That They May Be Ene
Ut Unum Sint

Encyclical of Pope John Paul II promulgated on May 25, 1995.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER I - THE CATHOLIC CHURCH'S COMMITMENT TO ECUMENISM

God's plan and communion
The way of ecumenism: the way of the Church
Renewal and conversion
The fundamental importance of doctrine
The primacy of prayer
Ecumenical dialogue
Local structures of dialogue
Dialogue as an examination of conscience
Dialogue as a means of resolving disagreements
Practical cooperation

CHAPTER II - THE FRUITS OF DIALOGUE

Brotherhood rediscovered
Solidarity in the service of humanity
Approaching one another through the Word of God and through divine worship
Appreciating the endowments present among other Christians
The growth of communion
Dialogue with the Churches of the East
Resuming contacts
Sister Churches
Progress in dialogue
Relations with the Ancient Churches of the East
Dialogue with other Churches and Ecclesial Communities in the West
Ecclesial relations
Achievements of cooperation

CHAPTER III - QUANTA EST NOBIS VIA?

Continuing and deepening dialogue
Reception of the results already achieved
Continuing spiritual ecumenism and bearing witness to holiness
Contribution of the Catholic Church to the quest for Christian unity
The ministry of unity of the Bishop of Rome
The communion of all particular Churches with the Church of Rome: a necessary
condition for unity
Full unity and evangelization

EXHORTATION


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INTRODUCTION

(UT UNUM SINT)! The call for Christian unity made by the Second
Vatican Ecumenical Council with such impassioned commitment is
finding an ever greater echo in the hearts of believers, especially
as the Year 2000 approaches, a year which Christians will celebrate
as a sacred Jubilee, the commemoration of the Incarnation of the Son
of God, who became man in order to save humanity.

The courageous witness of so many martyrs of our century, including
members of Churches and Ecclesial Communities not in full communion
with the Catholic Church, gives new vigor to the Council's call and
reminds us of our duty to listen to and put into practice its
exhortation. These brothers and sisters of ours, united in the
selfless offering of their lives for the Kingdom of God, are the most
powerful proof that every factor of division can be transcended and
overcome in the total gift of self for the sake of the Gospel.

(Christ calls all his disciples to unity). My earnest desire is to
renew this call today, to propose it once more with determination,
repeating what I said at the Roman Colosseum on Good Friday 1994, at
the end of the meditation on the (Via Cruces) prepared by my
Venerable Brother Bartholomew, the Ecumenical Patriarch of
Constantinople. There I stated that believers in Christ, united in
following in the footsteps of the martyrs, cannot remain divided. If
they wish truly and effectively to oppose the world's tendency to
reduce to powerlessness the Mystery of Redemption, they must (profess
together the same truth about the Cross.)[1] The Cross! An anti-
Christian outlook seeks to minimize the Cross, to empty it of its
meaning, and to deny that in it man has the source of his new life.
It claims that the Cross is unable to provide either vision or hope.
Man, it says, is nothing but an earthly being, who must live as if
God did not exist.

2. No one is unaware of the challenge which all this poses to
believers. They cannot fail to meet this challenge. Indeed, how could
they refuse to do everything possible, with God's help, to break down
the walls of division and distrust, to overcome obstacles and
prejudices which thwart the proclamation of the Gospel of salvation
in the Cross of Jesus, the one Redeemer of man, of every individual?

I thank the Lord that he has led us to make progress along the path
of unity and communion between Christians, a path difficult but so
full of joy. Interconfessional dialogues at the theological level
have produced positive and tangible results: this encourages us to
move forward.

Nevertheless, besides the doctrinal differences needing to be
resolved, Christians cannot underestimate the burden of
(long-standing misgivings) inherited from the past, and of (mutual
misunderstandings and prejudices. Complacency, indifference and
insufficient knowledge of one another) often make this situation
worse. Consequently, the commitment to ecumenism must be based upon
the conversion of hearts and upon prayer, which will also lead to the
(necessary purification of past memories). With the grace of the Holy
Spirit, the Lord's disciples, inspired by love, by the power of the
truth and by a sincere desire for mutual forgiveness and
reconciliation, are called to (re-examine together their painful
past) and the hurt which that past regrettably continues to provoke
even today. All together, they are invited by the ever fresh power of
the Gospel to acknowledge with sincere and total objectivity the
mistakes made and the contingent factors at work at the origins of
their deplorable divisions. (What is needed is a calm, clear-sighted
and truthful vision of things), a vision enlivened by divine mercy
and capable of freeing people's minds and of inspiring in everyone a
renewed willingness, precisely with a view to proclaiming the Gospel
to the men and women of every people and nation.

3. At the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church committed
herself (irrevocably) to following the path of the ecumenical
venture, thus heeding the Spirit of the Lord, who teaches people to
interpret carefully the "signs of the times". The experiences of
these years have made the Church even more profoundly aware of her
identity and her mission in history. The Catholic Church acknowledges
and confesses (the weaknesses of her members), conscious that their
sins are so many betrayals of and obstacles to the accomplishment of
the Savior's plan. Because she feels herself constantly called to be
renewed in the spirit of the Gospel, she does not cease to do
penance. At the same time, she acknowledges and exalts still more
(the power of the Lord), who fills her with the gift of holiness,
leads her forward, and conforms her to his Passion and Resurrection.

Taught by the events of her history, the Church is committed to
freeing herself from every purely human support, in order to live in
depth the Gospel law of the Beatitudes. Conscious that the truth
does not impose itself except "by virtue of its own truth, as it
makes its entrance into the mind at once quietly and with power",[2]
she seeks nothing for herself but the freedom to proclaim the Gospel.
Indeed, her authority is exercised in the service of truth and
charity.

I myself intend (to promote every suitable initiative) aimed at
making the witness of the entire Catholic community understood in its
full purity and consistency, especially considering the engagement
which awaits the Church at the threshold of the new Millennium. That
will be an exceptional occasion, in view of which she asks the Lord
to increase the unity of all Christians until they reach full
communion.[3] The present Encyclical Letter is meant as a contribution
to this most noble goal. Essentially pastoral in character, it seeks
to encourage the efforts of all who work for the cause of unity.

4. This is a specific duty of the Bishop of Rome as the Successor of
the Apostle Peter. I carry out this duty with the profound conviction
that I am obeying the Lord, and with a clear sense of my own human
frailty. Indeed, if Christ himself gave Peter this special mission in
the Church and exhorted him to strengthen his brethren, he also made
clear to him his human weakness and his special need of conversion:
"And when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren" ((Lk)
22:32). It is precisely in Peter's human weakness that it becomes
fully clear that the Pope, in order to carry out this special
ministry in the Church, depends totally on the Lord's grace and
prayer: "I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail" ((Lk)
22:32). The conversion of Peter and that of his Successors is upheld
by the very prayer of the Redeemer, and the Church constantly makes
this petition her own. In our ecumenical age, marked by the Second
Vatican Council, the mission of the Bishop of Rome is particularly
directed to recalling the need for full communion among Christ's
disciples.

The Bishop of Rome himself must fervently make his own Christ's
prayer for that conversion which is indispensable for "Peter" to be
able to serve his brethren. I earnestly invite the faithful of the
Catholic Church and all Christians to share in this prayer. May all
join me in praying for this conversion!

We know that during her earthly pilgrimage the Church has suffered
and will continue to suffer opposition and persecution. But the hope
which sustains her is unshakable, just as the joy which flows from
this hope is indestructible. In effect, the firm and enduring rock
upon which she is founded is Jesus Christ, her Lord.


CHAPTER I -- THE CATHOLIC CHURCH'S COMMITMENT TO ECUMENISM

(God's plan and communion)

5. Together with all Christ's disciples, the Catholic Church bases
upon God's plan her ecumenical commitment to gather all Christians
into unity. Indeed, "the Church is not a reality closed in on
herself. Rather, she is permanently open to missionary and ecumenical
endeavor, for she is sent to the world to announce and witness, to
make present and spread the mystery of communion which is essential
to her, and to gather all people and all things into Christ, so as to
be for all an 'inseparable sacrament of unity"'.[4]

Already in the Old Testament, the Prophet Ezekiel, referring to the
situation of God's People at that time, and using the simple sign of
two broken sticks which are first divided and then joined together,
expressed the divine will to "gather from all sides" the members of
his scattered people. "I will be their God, and they shall be my
people. Then the nations will know that I the Lord sanctify Israel"
(cf. 37:16-28). The Gospel of John, for its part, considering the
situation of the People of God at the time it was written, sees in
Jesus' death the reason for the unity of God's children: "Jesus would
die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but to gather into
one the children of God who are scattered abroad" (11:51-52). Indeed,
as the Letter to the Ephesians explains, Jesus "broke down the
dividing wall of hostility ... through the Cross, thereby bringing
the hostility to an end"; in place of what was divided he brought
about unity (cf. 2:14- 16).

