ECUMENISM
Mass media: press officers’ meeting (CEC)Does ecumenism in Europe still trigger media attention and is the Churches’ work in European institutions sufficiently visible? These questions will be addressed during the European Churches’ Press Officers meeting held in Geneva next September 5-7. Over 40 press officers and media operators in the Anglican, Orthodox and Protestant Churches, member of CEC (Conference of European Churches) will attend the conference. “The idea – explained Luca Negro, CEC spokesperson – is to reflect together on the role Churches can play in communication, especially at European level. Our purpose is to attract greater media attention over Church activity in Europe, along with the Churches’ relations with European institutions. We equally aim at giving new impetus to communication regarding ecumenism, which appears to be undergoing a crisis, while it is a reality which ought to be positively conveyed. Even if there are no major events, the daily activities of ecumenical movements are extremely vital and productive. There is a rich network of ecumenical relations. We hope that encounters such as this may enable us to find the ways to bring greater visibility to this network”. Liturgy: a meeting at the Bose monastery Liturgy as a “true ecumenical place”. Following this intuition, the Association of Liturgy Professors promoted the 26th Study Week held at the Monastery of Bose on August 25-29. The seminar was attended by scholars teaching in various Christian theology faculties throughout Europe. “Liturgy – states the introductory Note to the Conference – is the Church reality which most preserves and transmits the depositum fidei, the basic tenets of Christian faith whose different forms and expressions are common to all Christian Churches”. This is why liturgy has always been viewed as the “authentic place of theology” and “of ecumenism”: the rule, canon and inspiring criteria in the quest for the establishment of visible Church communion”. In promoting the initiative, the Association acknowledged “the awareness of the role played by liturgy in the past and which it is called to play also today in the realm of ecumenical dialogue”. Day of the Creation: from the mountains to the seaOn Monday September 1st the third Day for the Protection of the Creation was celebrated in Italy. This year’s theme was “Renewed sobriety to live the Earth”. The initiative was promoted by the two Episcopal Commissions for social problems and employment, and for dialogue and ecumenism. In the Note issued by the Commissions for all dioceses, the bishops voiced their concern over the “serious environmental damage, which poses a serious threat to the Earth”. “We are aware that this situation is caused by a number of different historical and cultural factors. However, it is certainly linked to the lifestyle of the more industrialized Countries which is gradually spreading to other areas”. Hence, the appeal to an “ecological conversion” enabling the “effective renewal of family, community and individual practices”. The Day for environmental protection was the idea of the ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, which for the past years has been organizing a series of initiatives to stir public-awareness over the Creation at an international level. For this purpose, many initiatives promoted in Italy enjoyed the active participation of the different Christian Churches present throughout the Country. Such was the case of the ecumenical concelebration held in the Campo Stelvio chapel which culminated with the reading of the “Appeal to responsibility for the Creation” adopted by the three diocesan communities which promoted the event (Como, Trent, and Bolzano-Bressanone) to the presence of representatives of the Romanian-Orthodox community, the Evangelical Lutheran community and the Swiss reformed community. The National happening devoted to the Protection of the Creation will take place on September 13 in Naples, hit by a serious refuse crisis. Also this event will enjoy ecumenical participation: speakers include Msgr. Vincenzo Paglia representing the Italian Bishops’ Conference, Orthodox Metropolitan Bishop (Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople) and Domenico Maselli from the Federation of Evangelical Churches in Italy.
