The Ecumenical Directory - Summary and Discussion

THE ORGANIZATION IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH OF THE SERVICE OF CHRISTIAN UNITY

Saju Akkara, M.afr

A Break in Communication
Between the Top and the Bottom?

 INTRODUCTION

          For many, unity is an expensive and painful reality of their life.  For unity we need sacrifices and for unity we need a total conversion on our perception of the other.  We are living in a divided world with walls and boundaries everywhere between nations and between casts and tribes and religions. Some say this outward divisions are some how manifesting our internal divisions with in ourselves. St. Paul is very realistic when he says, “I do not understand what I do; for I do not do what I would like to do, but instead I do what I hate.” (Rom. 7:15) So we all have to live with these divisions of our being. Ultimately I believe that all these divisions in this world in the name of religion, culture, etc in one way or another originate from a divided heart. I think, we have to ask the lord the courage to strengthen our heart in the line of unity that is his desire of us.

              First of all our catholic church is really catholic which means really universal.  Catholic Church is present in the deepest rural villages in India, with the lake people near Bangawelu Lake in Zambia, with the pigmy people in Congo, with the Arabs and with the pragmatic and utilitarian influenced western cultures. This nature of visibility of the church gives us the medium to encounter all kinds of people from all parts of the world. This gives us an extra opportunity to encounter people form every race, cast and color with a unified vision of our lord. Unlike many nationalistic, tribalistic and ethnic oriented churches we are in a favorable position to do the will of god regarding the unity of Christians.

             Vatican Council II specifically entrusted the job of ecumenism to the discretion of the particular bishop of the region through with their individual capacity, synods and Episcopal conferences etc.   Another very important aspect in the journey to Christian unity is the prayer. When we stand before the almighty god then we are all one asking guidance form the one source of everything. It should be the desire and duty of all the Catholic and Christians to pray for the Christian unity and with the grace of Holy Spirit one day we will realize the need for Christian unity.

                With in the Catholic Church we have several mechanisms to deal with the problem of Christian disunity in the different level of its operations from the top to bottom. These different institutions try to guide the faithful in their holy desire for unity of all. In all these different organizational set-ups, the duty of a local bishop is a distinct one. Ultimately He is the one to enlighten and encourage the faithful to deal with the real life situations in dealing with ecumenism. Now we deal with certain specific offices and institutions in the church that deals with the notion of promoting Christian Unity.

 1) DIOCESAN ECUMENICAL OFFICER

            Bishop should appoint a competent person as diocesan officer for ecumenical actions. He or she is the animator for diocesan ecumenical commission and coordinator for ecumenical activities in general. He should work closely with the bishop in every activity regarding the ecumenism and represent the catholic communion with its relationship with other churches. In other words, we can say that he is the one to control all the ecumenical activities in the diocese in the name of the Local Ordinary. In my opinion, diocesan ecumenical officer has a big role to play in the ecumenical life of the diocese because all the major activities of this sort will be happening in the grass root level under the parameters of the diocese. He is the one to create a kind of ecumenical mood in the life of the diocese with in the different organs of life especially with the clergy, laity and different institutions.

  2) DIOCESAN ECUMENICAL SECRETARIAT

            In addition to a diocesan ecumenical officer, the diocesan bishop should set up a council or secretariat to put into practice the diocesan policies to promote Christian unity. It is a community with the full participation with clergy, religious and laity of the diocese. They try to organize the ecumenical activities of the diocese with the help of the various organs existing in the diocese.

They help in the following activities in the diocese

----They have the duty to implement Conciliar and post councilor documents, documents from synods and Episcopal conferences on ecumenism.

----Foster spiritual ecumenism for the unity of the Christians

----Organize seminar and workshops for the formations of clergy and laity in the matters of ecumenism

----Promote friendliness and charity between Catholics and non-Catholics.

----Maintain relations with the territorial ecumenical commissions

----Propose experts to undertake dialogue on the diocesan level with other churches and ecclesial communities. And others

Also they should ensure the smooth working of ecumenical initiatives in the parish level.