6. The unity of all divided humanity is the will of God. For this
reason he sent his Son, so that by dying and rising for us he might
bestow on us the Spirit of love. On the eve of his sacrifice on the
Cross, Jesus himself prayed to the Father for his disciples and for
all those who believe in him, that they (might be one), a living
communion. This is the basis not only of the duty, but also of the
responsibility before God and his plan, which falls to those who
through Baptism become members of the Body of Christ, a Body in which
the fullness of reconciliation and communion must be made present.
How is it possible to remain divided, if we have been "buried"
through Baptism in the Lord's death, in the very act by which God,
through the death of his Son, has broken down the walls of division?
Division "openly contradicts the will of Christ, provides a stumbling
block to the world, and inflicts damage on the most holy cause of
proclaiming the Good News to every creature".[5]

(The way of ecumenism: the way of the Church)

7. "The Lord of the Ages wisely and patiently follows out the plan of
his grace on behalf of us sinners. In recent times he has begun to
bestow more generously upon divided Christians remorse over their
divisions and a longing for unity. Everywhere, large numbers have
felt the impulse of this grace, and among our separated brethren also
(there increases from day to day a movement), fostered by the grace
of the Holy Spirit, (for the restoration of unity among all
Christians). Taking part in this movement, which is called
ecumenical, are those who invoke the Triune God and confess Jesus as
Lord and Savior. They join in not merely as individuals but also as
members of the corporate groups in which they have heard the Gospel,
and which each regards as his Church and, indeed, God's. And yet
almost everyone, though in different ways, (longs that there may be
one visible Church of God), a Church truly universal and sent forth
to the whole world that the world may be converted to the Gospel and
so be saved, to the glory of God".[6]

8. This statement of the Decree (Unitatis Redintegratio) is to be
read in the context of the complete teaching of the Second Vatican
Council. The Council expresses the Church's decision to take up the
ecumenical task of working for Christian unity and to propose it with
conviction and vigour: "This sacred Synod exhorts all the Catholic
faithful to recognize the signs of the times and to participate
actively in the work of ecumenism".[7]

In indicating the Catholic principles of ecumenism, the Decree
(Unitatis Redintegratio) recalls above all the teaching on the Church
set forth in the Dogmatic Constitution (Lumen Gentium) in its chapter
on the People of God.[8] At the same time, it takes into account
everything affirmed in the Council's Declaration on Religious Freedom
(Dignitatis Humanae).[9]

The Catholic Church embraces with hope the commitment to ecumenism as
a duty of the Christian conscience enlightened by faith and guided by
love. Here too we can apply the words of Saint Paul to the first
Christians of Rome: "God's love has been poured into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit"; thus our "hope does not disappoint us"
((Rom) 5:5). This is the hope of Christian unity, which has its
divine source in the Trinitarian unity of the Father, the Son and the
Holy Spirit.

9. Jesus himself, at the hour of his Passion, prayed "that they may
all be one" ((Jn) 17:21). This unity, which the Lord has bestowed on
his Church and in which he wishes to embrace all people, is not
something added on, but stands at the very heart of Christ's mission.
Nor is it some secondary attribute of the community of his disciples.
Rather, it belongs to the very essence of this community. God wills
the Church, because he wills unity, and unity is an expression of the
whole depth of his (agape).

In effect, this unity bestowed by the Holy Spirit does not merely
consist in the gathering of people as a collection of individuals. It
is a unity constituted by the bonds of the profession of faith, the
sacraments and hierarchical communion.[10] The faithful are (one)
because, in the Spirit, they are in (communion) with the Son and, in
him, share in his (communion) with the Father: "Our (fellowship) is
with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ" (1 (Jn) 1:3). For the
Catholic Church, then, the (communion) of Christians is none other
than the manifestation in them of the grace by which God makes them
sharers in his own (communion), which is his eternal life. Christ's
words "that they may be one" are thus his prayer to the Father that
the Father's plan may be fully accomplished, in such a way that
everyone may clearly see "what is the plan of the mystery hidden for
ages in God who created all things" ((Eph) 3:9). To believe in Christ
means to desire unity; to desire unity means to desire the Church; to
desire the Church means to desire the communion of grace which
corresponds to the Father's plan from all eternity. Such is the
meaning of Christ's prayer: "(Ut unum sint").

10. In the present situation of the lack of unity among Christians
and of the confident quest for full communion, the Catholic faithful
are conscious of being deeply challenged by the Lord of the Church.
The Second Vatican Council strengthened their commitment with a clear
ecclesiological vision, open to all the ecclesial values present
among other Christians. The Catholic faithful face the ecumenical
question in a spirit of faith.

The Council states that the Church of Christ "subsists in the
Catholic Church, which is governed by the Successor of Peter and by
the Bishops in communion with him", and at the same time acknowledges
that "many elements of sanctification and of truth can be found
outside her visible structure. These elements, however, as gifts
properly belonging to the Church of Christ, possess an inner dynamism
towards Catholic unity".[11]

"It follows that these separated Churches and Communities, though we
believe that they suffer from defects, have by no means been deprived
of significance and value in the mystery of salvation. For the Spirit
of Christ has not refrained from using them as means of salvation
which derive their efficacy from the very fullness of grace and truth
entrusted to the Catholic Church".[12]

11. The Catholic Church thus affirms that during the two thousand
years of her history she has been preserved in unity, with all the
means with which God wishes to endow his Church, and this despite the
often grave crises which have shaken her, the infidelity of some of
her ministers, and the faults into which her members daily fall. The
Catholic Church knows that, by virtue of the strength which comes to
her from the Spirit, the weaknesses, mediocrity, sins and at times
the betrayals of some of her children cannot destroy what God has
bestowed on her as part of his plan of grace. Moreover, "the powers
of death shall not prevail against it" ((Mt) 16:18). Even so, the
Catholic Church does not forget that many among her members cause
God's plan to be discernible only with difficulty. Speaking of the
lack of unity among Christians, the Decree on Ecumenism does not
ignore the fact that "people of both sides were to blame",[13] and
acknowledges that responsibility cannot be attributed only to the
"other side". By God's grace, however, neither what belongs to the
structure of the Church of Christ nor that communion which still
exists with the other Churches and Ecclesial Communities has been
destroyed.

Indeed, the elements of sanctification and truth present in the other
Christian Communities, in a degree which varies from one to the
other, constitute the objective basis of the communion, albeit
imperfect, which exists between them and the Catholic Church.

To the extent that these elements are found in other Christian
Communities, the one Church of Christ is effectively present in them.
For this reason the Second Vatican Council speaks of a certain,
though imperfect communion. The Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium
stresses that the Catholic Church "recognizes that in many ways she
is linked"[14] with these Communities by a true union in the Holy
Spirit.

12. The same Dogmatic Constitution listed at length "the elements of
sanctification and truth" which in various ways are present and
operative beyond the visible boundaries of the Catholic Church: "For
there are many who honor Sacred Scripture, taking it as a norm of
belief and of action, and who show a true religious zeal. They
lovingly believe in God the Father Almighty and in Christ, Son of God
and Savior. They are consecrated by Baptism, through which they are
united with Christ. They also recognize and receive other sacraments
within their own Churches or Ecclesial Communities. Many of them
rejoice in the episcopate, celebrate the Holy Eucharist, and
cultivate devotion towards the Virgin Mother of God. They also share
with us in prayer and other spiritual benefits. Likewise, we can say
that in some real way they are joined with us in the Holy Spirit, for
to them also he gives his gifts and graces, and is thereby operative
among them with his sanctifying power. Some indeed he has
strengthened to the extent of the shedding of their blood. In all of
Christ's disciples the Spirit arouses the desire to be peacefully
united, in the manner determined by Christ, as one flock under one
shepherd".[15]

The Council's Decree on Ecumenism, referring to the Orthodox
Churches, went so far as to declare that "through the celebration of
the Eucharist of the Lord in each of these Churches, the Church of
God is built up and grows in stature"[16] Truth demands that all this
be recognized.

13. The same Document carefully draws out the doctrinal implications
of this situation. Speaking of the members of these Communities, it
declares: "All those justified by faith through Baptism are
incorporated into Christ. They therefore have a right to be honored
by the title of Christian, and are properly regarded as brothers and
sisters in the Lord by the sons and daughters of the Catholic
Church".[17]

With reference to the many positive elements present in the other
Churches and Ecclesial Communities, the Decree adds: "All of these,
which come from Christ and lead back to him, belong by right to the
one Church of Christ. The separated brethren also carry out many of
the sacred actions of the Christian religion. Undoubtedly, in many
ways that vary according to the condition of each Church or
Community, these actions can truly engender a life of grace, and can
be rightly described as capable of providing access to the community
of salvation".[18]

These are extremely important texts for ecumenism. It is not that
beyond the boundaries of the Catholic community there is an ecclesial
vacuum. Many elements of great value ((eximia)), which in the
Catholic Church are part of the fullness of the means of salvation
and of the gifts of grace which make up the Church, are also found in
the other Christian Communities.

14. All these elements bear within themselves a tendency towards
unity, having their fullness in that unity. It is not a matter of
adding together all the riches scattered throughout the various
Christian Communities in order to arrive at a Church which God has in
mind for the future. In accordance with the great Tradition, attested
to by the Fathers of the East and of the West, the Catholic Church
believes that in the Pentecost Event God has (already) manifested the
Church in her eschatological reality, which he had prepared "from the
time of Abel, the just one".[19] This reality is something already
given. Consequently we are even now in the last times. The elements
of this already-given Church exist, found in their fullness in the
Catholic Church and, without this fullness, in the other
Communities,[20] where certain features of the Christian mystery have
at times been more effectively emphasized. Ecumenism is directed
precisely to making the partial communion existing between Christians
grow towards full communion in truth and charity.

(Renewal and conversion)

15. Passing from principles, from the obligations of the Christian
conscience, to the actual practice of the ecumenical journey towards
unity, the Second Vatican Council emphasizes above all the need for
interior conversion. The messianic proclamation that "the time is
fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand", and the subsequent call
to "repent, and believe in the Gospel" ((Mk) 1:15) with which Jesus
begins his mission, indicate the essential element of every new
beginning: the fundamental need for evangelization at every stage of
the Church's journey of salvation. This is true in a special way of
the process begun by the Second Vatican Council, when it indicated as
a dimension of renewal the ecumenical task of uniting divided
Christians. "(There can be no ecumenism worthy of the name without a
change of heart".)[21]

The Council calls for personal conversion as well as for communal
conversion. The desire of every Christian Community for unity goes
hand in hand with its fidelity to the Gospel. In the case of
individuals who live their Christian vocation, the Council speaks of
interior conversion, of a renewal of mind.[22]

Each one therefore ought to be more radically converted to the Gospel
and, without ever losing sight of God's plan, change his or her way
of looking at things. Thanks to ecumenism, our contemplation of "the
mighty works of God" ((mirabilia Dei)) has been enriched by new
horizons, for which the Triune God calls us to give thanks: the
knowledge that the Spirit is at work in other Christian Communities,
the discovery of examples of holiness, the experience of the immense
riches present in the communion of saints, and contact with
unexpected dimensions of Christian commitment. In a corresponding
way, there is an increased sense of the need for repentance: an
awareness of certain exclusions which seriously harm fraternal
charity, of certain refusals to forgive, of a certain pride, of an
unevangelical insistence on condemning the "other side", of a disdain
born of an unhealthy presumption. Thus, the entire life of Christians
is marked by a concern for ecumenism; and they are called to let
themselves be shaped, as it were, by that concern.

