50 years after the Council

Theology Symposium hosted by St. Patricks College from 6th-9th June, "anticipation" of the 50th International Eucharistic Congress (Dublin, June 10-17 www.iec2012.ie), will provide "an opportunity for theologians coming from 26 countries to ponder over the fundamental theme of ecclesiology 50 years after the Vatican Council II. After the extraordinary Bishops’ Synod of 1985 which celebrated 20 years from the Council event". Father Brendan Leahy, professor of dogmatic theology at St. Patricks College, highlighted during an interview with SIR Europe in view of the Irish double event. Father Lehay, 50 years after the Council and Lumen Gentium, what novelties and perspectives can we see in Ecclesiology of Communion, the main theme of the Theological Symposium?"The Symposium will provide us an opportunity, after 50 years, to examine the theological theme of Ecclesiology of Communion. It will be centred into three main aspects: the first one will address it from systematic, moral theology, liturgy and pastoral aspects; the second one will broaden the ecumenical aspect while the third will highlight the relation between Ecclesiology of Communion and its mission. Most certainly communion should be developed within the ecclesial life but also in the external world, it must be missionary and evangelizing because evangelisation without communion bears no fruit and communion without evangelisation perishes". One cannot speak about Ecclesiology of Communion without considering ecumenism: Christians Churches marked their differences on the Eucharistic theme. Will Dublin be able to bridge the gap? "I would say we are in a new phase of the ecumenical dialogue, that has progressed throughout the years. Organizing the event we encountered a great openness and enthusiasm from all other churches: relationships progressed also in Ireland, something absolutely not given for granted. The Symposium will be attended by card. Kurt Koch, and by professor Geoffrey Wainwright, methodist pastor with a greatly mature thought. The event will also see the presence of the theologian Julie Cunlis, an expert of the Reformed Church, who wrote a book about Calvin and Communion, a new contribution to ecumenical dialogue. Among the Congress attendees also Reverend Nicholas Sagovsky from London and metropolitan bishop Emanuel from France, President of the Conference of European Churches".The Congress will take place immediately after the World Family Meeting in Milan: how can families become "domestic churches" centred on the Eucharist?"The family is certainly the essential place of holy community for the Ecclesiological communion. Often communion is considered only as a sacrament or liturgy, but if the Eucharist is the core of communion it must live. One of the pastoral initiatives to prepare the Congress is the so called ‘Dice of Love’, a cube given in schools and to families with different sentences of the Gospel on communion. It is one of the ways to live, ‘playing’ in communion; Irish families received a book of prayers about communion to recite together in school and with the family, another way to prepare ourselves for the Congress. In Novo Millennio Ineunte, Pope Joh Paul II said that the challenge of today’s Church is to make all ecclesiastical life ‘the home and school of communion’. The Christian family is called upon to become a ‘small school of communion’ where everybody starts to learn how to live the Ecclesiology of Communion".Finally some words about Europe: which message do you think the International Eucharistic Congress can offer to a Continent that is tackling demographic problems, weakening of the sacrament of matrimony and a spiritual crisis that is worsening the economic crisis?"In Ireland we will shortly have a new referendum on the Fiscal treaty, therefore the European issue is deeply felt, even if the demographic problem is milder and the family is rather stable. However, the spiritual crisis involves all the countries of the Union and I think the congress can have a say on this. Communion means relationships of trust. Professor Stefano Zamsagni will animate a session addressing issues of economics, communion and gratuitousness. Communion is not just contemplation, but must be part of society, economics and all other fields that involve man. For example, pondering over communion in politics is not useless: we are witnessing how agreements no longer suffice: Southern and Northern countries of Europe must have fraternity pacts at social and cultural levels also among States. On May 12th, the ‘Together for Europe’ initiative will be hosted in Brussels, with the presence of all the Continent’s Christian communities and movements pressing the institution to see Europe not only as an economic project but also one of spirit and soul and relationships of true communion".