A question about the new Pope

[Gal. 5:22,23]

The following quote is from an article on foxnews.com about the new Pope.

"He said his "primary task" would be to work without fail to reunify all Christians and that sentiment alone was not enough."

From an orthodox Catholic perspective, just what does that mean? I had read on another thread here speculation of offering the Eucharist to non-Catholic Christians. I would be among the first in line, as I believe it to be the true body and blood of our Lord. But I suppose I'm among the minority of Protestants who believe that.

So how can all Christians be unified? Or is he talking about evangelizing non-Catholic Christians?

Source:
[url="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,153995,00.html"]http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,153995,00.html[/url]

Edited April 20, 2005 by Gal. 5:22,23

[Noel's angel]

well, it is obvious that the Catholic Church cannot make concessions, but i think he wants to try and bring all christians together in harmony, instead of Christians tearing eachother apart. It is the same thing that Saint Patrick vehmently opposed-fellow Christians fighting against one another. If Christians cannot be united, then what hope is there for the rest of the world? All Christians can be unified if they come into line with Catholic teaching, I'm sure you can understand why this is necessary. I'm not just saying that because I'm a Catholic, but because the Catholic Church is essentially that which Jesus founded, the other Christian denominations came much later. If Peter and Paul could sort out their differences, so should we.

Edited April 20, 2005 by Noel's angel

[Socrates]

I would say it's about evangelizing non-Catholic Christians, bringing them back into the fold.

Probably more specificly about trying to re-unite Eastern Orthodox Christians with the Church, which John Paul II had worked hard to do. Pope Benedict XVI intends to continue John Paul II's mission.

[Noel's angel]

please forgive me if what i posted sounded like absolute rubbish, im just trying to learn through practice lol

[Myles Domini]

I think when he said this he particularly had the Orthodox Churches in mind. His Holiness has long advocated re-shaping the jurdistictional relationship between the Western Church and the East Church after the model of the first 1,000 years (which he explicitly stated on pages 198-199 of 'the Shape of Catholic Theology' published by Ignatius Press). In the document 'Dominus Iesus' His Holiness also makes clear that the schism between Rome and the churches in communion with Constantinople is [b]within[/b] the Church [b]not[/b] without. The lifting of the anathema's by Patriarch Athengoras and Pope Paul VI only enhanced this. Therefore when he speaks of Christian unity it seems only logical to conclude that he will continue pushing for that unrealised goal of John Paul the Great: full communion with the entire East.

[Guest Eremite]

If you want to know what true ecumenism is all about, read John Paul the Great's Encyclical Letter "Ut Unum Sint":

[quote]Taking up an idea expressed by Pope John XXIII at the opening of the Council, the Decree on Ecumenism mentions the way of formulating doctrine as one of the elements of a continuing reform. 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', 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. (#18)[/quote]

If anyone knows what is authentic ecumenism, and what is not, it is Pope Benedict XVI, who was John Paul the Great's trusted friend.

Edited April 20, 2005 by Eremite