16. In the teaching of the Second Vatican Council there is a clear
connection between renewal, conversion and reform. The Council states
that "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 human beings here on earth. Therefore, if the
influence of events or of the times has led to deficiencies ... these
should be appropriately rectified at the proper moment".[23] No
Christian Community can exempt itself from this call.

By engaging in frank dialogue, Communities help one another to look
at themselves together in the light of the Apostolic Tradition. This
leads them to ask themselves whether they truly express in an
adequate way all that the Holy Spirit has transmitted through the
Apostles.[24] With regard to the Catholic Church, I have frequently
recalled these obligations and perspectives, as for example on the
anniversary of the (Baptism of Kievan Rus')[25] or in commemorating the
eleven hundred years since the evangelizing activity of Saints Cyril
and Methodius.[26] More recently, the (Directory for the Application of
Principles and Norms on Ecumenism), issued with my approval by the
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, has applied them to
the pastoral sphere.[27]

17. With regard to other Christians, the principal documents of the
Commission on (Faith and Order)[28] and the statements of numerous
bilateral dialogues have already provided Christian Communities with
useful tools for discerning what is necessary to the ecumenical
movement and to the conversion which it must inspire. These studies
are important from two points of view: they demonstrate the
remarkable progress already made, and they are a source of hope
inasmuch as they represent a sure foundation for further study.

The increase of fellowship in a reform which is continuous and
carried out in the light of the Apostolic Tradition is certainly, in
the present circumstances of Christians, one of the distinctive and
most important aspects of ecumenism. Moreover, it is an essential
guarantee for its future. The faithful of the Catholic Church cannot
forget that the ecumenical thrust of the Second Vatican Council is
one consequence of all that the Church at that time committed herself
to doing in order to re-examine herself in the light of the Gospel
and the great Tradition. My Predecessor, Pope John XXIII, understood
this clearly: in calling the Council, he refused to separate renewal
from ecumenical openness.[29] At the conclusion of the Council, Pope
Paul VI solemnly sealed the Council's commitment to ecumenism,
renewing the dialogue of charity with the Churches in communion with
the Patriarch of Constantinople, and joining the Patriarch in the
concrete and profoundly significant gesture which "condemned to
oblivion" and "removed from memory and from the midst of the Church"
the excommunications of the past. It is worth recalling that the
establishment of a special body for ecumenical matters coincided with
the launching of preparations for the Second Vatican Council[30] and
that through this body the opinions and judgments of the other
Christian Communities played a part in the great debates about
Revelation, the Church, the nature of ecumenism and religious
freedom.

(The fundamental importance of doctrine)

18. Taking up an idea expressed by Pope John XXIII at the opening of
the Council,[31] the Decree on Ecumenism mentions the way of
formulating doctrine as one of the elements of a continuing reform.[32]
Here it is not a question of altering the deposit of faith, changing
the meaning of dogmas, eliminating essential words from them,
accommodating truth to the preferences of a particular age, or
suppressing certain articles of the (Creed) under the false pretext
that they are no longer understood today. The unity willed by God can
be attained only by the adherence of all to the content of revealed
faith in its entirety. In matters of faith, compromise is in
contradiction with God who is Truth. In the Body of Christ, "the way,
and the truth, and the life" ((Jn) 14:6), who could consider
legitimate a reconciliation brought about at the expense of the
truth? The Council's Declaration on Religious Freedom (Dignitatis
Humanae) attributes to human dignity the quest for truth, "especially
in what concerns God and his Church",[33] and adherence to truth's
demands. A "being together" which betrayed the truth would thus be
opposed both to the nature of God who offers his communion and to the
need for truth found in the depths of every human heart.

19. Even so, doctrine needs to be presented in a way that makes it
understandable to those for whom God himself intends it. In my
Encyclical Epistle (Slavorum Apostoli), I recalled that this was the
very reason why Saints Cyril and Methodius labored to translate the
ideas of the Bible and the concepts of Greek theology in the context
of very different historical experiences and ways of thinking. They
wanted the one word of God to be "made accessible in each
civilization's own forms of expression".[34] They recognized that they
could not therefore "impose on the peoples assigned to their
preaching either the undeniable superiority of the Greek language and
Byzantine culture, or the customs and way of life of the more
advanced society in which they had grown up".[35] Thus they put into
practice that "perfect communion in love which preserves the Church
from all forms of particularism, ethnic exclusivism or racial
prejudice, and from any nationalistic arrogance".[36] In the same
spirit, I did not hesitate to say to the Aboriginal Peoples of
Australia: "You do not have to be divided into two parts ... Jesus
calls you to accept his words and his values into your own
culture".[37] Because by its nature the content of faith is meant for
all humanity, it must be translated into all cultures. Indeed, the
element which determines communion in truth is (the meaning of
truth). The expression of truth can take different forms. The renewal
of these forms of expression becomes necessary for the sake of
transmitting to the people of today the Gospel message in its
unchanging meaning.[38]

"This renewal therefore has notable ecumenical significance".[39] And
not only renewal in which the faith is expressed, but also of the
very life of faith. It might therefore be asked: who is responsible
for doing this? To this question the Council replies clearly:
"Concern for restoring unity pertains to the whole Church, faithful
and clergy alike. It extends to everyone, according to the ability of
each, whether it be exercised in daily Christian living or in
theological and historical studies".[40]

20. All this is extremely important and of fundamental significance
for ecumenical activity. Thus it is absolutely dear that ecumenism,
the movement promoting Christian unity, (is not just some sort of
"appendix") which is added to the Church's traditional activity.
Rather, ecumenism is an organic part of her life and work, and
consequently must pervade all that she is and does; it must be like
the fruit borne by a healthy and flourishing tree which grows to its
full stature.

This is what Pope John XIII believed about the unity of the Church
and how he saw full Christian unity. With regard to other Christians,
to the great Christian family, he observed: "What unites us is much
greater than what divides us". The Second Vatican Council for its
part exhorts "all Christ's faithful to remember that the more purely
they strive to live according to the Gospel, the more they are
fostering and even practicing Christian unity. For they can achieve
depth and ease in strengthening mutual brotherhood to the degree that
they enjoy profound communion with the Father, the Word, and the Holy
Spirit".[41]

(The primacy of prayer)

21. "This (change of heart and holiness of life, along with public
and private prayer for the unity of Christians), should be regarded
as the soul of the whole ecumenical movement, and can rightly be
called 'spiritual ecumenism'."[42]

We proceed along the road leading to the conversion of hearts guided
by love which is directed to God and, at the same time, to all our
brothers and sisters, including those not in full communion with us.
Love gives rise to the desire for unity, even in those who have never
been aware of the need for it. Love builds communion between
individuals and between Communities. If we love one another, we
strive to deepen our communion and make it perfect. (Love is given to
God) as the perfect source of communion-the unity of Father, Son and
Holy Spirit-that we may draw from that source the strength to build
communion between individuals and Communities, or to re-establish it
between Christians still divided. Love is the great undercurrent
which gives life and adds vigour to the movement towards unity.

This love (finds its most complete expression in common prayer). When
brothers and sisters who are not in perfect communion with one
another come together to pray, the Second Vatican Council defines
their prayer as (the soul of the whole ecumenical movement). This
prayer is "a very effective means of petitioning for the grace of
unity", "a (genuine expression of the ties which even now bind
Catholics to their separated brethren".)[43] Even when prayer is not
specifically offered for Christian unity, but for other intentions
such as peace, it actually becomes an expression and confirmation of
unity. The common prayer of Christians is an invitation to Christ
himself to visit the community of those who call upon him: "Where two
or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them"
((Mt) 18:20).

22. When Christians pray together, the goal of unity seems closer.
The long history of Christians marked by many divisions seems to
converge once more because it tends towards that Source of its unity
which is Jesus Christ. He "is the same yesterday, today and forever!"
((Heb) 13:8). In the fellowship of prayer Christ is truly present; he
prays "in us", "with us" and "for us". It is he who leads our prayer
in the Spirit-Consoler whom he promised and then bestowed on his
Church in the Upper Room in Jerusalem, when he established her in her
original unity.

Along the ecumenical path to unity, pride of place certainly belongs
to common prayer, the prayerful union of those who gather together
around Christ himself. If Christians, despite their divisions, can
grow ever more united in (common prayer) around Christ, they will
grow in the awareness of how little divides them in comparison to
what unites them. If they meet more often and more regularly before
Christ in prayer, they will be able to gain the courage to face all
the painful human reality of their divisions, and they will find
themselves together once more in that community of the Church which
Christ constantly builds up in the Holy Spirit, in spite of all
weaknesses and human limitations.

23. Finally, (fellowship in prayer leads people to look at the Church
and Christianity in a new way.) It must not be forgotten in fact that
the Lord prayed to the Father that his disciples might be one, so
that their unity might bear witness to his mission and the world
would believe that the Father had sent him (cf. (Jn) 17:21). It can
be said that the ecumenical movement in a certain sense was born out
of the negative experience of each one of those who, in proclaiming
the one Gospel, appealed to his own Church or Ecclesial Community.
This was a contradiction which could not escape those who listened to
the message of salvation and found in this fact an obstacle to
acceptance of the Gospel. Regrettably, this grave obstacle has not
been overcome. It is true that we are not yet in full communion. And
yet, despite our divisions, we are on the way towards full unity,
that unity which marked the Apostolic Church at its birth and which
we sincerely seek. Our common prayer, inspired by faith, is proof of
this. In that prayer, we gather together in the name of Christ who is
One. He is our unity.

