Dialogue and responsibility

The present state and prospects of ecumenical dialogue in the light of what emerged from the Third European Ecumenical Assembly in Sibiu were discussed at the plenary assembly of the Council of the 36 Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (CCEE), held in Portugal from 3 to 7 October. The plenary was held in Fatima on the invitation of Msgr. Jorge Ferreira da Costa Ortiga, President of the Portuguese Bishops’ Conference. A NEW ERA . “Ecumenism is not in crisis, but a certain euphoric image of it is”, said Archbishop STANISLAV HOCEVAR of Belgrade, summing up what had emerged from the dialogue between the churches at Sibiu. “Ecumenism – added the archbishop – demands conversion, holiness, maturation, and therefore a long, patient, exciting and existential process. From Sibiu we learned that what’s needed for progress in ecumenism are small steps, well prepared, very significant in every sense and at every level, organic and prophetic steps”. Hocevar emphasized the significance, “in some sense prophetic”, of having held the Assembly at Sibiu in Romania, because “Eastern Europe is becoming an ever more present reality among us”. According to the Archbishop of Belgrade, Sibiu demonstrated “it’s possible to dialogue also with clear definitions, and clear identities but also with mutual solidarity, in a unity that is incomplete and with a painful feeling as a result of our separation”. Another experience shared at Sibiu is the conviction that “a witness of life that creates the unity of charity, faith and love is possible”. Lastly – observed the archbishop – it was shown at Sibiu that “the responsibility of everyone is growing”. “Growing responsibility is the new term for ecumenism”. THE PEOPLE OF SIBIU . Monsignor ALDO GIORDANO , general secretary of the CCEE, recalled the preparatory stages that led to Sibiu, “the pilgrimage consisting of four stages of assemblies (Rome, Wittemberg, national meetings, Sibiu), and said: “this permitted the creation of a bond between the delegates and the involvement of the national churches. Giordano suggested that this dimension of pilgrimage should be adopted also in future”. He then emphasized “how representative and how high in quality were the delegates at Sibiu”. “There has never before been an ecumenical assembly with such a large number of delegates. They personified the richness of the experience of Christian and ecumenical life that exists in Europe: dioceses, parishes, religious families, movements, associations and communities. The Assembly was a European forum for all these experiences and strengthened the network between them”. “The information we are getting – added Giordano – suggests that it was just the delegates who participated in Sibiu who are the great chance of the assembly: they are really becoming the multipliers of their experiences”. The Assembly at Sibiu also drew the attention of the European institutions, thanks to the participation of the President of the European Commission, representatives of the European Parliament and of the Council of Europe. FUTURE PROSPECTS . “The fact that the assembly was ‘mature and thoughtful’ – continued Msgr. Giordano – suggests that the time has come to deepen our dialogue”. In practice “Christianity, faith and spirituality need to be deepened” and “our respective identities strengthened with the courage of parrhesia (boldness of speech)”. “With the assembly in Sibiu a cycle was closed (Basel, Graz, Sibiu). For the future we will have to invent something new”: more grassroots seminars on specific themes or ecumenical pilgrimages. Some delegates also broached the idea of a pilgrimage of the Christian churches to the Holy Land. Aldo Giordano then launched the idea of “a sabbatical year” to be organized in collaboration with the CEC/KEK, to “have time to transmit the results of Sibiu in the various countries”. According to the CCEE secretary, the Sibiu assembly “showed that Christianity has a great role to play in contemporary Europe, because there is a demand and scope for it in spite of secularization”. It also “reinforced the real will among Christians in Europe to work together in fields of particular urgency for our situation today: migrations, religions, creation, peace and justice”. What also emerged at Sibiu “in a clear and new way is Europe’s responsibility for the world and Europe’s links with the other regions of the earth”. “Ecumenism – concluded Giordano – is a journey in which we are called to follow in the footsteps of Christ Crucified (a journey of toil and suffering) and of the Risen Christ: we have experienced the joy and the light of His work”. A last finding seems to emerge from the CCEE meeting in Fatima: the Christian Churches need to speak with “a single voice” in Europe on themes of great actuality in our time such as the defence of life, the family, education, religious freedom… It’s undoubtedly a challenging and difficult but indispensable journey for Christians, who today feel it is their prime responsibility to contribute to the construction of the common good in Europe and the world.