
Today, the chains of
militant atheism have been broken and in many places Christians can now freely
confess their faith.
Thousands of new
churches have been built over the last quarter of a century, as well as
hundreds of monasteries and theological institutions.
Christian communities
undertake notable works in the fields of charitable aid and social development,
providing diversified forms of assistance to the needy. Orthodox and Catholics
often work side by side.
Giving witness to the
values of the Gospel they attest to the existence of the shared spiritual
foundations of human co–existence.
15. At the same time, we are concerned about the situation in many countries in
which Christians are increasingly confronted by restrictions to religious
freedom, to the right to witness to one’s convictions and to live in conformity
with them. In particular, we observe that the transformation of some countries
into secularized societies, estranged from all reference to God and to His
truth, constitutes a grave threat to religious freedom.
It is a source of
concern for us that there is a current curtailment of the rights of Christians,
if not their outright discrimination, when certain political forces, guided by
an often very aggressive secularist ideology, seek to relegate them to the
margins of public life.
16. The process of European integration, which began after centuries of
blood–soaked conflicts, was welcomed by many with hope, as a guarantee of peace
and security. Nonetheless, we invite vigilance against an integration that is
devoid of respect for religious identities.
While remaining open
to the contribution of other religions to our civilization, it is our
conviction that Europe must remain faithful to its Christian roots. We call
upon Christians of Eastern and Western Europe to unite in their shared witness
to Christ and the Gospel, so that Europe may preserve its soul, shaped by two
thousand years of Christian tradition.
17. Our gaze is also directed to those facing serious difficulties, who live in
extreme need and poverty while the material wealth of humanity increases. We
cannot remain indifferent to the destinies of millions of migrants and refugees
knocking on the doors of wealthy nations. The unrelenting consumerism of some
more developed countries is gradually depleting the resources of our planet.
The growing inequality in the distribution of material goods increases the
feeling of the injustice of the international order that has emerged.
18. The Christian churches are called to defend the demands of justice, the
respect for peoples’ traditions, and an authentic solidarity towards all those
who suffer. We Christians cannot forget that “God chose the foolish of the
world to shame the wise, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world,
those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, that
no human being might boast before God” (1Cor1:27–29).
19. The family is the natural centre of human life and society. We are
concerned about the crisis in the family in many countries. Orthodox and
Catholics share the same conception of the family, and are called to witness
that it is a path of holiness, testifying to the faithfulness of the spouses in
their mutual interaction, to their openness to the procreation and rearing of
their children, to solidarity between the generations and to respect for the
weakest.
20. The family is based on marriage, an act of freely given and faithful love
between a man and a woman. It is love that seals their union and teaches them
to accept one another as a gift. Marriage is a school of love and faithfulness.
We regret that other forms of cohabitation have been placed on the same level
as this union, while the concept, consecrated in the biblical tradition, of
paternity and maternity as the distinct vocation of man and woman in marriage
is being banished from the public conscience.
21. We call on all to respect the inalienable right to life. Millions are
denied the very right to be born into the world. The blood of the unborn cries
out to God (cf.Gen4:10).
The emergence of
so-called euthanasia leads elderly people and the disabled begin to feel that
they are a burden on their families and on society in general.
We are also concerned about the development of biomedical reproduction
technology, as the manipulation of human life represents an attack on the
foundations of human existence, created in the image of God. We believe that it
is our duty to recall the immutability of Christian moral principles, based on
respect for the dignity of the individual called into being according to the
Creator’s plan.
22. Today, in a particular way, we address young Christians. You, young people,
have the task of not hiding your talent in the ground (cf. Mt25:25), but of
using all the abilities God has given you to confirm Christ’s truth in the
world, incarnating in your own lives the evangelical commandments of the love
of God and of one’s neighbour. Do not be afraid of going against the current,
defending God’s truth, to which contemporary secular norms are often far from
conforming.