("Ecumenical" prayer is at the service of the Christian mission and
its credibility.) It must thus be especially present in the life of
the Church and in every activity aimed at fostering Christian unity.
It is as if we constantly need to go back and meet in the Upper Room
of Holy Thursday, even though our presence together in that place
will not be perfect until the obstacles to full ecclesial communion
are overcome and all Christians can gather together in the common
celebration of the Eucharist.[44]

24. It is a source of joy to see that the many ecumenical meetings
almost always include and indeed culminate in prayer. The (Week of
Prayer for Christian Unity), celebrated in January or, in some
countries, around Pentecost, has become a widespread and well
established tradition. But there are also many other occasions during
the year when Christians are led to pray together. In this context, I
wish to mention the special experience of the (Pope's pilgrimages to
the various Churches) in the different continents and countries of
the present-day (oikoumene.) I am very conscious that it was the
Second Vatican Council which led the Pope to exercise his apostolic
ministry in this particular way. Even more can be said. The Council
made these visits of the Pope a specific responsibility in carrying
out the role of the Bishop of Rome at the service of communion.[45] My
visits have almost always included an ecumenical meeting and (common
prayer with our brothers and sisters who seek unity in Christ and in
his Church). With profound emotion I remember praying together with
the Primate of the Anglican Communion at Canterbury Cathedral (29 May
1982); in that magnificent edifice, I saw "an eloquent witness (both
to our long years of common inheritance and to the sad years of
division that followed").[46] Nor can I forget the meetings held in the
Scandinavian and Nordic Countries (1-10 June 1989), in North and
South America and in Africa, and at the headquarters of the World
Council of Churches (12 June 1984), the organization committed to
calling its member Churches and Ecclesial Communities "to the goal of
visible unity in one faith and in one Eucharistic fellowship
expressed in worship and in common life in Christ".[47] And how could I
ever forget taking part in the Eucharistic Liturgy in the Church of
Saint George at the Ecumenical Patriarchate (30 November 1979), and
the service held in Saint Peter's Basilica during the visit to Rome
of my Venerable Brother, Patriarch Dimitrios I (6 December 1987)? On
that occasion, at the Altar of the Confession, we recited together
the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed according to its original Greek
text. It is hard to describe in a few words the unique nature of each
of these occasions of prayer. Given the differing ways in which each
of these meetings was conditioned by past events, each had its own
special eloquence. They have all become part of the Church's memory
as she is guided by the Paraclete to seek the full unity of all
believers in Christ.

25. It is not just the Pope who has become a pilgrim. In recent
years, many distinguished leaders of other Churches and Ecclesial
Communities have visited me in Rome, and I have been able to join
them in prayer, both in public and in private. I have already
mentioned the visit of the Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I. I would
now like to recall the prayer meeting, also held in Saint Peter's
Basilica, at which I joined the Lutheran Archbishops, the Primates of
Sweden and Finland, for the celebration of Vespers on the occasion of
the Sixth Centenary of the Canonization of Saint Birgitta (5 October
1991). This is just one example, because awareness of the duty to
pray for unity has become an integral part of the Church's life.
There is no important or significant event which does not benefit
from Christians coming together and praying. It is impossible for me
to give a complete list of such meetings, even though each one
deserves to be mentioned. Truly the Lord has taken us by the hand and
is guiding us. These exchanges and these prayers have already
written pages and pages of our "Book of unity", a "Book" which we
must constantly return to and re-read so as to draw from it new
inspiration and hope.

26. Prayer, the community at prayer, enables us always to discover
anew the evangelical truth of the words: "(You have one Father)"
((Mt) 23:9), the Father- (Abba)-invoked by Christ himself, the
Only-begotten and Consubstantial Son. And again: "(You have one
teacher, and you are all brethren)" ((Mt) 23:8). "Ecumenical" prayer
discloses this fundamental dimension of brotherhood in Christ, who
died to gather together the children of God who were scattered, so
that in becoming "sons and daughters in the Son" (cf. (Eph) 1:5) we
might show forth more fully both the mysterious reality of God's
fatherhood and the truth about the human nature shared by each and
every individual.

"Ecumenical" prayer, as the prayer of brothers and sisters, expresses
all this. Precisely because they are separated from one another, they
meet in Christ with all the more hope, (entrusting to him the future
of their unity and their communion). Here too we can appropriately
apply the teaching of the Council: "The Lord Jesus, when he prayed to
the Father ('that all may be one ... as we are one') ((Jn) 17:21-22),
opened up vistas closed to human reason For he implied a certain
likeness between the union of the Divine Persons, and the union of
God's children in truth and charity".[48]

The change of heart which is the essential condition for every
authentic search for unity flows from prayer and its realization is
guided by prayer: "For it is from newness of attitudes, from
self-denial and unstinted love, that yearnings for unity take their
rise and grow towards maturity. We should therefore (pray to the
divine Spirit) for the grace to be genuinely self-denying, humble,
gentle in the service of others, and to have an attitude of brotherly
generosity towards them".[49]

27. Praying for unity is not a matter reserved only to those who
actually experience the lack of unity among Christians. In the deep
personal dialogue which each of us must carry on with the Lord in
prayer, concern for unity cannot be absent. Only in this way, in
fact, will that concern fully become part of the reality of our life
and of the commitments we have taken on in the Church. It was in
order to reaffirm this duty that I set before the faithful of the
Catholic Church a model which I consider exemplary, the model of a
Trappistine Sister, (Blessed Marta Gabriella of Unity), whom I
beatified on 25 January 1983.[50] Sister Maria Gabriella, called by her
vocation to be apart from the world, devoted her life to meditation
and prayer centered on chapter seventeen of Saint John's Gospel, and
offered her life for Christian unity. This is truly the cornerstone
of all prayer: the total and unconditional offering of one's life to
the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit. The example of
Sister Maria Gabriella is instructive; it helps us to understand that
there are no special times, situations or places of prayer for unity.
Christ's prayer to the Father is offered as a model for everyone,
always and everywhere.

(Ecumenical dialogue)

28. If prayer is the "soul" of ecumenical renewal and of the yearning
for unity, it is the basis and support for (everything the Council
defines as "dialogue"). This definition is certainly not unrelated to
today's (personalist way of thinking). The capacity for "dialogue" is
rooted in the nature of the person and his dignity. As seen by
philosophy, this approach is linked to the Christian truth concerning
man as expressed by the Council: man is in fact "the only creature on
earth which God willed for itself"; thus he cannot "fully find
himself except through a sincere gift of himself".[51] Dialogue is an
indispensable step along the path (towards human self-realization),
the self-realization both of (each individual) and (of every human
community). Although the concept of "dialogue" might appear to give
priority to the cognitive dimension ((dia-logos)), all dialogue
implies a global, existential dimension. It involves the human
subject in his or her entirety; dialogue between communities involves
in a particular way the subjectivity of each.

This truth about dialogue, so profoundly expressed by Pope Paul VI in
his Encyclical (Ecclesiam Suam),[52] was also taken up by the Council
in its teaching and ecumenical activity. Dialogue is not simply an
exchange of ideas. In some way it is always an "exchange of gifts".[53]


29. For this reason, the Council's Decree on Ecumenism also
emphasizes the importance of "every effort to eliminate words,
judgments, and actions which do not respond to the condition of
separated brethren with truth and fairness and so make mutual
relations between them more difficult".[54] The Decree approaches the
question from the standpoint of the Catholic Church and refers to the
criteria which she must apply in relation to other Christians. In all
this, however, reciprocity is required. To follow these criteria is a
commitment of each of the parties which desire to enter into dialogue
and it is a precondition for starting such dialogue. It is necessary
to pass from antagonism and conflict to a situation where each party
recognizes the other as a (partner.) When undertaking dialogue, (each
side must presuppose in the other a desire for reconciliation,) for
(unity in truth). For this to happen, any display of mutual
opposition must disappear. Only thus will dialogue help to overcome
division and lead us closer to unity.

30. It can be said, with a sense of lively gratitude to the Spirit of
Truth, that the Second Vatican Council was a blessed time, during
which the bases for the Catholic Church's participation in ecumenical
dialogue were laid. At the same time, the presence of many observers
from various Churches and Ecclesial Communities, their deep
involvement in the events of the Council, the many meetings and the
common prayer which the Council made possible, also helped bring
about (the conditions for dialogue with one another.) During the
Council, the representatives of other Churches and Ecclesial
Communities experienced the readiness of the worldwide Catholic
Episcopate, and in particular of the Apostolic See, to engage in
dialogue.

(Local structures of dialogue)

31. The Church's commitment to ecumenical dialogue, as it has clearly
appeared since the Council, far from being the responsibility of the
Apostolic See alone, is also the duty of individual local or
particular Churches. Special commissions for fostering the ecumenical
spirit and ecumenical activity have been set up by the Bishops'
Conferences and the Synods of the Eastern Catholic Churches. Suitable
structures similar to these are operating in individual Dioceses.
These initiatives are a sign of the widespread practical commitment
of the Catholic Church to apply the Council's guidelines on
ecumenism: this is an essential aspect of the ecumenical movement.[55]
Dialogue has not only been undertaken; it (has become an outright
necessity, one of the Church's priorities.) As a result, the
"methods" of dialogue have been improved, which in turn has helped
the spirit of dialogue to grow. In this context mention has to be
made in the first place of "dialogue between competent experts from
different Churches and Communities. In their meetings, which are
organized in a religious spirit, each explains the teaching of his
Communion in greater depth and brings out dearly its distinctive
features".[56] Moreover, it is useful for all the faithful to be
familiar with the method which makes dialogue possible.

