With the strength of dialogue” “” “

In preparation for the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle on 30 November, in the celebration of which a delegation of the Holy See, bearing a message from the Pope, traditionally participates, and in view of the forthcoming ecclesial meeting of the Turkish Catholic Church, scheduled from 5 to 8 December, SirEurope interviewed the spokesman of the Turkish Episcopal Conference, Msgr. Georges Marovitch . We also asked him to comment on the recent elections in Turkey and the country’s difficult bid to join the European Union, while awaiting the decisions on the matter that are to be taken by the forthcoming European Council in Copenhagen on 12 and 13 December. What hopes for the Turkish Church are bound up with the forthcoming ecclesial Meeting? “It’s an important step for the Catholic Church which wants to play a more active role with its faithful in the new course it hopes to shape in the new millennium. The aim is that of rethinking how we should live our faith within our families and our communities. To this end various church commissions have been set up: commissions for the Family, Youth, Ecumenism, Catechesis, Liturgy, Interreligious Dialogue, composed of both religious and laity. Projects to pursue this new course will be presented at the Meeting”. As regards dialogue: what’s the experience of ecumenism in Turkey? “I would describe it as very positive. We have many families formed following marriage between persons of different confessions: Greek Orthodox married with Armenian Catholics, Latins of Catholic rite with Syrian Orthodox… And among the younger generations, too, contacts are good. On the occasion of major solemnities, such as Christmas and Easter, the Greek Patriarchate sends its representatives to our churches and we repay their visit. Nonetheless, no theological dialogue exists between the Churches. Such dialogue is conducted at higher levels: between the Holy See and the Greek Patriarchate. The moment of closest ecumenical contact occurs during prayer week for Christian unity traditionally held in January. A strong ecumenical signal might also be represented by the common celebration of Easter on the same date. The Christian confessions all agree on this, but we still need to wait”. And what about interreligious dialogue? “Here progress has been considerable and the month of Ramadan only confirms it. Hitherto we were invited to the meal consumed at the end of the day, the so-called ‘iftars’, once or twice a month. Now we participate in at least 15-20 ‘iftars’. Those who read the papers or watch television, seeing Christians and Moslems amicably together, are more willing to engage in dialogue. At the end of Ramadan a Catholic delegation pays a visit to the muftì of Istanbul to deliver the message of the Pontifical Council for dialogue. Today there are people in Europe who criticize Islam. We beg to differ. Here in Turkey we have lived in harmony with Moslems for years”. What’s your view of the recent elections in Turkey and possible membership of the EU? “The AKP party that won the elections represents moderate Islam that wants to continue relations with the non-Moslem communities. Our hope, now, is that of solving the problem linked to the recognition of the juridical personality of the Catholic Church. The reform package of August this year envisages articles on the religious foundations but it’s not yet clear how the debate will end. There are legislative provisions that pose difficulties. We will have to dialogue with the new government. As regards entry into the EU, we support Turkey’s membership as vigorously as we ask for the juridical recognition of the Church”.