Ecumenism
"The restoration of unity among all Christians is one of the principal concerns of the Second Vatican Council." This is the first sentence of Unitatis Redintegratio, the Decree on Ecumenism (1964, #1).
Early in his pontificate, St. (Pope) John XXIII called the Second Vatican Council. The Decree on Ecumenism set the stage for the last fifty years of Catholic dialogue and conversation with our Orthodox, Protestant and Anglican brothers and sisters. The Decree gives "Catholic Principles on Ecumenism."
The Decree exhorts all Catholics to participate in the work on Christian unity. This work, our conversation, dialogue and service with others, calls for complete honesty. We must represent the position of others with truth and fairness.
We are called to a gentle mutual respect and trust in one another. Honesty and mutual respect call us to search the past and the present together in order to come to the truth.
This search leads us to acknowledge our own faults. 'Christ summons the Church, as she goes her pilgrim way, to that continual reformation of which she always has need, insofar as she is an institution of men here on earth." Humility is a key virtue for ecumenism.
Ecumenical dialogue, rather than making us less Catholic, makes us more. A deep search into our own faith can make us aware of commonalities that we share with our fellow Christians. It is the Holy Spirit who will help us work our way through faithful ecumenism together.
To access more information on Ecumenism, click on the links below.
Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism (1993)
On Commitment to Ecumenism (1995)
Ecumenism Today: The Situation in the Catholic Church (2004)