32. As the Council's Declaration on Religious Freedom affirms: "Truth
is to be sought after in a manner proper to the dignity of the human
person and his social nature. The inquiry is to be free, carried on
with the aid of teaching or instruction, communication, and dialogue.
In the course of these, people explain to one another the truth they
have discovered, or think they have discovered, in order thus to
assist one another in the quest for truth. Moreover, as the truth is
discovered, it is by a personal assent that individuals are to adhere
to it"[57]

Ecumenical dialogue is of essential importance. "Through such
dialogue everyone gains a truer knowledge and (more just
appreciation) of the teaching and religious life of both Communions.
In addition, these Communions (cooperate more closely) in whatever
projects a Christian conscience demands for the common good. They
also come together for common prayer, where that is permitted.
Finally, all are led to examine their own faithfulness to Christ's
will for the Church and, wherever necessary, undertake with vigour
the tasks of renewal and reform".[58]

(Dialogue as an examination of conscience)

33. In the Council's thinking, ecumenical dialogue is marked by a
common quest for truth, particularly concerning the Church. In
effect, truth forms consciences and directs efforts to promote unity.
At the same time, it demands that the consciences and actions of
Christians, as brethren divided from one another, should be inspired
by and submissive to Christ's prayer for unity. There is a close
relationship between prayer and dialogue. Deeper and more conscious
prayer makes dialogue more fruitful. If on the one hand, dialogue
depends on prayer, so, in another sense, prayer also becomes the ever
more mature fruit of dialogue.

34. Thanks to ecumenical dialogue we can speak of a greater maturity
in our common prayer for one another. This is possible inasmuch as
(dialogue also serves as an examination of conscience.) In this
context, how can we fail to recall the words of the First Letter of
John? "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth
is not in us. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just, and
will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness"
(1:8-9). John even goes so far as to state: "If we say that we have
not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us" (1:10).
(Such a radical exhortation to acknowledge our condition as sinners)
ought also to mark the spirit which we bring to ecumenical dialogue.
If such dialogue does not become an examination of conscience, a kind
of "dialogue of consciences", can we count on the assurance which the
First Letter of John gives us? "My little children, I am writing this
to you so that you may not sin; but if any one does sin, (we have an
advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous); and he is the
expiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins
of the whole world" (2:1-2). All the sins of the world were gathered
up in the saving sacrifice of Christ, including the sins committed
against the Church's unity: the sins of Christians, those of the
pastors no less than those of the lay faithful. Even after the many
sins which have contributed to our historical divisions, (Christian
unity is possible), provided that we are humbly conscious of having
sinned against unity and are convinced of our need for conversion.
Not only personal sins must be forgiven and left behind, but also
social sins, which is to say the sinful "structures" themselves which
have contributed and can still contribute to division and to the
reinforcing of division.

35. Here once again the Council proves helpful. It can be said that
the entire Decree on Ecumenism is permeated by the spirit of
conversion.[59] In the Document, ecumenical dialogue takes on a
specific characteristic; it becomes a "(dialogue of conversion)", and
thus, in the words of Pope Paul VI, an authentic "dialogue of
salvation".[60] Dialogue cannot take place merely on a horizontal
level, being restricted to meetings, exchanges of points of view or
even the sharing of gifts proper to each Community. It has also a
primarily vertical thrust, directed towards the One who, as the
Redeemer of the world and the Lord of history, is himself our
Reconciliation. This vertical aspect of dialogue lies in our
acknowledgment, jointly and to each other, that we are men and women
who have sinned. It is precisely this acknowledgment which creates in
brothers and sisters living in Communities not in full communion with
one another that interior space where Christ, the source of the
Church's unity, can effectively act, with all the power of his
Spirit, the Paraclete.

(Dialogue as a means of resolving disagreements)

36. Dialogue is also a natural instrument for comparing differing
points of view and, above all, for examining those disagreements
which hinder full communion between Christians. The Decree on
Ecumenism dwells in the first place on a description of the attitudes
under which doctrinal discussions should take place: "Catholic
theologians engaged in ecumenical dialogue, while standing fast by
the teaching of the Church and searching together with separated
brothers and sisters into the divine mysteries, should act with love
for truth, with charity, and with humility".[61]

Love for the truth is the deepest dimension of any authentic quest
for full communion between Christians. Without this love it would be
impossible to face the objective theological, cultural, psychological
and social difficulties which appear when disagreements are examined.
This dimension, which is interior and personal, must be inseparably
accompanied by a spirit of charity and humility. There must be
charity towards one's partner in dialogue, and humility with regard
to the truth which comes to light and which might require a review of
assertions and attitudes.

With regard to the study of areas of disagreement, the Council
requires that the whole body of doctrine be clearly presented. At the
same time, it asks that the manner and method of expounding the
Catholic faith should not be a hindrance to dialogue with our
brothers and sisters.[62] Certainly it is possible to profess one's
faith and to explain its teaching in a way that is correct, fair and
understandable, and which at the same time takes into account both
the way of thinking and the actual historical experiences of the
other party.

Full communion of course will have to come about through the
acceptance of the whole truth into which the Holy Spirit guides
Christ's disciples. Hence all forms of reductionism or facile
"agreement" must be absolutely avoided. Serious questions must be
resolved, for if not, they will reappear at another time, either in
the same terms or in a different guise.

37. The Decree (Unitatis Redintegratio) also indicates a criterion to

be followed when Catholics are presenting or comparing doctrines:
"They should remember that in Catholic teaching there exists an order
or 'hierarchy' of truths, since they vary in their relationship to
the foundation of the Christian faith. Thus the way will be opened
for this kind of fraternal rivalry to incite all to a deeper
realization and a clearer expression of the unfathomable riches of
Christ".[63]

38. In dialogue, one inevitably comes up against the problem of the
different formulations whereby doctrine is expressed in the various
Churches and Ecclesial Communities. This has more than one
consequence for the work of ecumenism.

In the first place, with regard to doctrinal formulations which
differ from those normally in use in the community to which one
belongs, it is certainly right to determine whether the words
involved say the same thing. This has been ascertained in the case
for example of the recent common declarations signed by my
Predecessors or by myself with the Patriarchs of Churches with which
for centuries there have been disputes about Christology. As far as
the formulation of revealed truths is concerned, the Declaration
(Mysterium Ecclesiae) states: "Even though the truths which the
Church intends to teach through her dogmatic formulas are distinct
from the changeable conceptions of a given epoch and can be expressed
without them, nevertheless it can sometimes happen that these truths
may be enunciated by the Sacred Magisterium in terms that bear traces
of such conceptions. In view of this, it must be stated that the
dogmatic (formulas) of the Church's Magisterium were from the very
beginning suitable for communicating revealed truth, and that as they
are they remain for ever suitable for communicating this truth to
those who interpret them correctly".[64] In this regard, ecumenical
dialogue, which prompts the parties involved to question each other,
to understand each other and to explain their positions to each
other, makes surprising discoveries possible. Intolerant polemics and
controversies have made incompatible assertions out of what was
really the result of two different ways of looking at the same
reality. Nowadays we need to find the formula which, by capturing the
reality in its entirety, will enable us to move beyond partial
readings and eliminate false interpretations.

One of the advantages of ecumenism is that it helps Christian
Communities to discover the unfathomable riches of the truth. Here
too, everything that the Spirit brings about in "others" can serve
for the building up of all Communities[65] and in a certain sense
instruct them in the mystery of Christ. Authentic ecumenism is a gift
at the service of truth.

39. Finally, dialogue puts before the participants real and genuine
disagreements in matters of faith. Above all, these disagreements
should be faced in a sincere spirit of fraternal charity, of respect
for the demands of one's own conscience and of the conscience of the
other party, with profound humility and love for the truth. The
examination of such disagreements has two essential points of
reference: Sacred Scripture and the great Tradition of the Church.
Catholics have the help of the Church's living Magisterium.

(Practical cooperation)

40. Relations between Christians are not aimed merely at mutual
knowledge, common prayer and dialogue. They presuppose and from now
on call for every possible form of practical cooperation at all
levels: pastoral, cultural and social, as well as that of witnessing
to the Gospel message.[66]

"Cooperation among all Christians vividly expresses that bond which
already unites them, and it sets in clearer relief the features of
Christ the Servant".[67] This cooperation based on our common faith is
not only filled with fraternal communion, but is a manifestation of
Christ himself.

Moreover, ecumenical cooperation is a true school of ecumenism, a
dynamic road to unity. Unity of action leads to the full unity of
faith: "Through such cooperation, all believers in Christ are able to
learn easily how they can understand each other better and esteem
each other more, and how the road to the unity of Christians may be
made smooth".[68]

In the eyes of the world, cooperation among Christians becomes a form
of common Christian witness and a means of evangelization which
benefits all involved.


CHAPTER II -- THE FRUITS OF DIALOGUE

(Brotherhood rediscovered)

41. What has been said above about ecumenical dialogue since the end
of the Council inspires us to give thanks to the Spirit of Truth
promised by Christ the Lord to the Apostles and the Church (cf. (Jn)
14:26). It is the first time in history that efforts on behalf of
Christian unity have taken on such great proportions and have become
so extensive. This is truly an immense gift of God, one which
deserves all our gratitude. From the fullness of Christ we receive
"grace upon grace" ((Jn) 1:16). An appreciation of how much God has
already given is the condition which disposes us to receive those
gifts still indispensable for bringing to completion the ecumenical
work of unity.

An overall view of the last thirty years enables us better to
appreciate many of the fruits of this common conversion to the Gospel
which the Spirit of God has brought about by means of the ecumenical
movement.