 3) THE ECUMENICAL COMMISSION OF SYNODS OF EASTERN CHURCHES AND EPISCOPAL CONFERENCES

            Each synod of Eastern Catholic Churches and Episcopal Conferences should establish an Episcopal commission for ecumenism with the help of experts from laity, clergy and religious. And they should concentrate on the following activities

 ---Putting in to practice the norms and instructions from the Holy Sea.

---Giving advice and assistance to the bishops

---Promoting co-operation among Christians

---Promoting consultation and dialogue with the church leaders and council of churches in the national and territorial level.

---Maintain relationship with Episcopal conferences and pontifical council for promoting Christian unity.

--- Inform the bishops of the Episcopal Conference and Synods about the dialogue happening in the particular territory.

 With in the Catholic Church we find also certain bodies, which does not come under above categories but still participating the ecumenical dimension of the church with a certain independence of doing the work. They are mainly The Institutes of Consecrated Life, Societies of Apostolic Life and various organizations of Catholic Church. In a way they add a much greater flavor in the ecumenical dimensions of the Catholic Church.

 4) INSTITUTES OF CONSECRATED LIFE AND SOCIETIES OF APOSTOLIC LIFE

       In a way the dimension of Christian unity is the concern for the whole church and certain Religious Orders and Congregations and Societies of Apostolic Life must add some energy to these efforts of Christian unity. Some congregations really concentrate these activities in the light of their charisms. And some of these institutions antedate the divisions among the Christians. So this gives these institutions an added value in working for the Christian unity. They can foster this unity with a life style compatible with the sprit of ecumenism, through a holy life, prayer life and though their vocations as monks, hermits etc. they can also give another dimension for call for Christian holiness for all. With their pastoral works and meeting with other in different capacities they can become the flag bearers of Christian unity.

 5) ORGANIZATIONS OF FAITHFUL

         This is another dimension of Christian unity. In our world of awakened laity, there is a great importance of making and promoting various groups dealing with Christian unity. In a way, these people can really work with the real life situations with its challenges and joys of ordinary life situations. The movement of these and other similar movement can contribute a lot in the practical situations.

 6) THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN UNITY

           This is the apex body in the Catholic Church dealing with the promotion of full communion among all Christians. It is a department in the Roman Curia. And it has the duty to promote the ecumenical spirit in the Catholic Church and promote the relationship with other churches and ecclesial communities. They make proper doctrinal guideline for our efforts for Christian unity in one side and on the other side deals with the dialogue in the international level.

 MAIN POINTS FROM THE DISCUSSION

        First of all ecumenism is an attitude which we develop according to our formation and situation. The problems arise when the individuals in a certain community lack formation in the area of Christian unity. Basically we had two arguments in dealing with this subject of Christian unity. According to the first group we have a strong foundation in dealing with ecumenism in the top level. In the top level the make clear documents and they are aware of the necessity of Christian unity. Also the people in the top level are more up to date to the necessary involvement of ecumenism in different areas of life. But according to the second group we have a strong foundation in the lowest level of living. People in their ordinary life really live the life of ecumenism with out even knowing. Some how this is the life style of the grass root level living. They share the same Matatu, same office and the same day-to-day challenges of life. So they are one in their lower level encounter with one another.

 We feel that the challenge comes somewhere in between, not in the top level and not in the grass root level. Somehow, we saw a kind of breakage in the line in transmitting necessary values from the top to bottom. May be in the diocesan level, especially in particular dioceses, we see a kind of negligence in dealing with ecumenical problem. So to establish a real chain in transmitting information and know-how from top to bottom and also transmitting the feelings of the real life situations form bottom to top is the answer to this problem to really instill the seed of ecumenism in the mind of everybody. It will help us to know do and don’ts in our day to day interaction with the other.  And also, we should stand in certain values in our dialogue with others like respect, sensitivity of the values of other in our practical application of the ecumenical values.