What gets most in the way of ecumenical dialogue nowadays are "the differences between the Protestant communities and the Catholic Church about the theological-dogmatic issues. Personal relations of acquaintance and trust with the Orthodox Church must instead been improved". This is in short the current state of the ecumenical process, as outlined to SIR by card. Peter Erdö, archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest and president of Ccee (Council of the European Bishops Conferences) in the run-up to the Third European Ecumenical Assembly (Sibiu, 4-9 September). "In the wake of the friendly relations which have been strengthened over the last few decades in Western Europe between Catholics and Protestants, we have to do all we can for a similar improvement to take place with the Orthodox, who after all are closer to us as to dogmatic issues, and, as a consequence, as to the ethical issues which for months have been in the forefront in Europe". As to the "two-lunged" continent, the president of Ccee states that across the new member states, although somehow disappointed in their expectations, "hope in the EU remains strong, because it looks like a guarantee of the peaceful cohabitation of the peoples", but "any remaining nationalism must be overcome". On its part, the Church "is following this process of reconciliation with great commitment".