42. It happens for example that, in the spirit of the Sermon on the
Mount, Christians of one confession no longer consider other
Christians as enemies or strangers but see them as brothers and
sisters. Again, the very expression (separated brethren) tends to be
replaced today by expressions which more readily evoke the deep
communion -linked to the baptismal character-which the Spirit fosters
in spite of historical and canonical divisions. Today we speak of
"other Christians", "others who have received Baptism", and
"Christians of other Communities". The (Directory for the Application
of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism) refers to the Communities to
which these Christians belong as "Churches and Ecclesial Communities
that are not in full communion with the Catholic Church".[69] This
broadening of vocabulary is indicative of a significant change in
attitudes. There is an increased awareness that we all belong to
Christ. I have personally been able many times to observe this during
the ecumenical celebrations which are an important part of my
Apostolic Visits to various parts of the world, and also in the
meetings and ecumenical celebrations which have taken place in Rome.
The "universal brotherhood" of Christians has become a firm
ecumenical conviction. Consigning to oblivion the excommunications of
the past, Communities which were once rivals are now in many cases
helping one another: places of worship are sometimes lent out;
scholarships are offered for the training of ministers in the
Communities most lacking in resources; approaches are made to civil
authorities on behalf of other Christians who are unjustly
persecuted; and the slander to which certain groups are subjected is
shown to be unfounded.

In a word, Christians have been converted to a fraternal charity
which embraces all Christ's disciples. If it happens that, as a
result of violent political disturbances, a certain aggressiveness or
a spirit of vengeance appears, the leaders of the parties in question
generally work to make the "New Law" of the spirit of charity
prevail. Unfortunately, this spirit has not been able to transform
every situation where brutal conflict rages. In such circumstances
those committed to ecumenism are often required to make choices which
are truly heroic.

It needs be reaffirmed in this regard that acknowledging our
brotherhood is not the consequence of a large-hearted philanthropy or
a vague family spirit. It is rooted in recognition of the oneness of
Baptism and the subsequent duty to glorify God in his work. The
(Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism)
expresses the hope that Baptisms will be mutually and officially
recognized.[70] This is something much more than an act of ecumenical
courtesy; it constitutes a basic ecclesiological statement.

It is fitting to recall that the fundamental role of Baptism in
building up the Church has been clearly brought out thanks also to
multilateral dialogues.[71]

(Solidarity in the service of humanity)

43. It happens more and more often that the leaders of Christian
Communities join together in taking a stand in the name of Christ on
important problems concerning man's calling and on freedom, justice,
peace, and the future of the world. In this way they "communicate" in
one of the tasks which constitutes the mission of Christians: that of
reminding society of God's will in a realistic manner, warning the
authorities and their fellow-citizens against taking steps which
would lead to the trampling of human rights. It is clear, as
experience shows, that in some circumstances the united voice of
Christians has more impact than any one isolated voice.

Nor are the leaders of Communities the only ones joined in the work
for unity. Many Christians from all Communities, by reason of their
faith, are jointly involved in bold projects aimed at changing the
world by inculcating respect for the rights and needs of everyone,
especially the poor, the lowly and the defenceless. In my Encyclical
Letter (Sollicitudo Rei Socialis,) I was pleased to note this
cooperation, stressing that the Catholic Church cannot fail to take
part in these efforts.[72] In effect, Christians who once acted
independently are now engaged together in the service of this cause,
so that God's mercy may triumph.

This way of thinking and acting is already that of the Gospel. Hence,
reaffirming what I wrote in my first Encyclical Letter (Redemptor
Hominis), I have had occasion "to insist on this point and to
encourage every effort made in this direction, at all levels where we
meet our other brother Christians"[73] I have thanked God "for what he
has already accomplished in the other Churches and Ecclesial
Communities and through them", as well as through the Catholic
Church.[74] Today I see with satisfaction that the already vast network
of ecumenical cooperation is constantly growing. Thanks also to the
influence of the World Council of Churches, much is being
accomplished in this field.

(Approaching one another through the Word of God and through divine
worship)

44. Significant progress in ecumenical cooperation has also been made
in another area, that of the Word of God. I am thinking above all of
the importance for the different language groups of ecumenical
translations of the Bible. Following the promulgation by the Second
Vatican Council of the Constitution (Dei Verbum), the Catholic Church
could not fail to welcome this development.[75] These translations,
prepared by experts, generally offer a solid basis for the prayer and
pastoral activity of all Christ's followers. Anyone who recalls how
heavily debates about Scripture influenced divisions, especially in
the West, can appreciate the significant step forward which these
common translations represent.

45. Corresponding to the liturgical renewal carried out by the
Catholic Church, certain other Ecclesial Communities have made
efforts to renew their worship. Some, on the basis of a
recommendation expressed at the ecumenical level,[76] have abandoned
the custom of celebrating their liturgy of the Lord's Supper only
infrequently and have opted for a celebration each Sunday. Again,
when the cycles of liturgical readings used by the various Christian
Communities in the West are compared, they appear to be essentially
the same. Still on the ecumenical level,[77] very special prominence
has been given to the liturgy and liturgical signs (images, icons,
vestments, light, incense, gestures). Moreover, in schools of
theology where future ministers are trained, courses in the history
and significance of the liturgy are beginning to be part of the
curriculum in response to a newly discovered need.

These are signs of convergence which regard various aspects of the
sacramental life. Certainly, due to disagreements in matters of
faith, it is not yet possible to celebrate together the same
Eucharistic Liturgy. And yet we do have a burning desire to join in
celebrating the one Eucharist of the Lord, and this desire itself is
already a common prayer of praise, a single supplication. Together we
speak to the Father and increasingly we do so "with one heart". At
times it seems that we are closer to being able finally to seal this
"real although not yet full" communion. A century ago who could even
have imagined such a thing?

46. In this context, it is a source of joy to note that Catholic
ministers are able, in certain particular cases, to administer the
Sacraments of the Eucharist, Penance and Anointing of the Sick to
Christians who are not in full communion with the Catholic Church but
who greatly desire to receive these sacraments, freely request them
and manifest the faith which the Catholic Church professes with
regard to these sacraments. Conversely, in specific cases and in
particular circumstances, Catholics too can request these same
sacraments from ministers of Churches in which these sacraments are
valid. The conditions for such reciprocal reception have been laid
down in specific norms; for the sake of furthering ecumenism these
norms must be respected.[78]

(Appreciating the endowments present among other Christians)

47. Dialogue does not extend exclusively to matters of doctrine but
engages the whole person; it is also a dialogue of love. The Council
has stated: "Catholics must joyfully acknowledge and esteem the truly
Christian endowments from our common heritage which are to be found
among our separated brothers and sisters. It is right and salutary to
recognize the riches of Christ and virtuous works in the lives of
others who are bearing witness to Christ, sometimes even to the
shedding of their blood. For God is always wonderful in his works and
worthy of admiration".[79]

48. The relationships which the members of the Catholic Church have
established with other Christians since the Council have enabled us
to discover what God is bringing about in the members of other
Churches and Ecclesial Communities. This direct contact, at a variety
of levels, with pastors and with the members of these Communities has
made us aware of the witness which other Christians bear to God and
to Christ. A vast new field has thus opened up for the whole
ecumenical experience, which at the same time is the great challenge
of our time. Is not the twentieth century a time of great witness,
which extends "even to the shedding of blood"? And does not this
witness also involve the various Churches and Ecclesial Communities
which take their name from Christ, Crucified and Risen?

Such a joint witness of holiness, as fidelity to the one Lord, has an
ecumenical potential extraordinarily rich in grace. The Second
Vatican Council made it clear that elements present among other
Christians can contribute to the edification of Catholics: "Nor
should we forget that whatever is wrought by the grace of the Holy
Spirit in the hearts of our separated brothers and sisters can
contribute to our own edification. Whatever is truly Christian never
conflicts with the genuine interests of the faith; indeed, it can
always result in a more ample realization of the very mystery of
Christ and the Church".[80] Ecumenical dialogue, as a true dialogue of
salvation, will certainly encourage this process, which has already
begun well, to advance towards true and full communion.

(The growth of communion)

49. A valuable result of the contacts between Christians and of the
theological dialogue in which they engage is the growth of communion.
Both contacts and dialogue have made Christians aware of the elements
of faith which they have in common. This has served to consolidate
further their commitment to full unity. In all of this, the Second
Vatican Council remains a powerful source of incentive and
orientation.

The Dogmatic Constitution (Lumen Gentium) links its teaching on the
Catholic Church to an acknowledgment of the saving elements found in
other Churches and Ecclesial Communities.[81] It is not a matter of
becoming aware of static elements passively present in those Churches
and Communities. Insofar as they are elements of the Church of
Christ, these are by their nature a force for the re-establishment of
unity. Consequently, the quest for Christian unity is not a matter
of choice or expediency, but a duty which springs from the very
nature of the Christian community.

In a similar way, the bilateral theological dialogues carried on with
the major Christian Communities start from a recognition of the
degree of communion already present, in order to go on to discuss
specific areas of disagreement. The Lord has made it possible for
Christians in our day to reduce the number of matters traditionally
in dispute.

(Dialogue with the Churches of the East)

50. In this regard, it must first be acknowledged, with particular
gratitude to Divine Providence, that our bonds with the Churches of
the East, weakened in the course of the centuries, were strengthened
through the Second Vatican Council. The observers from these Churches
present at the Council, together with representatives of the Churches
and Ecclesial Communities of the West, stated publicly, at that very
solemn moment for the Catholic Church, their common willingness to
seek the re-establishment of communion.

