” “The way to achieve this "lofty goal" said Kasper in his address to the Patriarch, Bartholomew I can be "steep and difficult”. And he added: "It is not up to us to fix the dates and timelines. They are in the hands of God and His providence. However, we gratefully feel that our hope and our desire for a full communion are not idle wishes". Then, the cardinal spoke of the joint document that was approved in Ravenna a few weeks ago by the Joint Committee for Dialogue, which "can rightly be called a first step and a sound foundation for our dialogue, aimed at reinstating unity in the third millennium that has just begun". At this point, card. Kasper mentioned the delegation of the Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church abandoning the Ravenna meeting because of the presence within the Committee of the Estonian Apostolic Church, which is recognised by the Patriarchate of Constantinople, but not by the Patriarchate of Moscow. “We are grieved and deeply sorry said the cardinal that a vacant place was left at our table. We ask to do all we can to fill such a vacancy, so that next time everyone can come back to the communal table of our fraternal discussions, so that everyone can make their contribution to unity and peace”.” “