23. God loves each of you and expects you to be His disciples and apostles. Be
the light of the world so that those around you may see your good deeds and
glorify your heavenly Father (cf. Mt5:14,16). Raise your children in the
Christian faith, transmitting to them the pearl of great price that is the
faith (cf. Mt13:46) you have received from your parents and forbears. Remember
that “you have been purchased at a great price” (1Cor6:20), at the cost of the
death on the cross of the Man–God Jesus Christ.
24. Orthodox and Catholics are united not only by the shared Tradition of the
Church of the first millennium, but also by the mission to preach the Gospel of
Christ in the world today. This mission entails mutual respect for members of
the Christian communities and excludes any form of proselytism.
We are not competitors
but brothers, and this concept must guide all our mutual actions as well as
those directed to the outside world.
urge Catholics and
Orthodox in all countries to learn to live together in peace and love, and to
be “in harmony with one another” (Rm15:5).
Consequently, it
cannot be accepted that disloyal means be used to incite believers to pass from
one Church to another, denying them their religious freedom and their
traditions. We are called upon to put into practice the precept of the apostle
Paul: “Thus I aspire to proclaim the gospel not where Christ has already been
named, so that I do not build on another's foundation” (Rm15:20).
25. It is our hope that our meeting may also contribute to reconciliation
wherever tensions exist between Greek Catholics and Orthodox. It is today clear
that the past method of “uniatism”, understood as the union of one community to
the other, separating it from its Church, is not the way to re–establish unity.
Nonetheless, the ecclesial communities which emerged in these historical
circumstances have the right to exist and to undertake all that is necessary to
meet the spiritual needs of their faithful, while seeking to live in peace with
their neighbours. Orthodox and Greek Catholics are in need of reconciliation
and of mutually acceptable forms of co–existence.
26. We deplore the hostility in Ukraine that has already caused many victims,
inflicted innumerable wounds on peaceful inhabitants and thrown society into a
deep economic and humanitarian crisis. We invite all the parts involved in the
conflict to prudence, to social solidarity and to action aimed at constructing
peace. We invite our Churches in Ukraine to work towards social harmony, to
refrain from taking part in the confrontation, and to not support any further development
of the conflict.
27. It is our hope that the schism between the Orthodox faithful in Ukraine may
be overcome through existing canonical norms, that all the Orthodox Christians
of Ukraine may live in peace and harmony, and that the Catholic communities in
the country may contribute to this, in such a way that our Christian
brotherhood may become increasingly evident.
28. In the contemporary world, which is both multiform yet united by a shared
destiny, Catholics and Orthodox are called to work together fraternally in
proclaiming the Good News of salvation, to testify together to the moral
dignity and authentic freedom of the person, “so that the world may believe”
(Jn17:21). This world, in which the spiritual pillars of human existence are
progressively disappearing, awaits from us a compelling Christian witness in
all spheres of personal and social life. Much of the future of humanity will
depend on our capacity to give shared witness to the Spirit of truth in these
difficult times.
29. May our bold witness to God’s truth and to the Good News of salvation be
sustained by the Man–God Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, who strengthens us
with the unfailing promise: “Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for
your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom” (Lk12:32)!
Christ is the well–spring of joy and hope. Faith in Him transfigures human
life, fills it with meaning. This is the conviction borne of the experience of
all those to whom Peter refers in his words: “Once you were ‘no people’ but now
you are God’s people; you ‘had not received mercy’ but now you have received
mercy” (1Pet2:10).
30. With grace–filled gratitude for the gift of mutual understanding manifested
during our meeting, let us with hope turn to the Most Holy Mother of God, invoking
her with the words of this ancient prayer: “We seek refuge under the protection
of your mercy, Holy Mother of God”. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, through her
intercession, inspire fraternity in all those who venerate her, so that they
may be reunited, in God’s own time, in the peace and harmony of the one people
of God, for the glory of the Most Holy and indivisible Trinity!
Francis
Bishop of Rome
Pope of the Catholic Church
Kirill
Patriarch of Moscow