The Council, for its part, considered the Churches of the East with
objectivity and deep affection, stressing their ecclesial nature and
the real bonds of communion linking them with the Catholic Church.
The Decree on Ecumenism points out: "Through the celebration of the
Eucharist of the Lord in each of these Churches, the Church of God is
built up and grows in stature". It adds, as a consequence, that
"although these Churches are separated from us, they possess true
sacraments, above all-by apostolic succession- the priesthood and the
Eucharist, whereby they are still joined to us in a very close
relationship,"[82]

Speaking of the Churches of the East, the Council acknowledged their
great liturgical and spiritual tradition, the specific nature of
their historical development, the disciplines coming from the
earliest times and approved by the Holy Fathers and Ecumenical
Councils, and their own particular way of expressing their teaching.
The Council made this acknowledgment in the conviction that
legitimate diversity is in no way opposed to the Church's unity, but
rather enhances her splendor and contributes greatly to the
fulfillment of her mission.

The Second Vatican Ecumenical Council wished to base dialogue on the
communion which already exists, and it draws attention to the noble
reality of the Churches of the East: "Therefore, this Sacred Synod
urges all, but especially those who plan to devote themselves to the
work of restoring the full communion that is desired between the
Eastern Churches and the Catholic Church, to give due consideration
to these special aspects of the origin and growth of the Churches of
the East, and to the character of the relations which obtained
between them and the Roman See before the separation, and to form for
themselves a correct evaluation of these facts".[83]

51. The Council's approach has proved fruitful both for the steady
maturing of fraternal relations through the dialogue of charity, and
for doctrinal discussion in the framework of the (Joint International
Commission for the Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church
and the Orthodox Church). It has likewise proved most fruitful in
relations with the Ancient Churches of the East.

The process has been slow and arduous, yet a source of great joy; and
it has been inspiring, for it has led to the gradual rediscovery of
brotherhood.

(Resuming contacts)

52. With regard to the Church of Rome and the Ecumenical Patriarchate
of Constantinople, the process which we have just mentioned began
thanks to the mutual openness demonstrated by Popes John XXIII and
Paul VI on the one hand, and by the Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras
I and his successors on the other. The resulting change found its
historical expression in the ecclesial act whereby "there was removed
from memory and from the midst of the Church"[84] the remembrance of
the excommunications which nine hundred years before, in 1054, had
become the symbol of the schism between Rome and Constantinople. That
ecclesial event, so filled with ecumenical commitment, took place
during the last days of the Council, on 7 December 1965. The Council
thus ended with a solemn act which was at once a healing of
historical memories, a mutual forgiveness, and a firm commitment to
strive for communion.

This gesture had been preceded by the meeting of Pope Paul VI and
Patriarch Athenagoras I in Jerusalem, in January 1964, during the
Pope's pilgrimage to the Holy Land. At that time Pope Paul was also
able to meet Benedictos, the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem. Later,
Pope Paul visited Patriarch Athenagoras at the Phanar (Istanbul), on
25 July 1967, and in October of the same year the Patriarch was
solemnly received in Rome. These prayer-filled meetings mapped out
the path of rapprochement between the Church of the East and the
Church of the West, and of the re-establishment of the unity they
shared in the first millennium.

Following the death of Pope Paul VI and the brief pontificate of Pope
John I, when the ministry of Bishop of Rome was entrusted to me, I
considered it one of the first duties of my pontificate to renew
personal contact with the Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I, who had
meanwhile succeeded Patriarch Athenagoras in the See of
Constantinople. During my visit to the Phanar on 29 November 1979,
the Patriarch and I were able to decide to begin theological dialogue
between the Catholic Church and all the Orthodox Churches in
canonical communion with the See of Constantinople. In this regard it
would seem important to add that at that time preparations were
already under way for the convocation of a future Council of the
Orthodox Churches. The quest for harmony between them contributes to
the life and vitality of these sister Churches; this is also
significant in view of the role they are called to play in the path
towards unity. The Ecumenical Patriarch decided to repay my visit,
and in December 1987 I had the joy of welcoming him to Rome with deep
affection and with the solemnity due to him. It is in this context
of ecclesial fraternity that we should mention the practice, which
has now been in place for a number of years, of welcoming a
delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate to Rome for the Feast of
the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, as well as the custom of sending a
delegation of the Holy See to the Phanar for the solemn celebration
of Saint Andrew.

53. Among other things, these regular contacts permit a direct
exchange of information and opinions with a view to fostering
fraternal coordination. Furthermore, taking part together in prayer
accustoms us once more to living side by side and helps us in
accepting and putting into practice the Lord's will for his Church.

On the path which we have traveled since the Second Vatican Council,
at least two particularly telling events of great ecumenical
significance for relations between East and West should be mentioned.
The first of these was the 1984 Jubilee in commemoration of the
eleventh centenary of the evangelizing activity of Saints Cyril and
Methodius, an occasion which enabled me to proclaim the two Holy
Apostles of the Slavs, those heralds of faith, co-patrons of Europe.
In 1964, during the Council, Pope Paul VI had already proclaimed
Saint Benedict patron of Europe. Associating the two Brothers from
Thessalonica with the great founder of Western monasticism serves
indirectly to highlight that twofold ecclesial and cultural tradition
which has proved so significant for the two thousand years of
Christianity which mark the history of Europe. Consequently it is
worth recalling that Saints Cyril and Methodius came from the
background of the Byzantine Church of their day, at a time when the
latter was in communion with Rome. In proclaiming them patrons of
Europe, together with Saint Benedict, it was my intention not only to
reaffirm the historical truth about Christianity in Europe, but also
to provide an important topic for the dialogue between East and West
which has raised such high hopes in the period since the Council. As
in Saint Benedict, so in Saints Cyril and Methodius, Europe can
rediscover its spiritual roots. Now, as the second millennium since
the Birth of Christ draws to a close, they must be venerated
(together), as the patrons of our past and as the Saints to whom the
Churches and nations of Europe entrust their future.

54. The other event which I am pleased to recall is the celebration
of the Millennium of the Baptism of Rus' (988-1988). The Catholic
Church, and this Apostolic See in particular, desired to take part in
the Jubilee celebrations and also sought to emphasize that the
Baptism conferred on Saint Vladimir in Kiev was a key event in the
evangelization of the world. The great Slav nations of Eastern Europe
owe their faith to this event, as do the peoples living beyond the
Ural Mountains and as far as Alaska.

In this perspective an expression which I have frequently employed
finds its deepest meaning: the Church must breathe with her two
lungs! In the first millennium of the history of Christianity, this
expression refers primarily to the relationship between Byzantium and
Rome. From the time of the Baptism of Rus' it comes to have an even
wider application: evangelization spread to a much vaster area, so
that it now includes the entire Church. If we then consider that the
salvific event which took place on the banks of the Dnieper goes back
to a time when the Church in the East and the Church in the West were
not divided, we understand clearly that the vision of the full
communion to be sought is that of unity in legitimate diversity. This
is what I strongly asserted in my Encyclical Epistle (Slavorum
Apostoli)[85] on Saints Cyril and Methodius and in my Apostolic Letter
(Euntes in Mundum)[86]) addressed to the faithful of the Catholic Church
in commemoration of the Millennium of the Baptism of Kievan Rus'.

(Sister Churches)

55. In its historical survey the Council Decree (Unitatis
Redintegratio) has in mind the unity which, in spite of everything,
was experienced in the first millennium and in a certain sense now
serves as a kind of model. "This most sacred Synod gladly reminds all
... that in the East there flourish many particular or local
Churches; among them the Patriarchal Churches hold first place; and
of these, many glory in taking their origin from the Apostles
themselves".[87] The Church's journey began in Jerusalem on the day
of Pentecost and its original expansion in the (oikoumene) of that
time was centered around Peter and the Eleven (cf. (Acts) 2:14). The
structures of the Church in the East and in the West evolved in
reference to that Apostolic heritage. Her unity during the first
millennium was maintained within those same structures through the
Bishops, Successors of the Apostles, in communion with the Bishop of
Rome. If today at the end of the second millennium we are seeking to
restore full communion, it is to that unity, thus structured, which
we must look.

The Decree on Ecumenism highlights a further distinctive aspect,
thanks to which all the particular Churches remained in unity: "an
eager desire to perpetuate in a communion of faith and charity those
family ties which ought to thrive between local Churches, as between
sisters".[88]

56. Following the Second Vatican Council, and in the light of earlier
tradition, it has again become usual to refer to the particular or
local Churches gathered around their Bishop as "Sister Churches". In
addition, the lifting of the mutual excommunications, by eliminating
a painful canonical and psychological obstacle, was a very
significant step on the way towards full communion.

The structures of unity which existed before the separation are a
heritage of experience that guides our common path towards the
re-establishment of full communion. Obviously, during the second
millennium the Lord has not ceased to bestow on his Church abundant
fruits of grace and growth. Unfortunately, however, the gradual and
mutual estrangement between the Churches of the West and the East
deprived them of the benefits of mutual exchanges and cooperation.
With the grace of God a great effort must be made to re-establish
full communion among them, the source of such good for the Church of
Christ. This effort calls for all our good will, humble prayer and a
steadfast cooperation which never yields to discouragement. Saint
Paul urges us: "Bear one another's burdens" ((Gal) 6:2). How
appropriate and relevant for us is the Apostle's exhortation! The
traditional designation of "Sister Churches" should ever accompany us
along this path.

57. In accordance with the hope expressed by Pope Paul VI, our
declared purpose is to re-establish together full unity in legitimate
diversity: "God has granted us to receive in faith what the Apostles
saw, understood, and proclaimed to us. By Baptism ('we are one in
Christ Jesus') ((Gal) 3:28). In virtue of the apostolic succession,
we are united more closely by the priesthood and the Eucharist. By
participating in the gifts of God to his Church we are brought into
communion with the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit ... In
each local Church this mystery of divine love is enacted, and surely
this is the ground of the traditional and very beautiful expression
'Sister Churches', which local Churches were fond of applying to one
another (cf. Decree, (Unitatis Redintegratio), 14). For centuries we
lived this life of 'Sister Churches', and together held Ecumenical
Councils which guarded the deposit of faith against all corruption.
And now, after a long period of division and mutual misunderstanding,
the Lord is enabling us to discover ourselves as 'sister Churches'
once more, in spite of the obstacles which were once raised between
us".[89] If today, on the threshold of the third millennium, we are
seeking the re-establishment of full communion, it is for the
accomplishment of this reality that we must work and it is to this
reality that we must refer.

