“Endless dialogue.” “So called ecumenism.” Do you make yourself the judge of the Holy See?
Rather than condemning the ecumenical movement, you would do well to remember that the Council Fathers directed that you personally are to be engaged in this work since it was the judgment of the world’s bishops, to whom you must give religious assent, that the ecumenical movement was the great work of the Council and a divine imperative.
From Unitatis Redintegratio, Par. 4
The Sacred Council exhorts all the Catholic faithful to recognize the signs of the times and to take an active and intelligent part in the work of ecumenism.
Pope Benedict XVI, in his address in Cologne in August 2005 said clearly:
On the other hand, this unity does not mean what could be called ecumenism of the return: that is, to deny and to reject one’s own faith history. Absolutely not!
Indeed Pope Saint John Paul II wrote in Ut Unum Sint:
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”. **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…
Beyond that, I am shocked that the Catholic Answers Forum would allow to stand the language directed at three specific individuals that has been used in this thread by certain posters – if only due to the distinction between matters relative to the internal forum and matters relative to the external forum and the adjudication of the latter canonically.
There is no reason to be shocked - the posters (like myself) are the ones who are shocked by the unending series of unbelievable affirmations coming from the highest echelons of the Church. Cardinal Marx’s call for Catholics to apologise to homosexuals is the latest example.
Re ecumenism: it is not a doctrinal or moral matter but practical one, hence it does not fall under the Magisterium of the Church. If it is wrong it can be criticized and even rejected.
One needs to make a distinction (this is all about making distinctions) between first generation protestants of the Reformation who knowingly rejected Catholicism, and present day protestants who are in good faith. One does not obviously treat the latter as enemies.
Their ***religion ***however is a different matter. Protestantism rejects or distorts fundamental truths and, more seriously, it lacks most of the supernatural support found in Catholicism - five of the seven sacraments, the spiritual writings of the saints, the true understanding of sanctity, etc. In consequence the most charitable thing we Catholics can do is bring non-catholics into our Faith where they will receive light,strength and comfort they would never find outside.
Conversely, the worst thing a Catholic can do is anything that justifies or affirms protestantism (let me be clear: protestantism, not protestants). Contemporary ecumenism does precisely this. Celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation is disastrous. There is nothing whatever to celebrate about a rebellion that led millions of Catholics out of the fold into the wilderness. And it makes no difference who is doing the celebrating.
I have friends, protestant, muslim, hindi, etc. who are thoroughly good people. I never feel the need to affirm their religions. They know what I believe as a Catholic and we get on with an agree to disagree rapport. They would never expect me to celebrate the Prophet’s birthday or wish them all the best on the Feast of Lights. My biggest problem is that if I start talking about Catholicism from a Catholic perspective I know they will get a very different story the moment they walk into any local parish church. The ecumenical mentality, among other things, has effectively scotched the missionary aspect of Catholicism.