Contact with this glorious tradition is most fruitful for the Church.
As the Council points out: "From their very origins the Churches of
the East have had a treasury from which the Church of the West has
amply drawn for its liturgy, spiritual tradition and
jurisprudence".[90]

Part of this "treasury" are also "the riches of those spiritual
traditions to which monasticism gives special expression. From the
glorious days of the Holy Fathers, there flourished in the East that
monastic spirituality which later flowed over into the Western
world".[91] As I have had the occasion to emphasize in my recent
Apostolic Letter (Orientale Lumen), the Churches of the East have
lived with great generosity the commitment shown by monastic life,
"starting with evangelization, the highest service that the Christian
can offer his brother, followed by many other forms of spiritual and
material service. Indeed it can be said that monasticism in
antiquity-and at various times in subsequent ages too-has been the
privileged means for the evangelization of peoples".[92]

The Council does not limit itself to emphasizing the elements of
similarity between the Churches in the East and in the West. In
accord with historical truth, it does not hesitate to say: "It is
hardly surprising if sometimes one tradition has come nearer than the
other to an apt appreciation of certain aspects of the revealed
mystery or has expressed them in a clearer manner. As a result, these
various theological formulations are often to be considered as
complementary rather than conflicting".[93] Communion is made fruitful
by the exchange of gifts between the Churches insofar as they
complement each other.

58. From the reaffirmation of an already existing communion of faith,
the Second Vatican Council drew pastoral consequences which are
useful for the everyday life of the faithful and for the promotion of
the spirit of unity. By reason of the very close sacramental bonds
between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches, the Decree on
Eastern Catholic Churches (Orientalium Ecclesiarum) has stated:
"Pastoral experience clearly shows that with respect to our Eastern
brethren there should and can be taken into consideration various
circumstances affecting individuals, wherein the unity of the Church
is not jeopardized nor are intolerable risks involved, but in which
salvation itself and the spiritual profit of souls are urgently at
issue. Hence, in view of special circumstances of time, place and
personage, the Catholic Church has often adopted and now adopts a
milder policy, offering to all the means of salvation and an example
of charity among Christians through participation in the Sacraments
and in other sacred functions and objects".[94]

In the light of experience gained in the years following the Council,
this theological and pastoral orientation has been incorporated into
the two Codes of Canon Law.[95] It has been explicitly treated from the
pastoral standpoint in the (Directory for the Application of
Principles and Norms on Ecumenism.)[96]

In so important and sensitive a matter, it is necessary for Pastors
to instruct the faithful with care, making them clearly aware of the
specific reasons both for this sharing in liturgical worship and for
the various regulations which govern it.

There must never be a loss of appreciation for the ecclesiological
implication of sharing in the sacraments, especially in the Holy
Eucharist.

(Progress in dialogue)

59. Since its establishment in 1979, the (Joint International
Commission for the Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church
and the Orthodox Church) has worked steadily, directing its study to
areas decided upon by mutual agreement, with the purpose of
re-establishing full communion between the two Churches. This
communion which is founded on the unity of faith, following in the
footsteps of the experience and tradition of the ancient Church, will
find its fulfillment in the common celebration of the Holy Eucharist.
In a positive spirit, and on the basis of what we have in common, the
Joint Commission has been able to make substantial progress and, as I
was able to declare in union with my Venerable Brother, His Holiness
Dimitrios I, the Ecumenical Patriarch, it has concluded "that the
Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church can already profess together
that common faith in the mystery of the Church and the bond between
faith and sacraments".[97] The Commission was then able to acknowledge
that "in our Churches apostolic succession is fundamental for the
sanctification and the unity of the people of God".[98] These are
important points of reference for the continuation of the dialogue.
Moreover, these joint affirmations represent the basis for Catholics
and Orthodox to be able from now on to bear a faithful and united
common witness in our time, that the name of the Lord may be
proclaimed and glorified.

60. More recently, the Joint International Commission took a
significant step forward with regard to the very sensitive question
of the method To be followed in re- establishing full communion
between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, an issue which
has frequently embittered relations between Catholics and Orthodox.
The Commission has laid the doctrinal foundations for a positive
solution to this problem on the basis of the doctrine of Sister
Churches. Here too it has become evident that the method to be
followed towards full communion is the dialogue of truth, fostered
and sustained by the dialogue of love. A recognition of the right of
the Eastern Catholic Churches to have their own organizational
structures and to carry out their own apostolate, as well as the
actual involvement of these Churches in the dialogue of charity and
in theological dialogue, will not only promote a true and fraternal
mutual esteem between Orthodox and Catholics living in the same
territory, but will also foster their joint commitment to work for
unity.[99] A step forward has been taken. The commitment must continue.
Already there are signs of a lessening of tensions, which is making
the quest for unity more fruitful.

With regard to the Eastern Catholic Churches in communion with the
Catholic Church, the Council expressed its esteem in these terms:
"While thanking God that many Eastern sons of the Catholic Church ...
are already living in full communion with their brethren who follow
the tradition of the West, this sacred Synod declares that this
entire heritage of spirituality and liturgy, of discipline and
theology, in their various traditions, belongs to the full catholic
and apostolic character of the Church".[100] Certainly the Eastern
Catholic Churches, in the spirit of the Decree on Ecumenism, will
play a constructive role in the dialogue of love and in the
theological dialogue at both the local and international levels, and
thus contribute to mutual understanding and the continuing pursuit of
full unity.[101]

61. In view of all this, the Catholic Church desires nothing less
than full communion between East and West. She finds inspiration for
this in the experience of the first millennium. In that period,
indeed, "the development of different experiences of ecclesial life
did not prevent Christians, through mutual relations, from continuing
to feel certain that they were at home in any Church, because praise
of the one Father, through Christ in the Holy Spirit, rose from them
all, in a marvelous variety of languages and melodies; all were
gathered together to celebrate the Eucharist, the heart and model for
the community regarding not only spirituality and the moral life, but
also the Church's very structure, in the variety of ministries and
services under the leadership of the Bishop, successor of the
Apostles. The first Councils are an eloquent witness to this enduring
unity in diversity".[102] How can unity be restored after almost a
thousand years? This is the great task which the Catholic Church must
accomplish, a task equally incumbent on the Orthodox Church. Thus can
be understood the continuing relevance of dialogue, guided by the
light and strength of the Holy Spirit.

(Relations with the Ancient Churches of the East)

62. In the period following the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic
Church has also, in different ways and with greater or lesser
rapidity, restored fraternal relations with the Ancient Churches of
the East which rejected the dogmatic formulations of the Councils of
Ephesus and Chalcedon. All these Churches sent official observers to
the Second Vatican Council; their Patriarchs have honored us by their
visits, and the Bishop of Rome has been able to converse with them as
with brothers who, after a long time, joyfully meet again.

The return of fraternal relations with the Ancient Churches of the
East witnesses to the Christian faith in situations which are often
hostile and tragic. This is a concrete sign of how we are united in
Christ in spite of historical, political, social and cultural
barriers. And precisely in relation to Christology, we have been
able to join the Patriarchs of some of these Churches in declaring
our common faith in Jesus Christ, true God and true man. Pope Paul VI
of venerable memory signed declarations to this effect with His
Holiness Shenouda III, the Coptic Orthodox Pope and Patriarch,[103] and
with His Beatitude Jacoub III, the Syrian Orthodox Patriarch of
Antioch.[104] I myself have been able to confirm this Christological
agreement and draw on it for the development of dialogue with Pope
Shenouda,[105] and for pastoral cooperation with the Syrian Patriarch
of Antioch Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas.[106]

When the Venerable Patriarch of the Ethiopian Church, Abuna Paulos,
paid me a visit in Rome on 11 June 1993, together we emphasized the
deep communion existing between our two Churches: "We share the faith
handed down from the Apostles, as also the same sacraments and the
same ministry, rooted in the apostolic succession ... Today,
moreover, we can affirm that we have the one faith in Christ, even
though for a long time this was a source of division between us".[107]

More recently, the Lord has granted me the great joy of signing a
common Christological declaration with the Assyrian Patriarch of the
East, His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, who for this purpose chose to visit
me in Rome in November 1994. Taking into account the different
theological formulations, we were able to profess together the true
faith in Christ.[108] I wish to express my joy at all this in the words
of the Blessed Virgin: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord"
((Lk) 1:46).

63. Ecumenical contacts have thus made possible essential
clarifications with regard to the traditional controversies
concerning Christology, so much so that we have been able to profess
together the faith which we have in common. Once again it must be
said that this important achievement is truly a fruit of theological
investigation and fraternal dialogue. And not only this. It is an
encouragement for us: for it shows us that the path followed is the
right one and that we can reasonably hope to discover together the
solution to other disputed questions.

(Dialogue with other Churches and Ecclesial Communities in the West)

64. In its great plan for the re-establishment of unity among all
Christians, the Decree on Ecumenism also speaks of relations with the
Churches and Ecclesial Communities of the West. Wishing to create a
climate of Christian fraternity and dialogue, the Council situates
its guidelines in the context of two general considerations: one of
an historical and psychological nature, and the other theological and
doctrinal. On the one hand, this Decree affirms: "The Churches and
Ecclesial Communities which were separated from the Apostolic See of
Rome during the very serious crisis that began in the West at the end
of the Middle Ages, or during later times, are bound to the Catholic
Church by a special affinity and close relationship in view of the
long span of earlier centuries when the Christian people lived in
ecclesiastical communion".[109] On the other hand, with equal realism
the same Document states: "At the same time one should recognize that
between these Churches and Communities on the one hand, and the
Catholic Church on the other, there are very weighty differences not
only