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Ärende: Vatican Information Service - Press Release
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              The following press release is Copyrighted by the
                        Vatican Information Service.
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                               VIS-Press releases

CHRIST, THE FOUNDATION AND GOAL OF ECUMENICAL COMMITMENT

VATICAN CITY, JAN 26, 2005 (VIS) - Last evening, feast of the conversion of St.
Paul, Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting
Christian Unity, presided in the name of the Holy Father at the celebration of
Vespers at the basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls to conclude the Week of
Prayer for Christian Unity.

In his homily, which focused on "Jesus Christ, Our Common Foundation," the
cardinal quoted St. Paul's words to the Corinthians - "No one may lay a
foundation different from that already laid, which is Jesus Christ" - and told
the religious leaders assembled that "this is the reason for our ecumenical
commitment."

"Today," said the council president, "at the start of the new year, we do not
wish to look to the past but rather to the future, the future of ecumenism.
From its very beginnings, at the start of the 20th century, the ecumenical
movement has known great changes in the world and in our Churches. The
ecumenical situation itself is quite different. At times, the initial impulse
seems to run the risk of falling into a lethargic state and of losing its
credibility. On one side signs of reticence and resistance emerge and, on the
other, signs of resignation and frustration. Therefore, we cannot continue to
repeat: 'business as usual'. What must we do? What can we do?"

We must reflect, said Cardinal Kasper, on Jesus Christ, our foundation, on
"faith in Jesus Christ, true God and true man, Who is the foundation of our
baptism, which makes us Christians, incorporating us into the Church. ... Jesus
Christ is not only the foundation but also the goal of our ecumenical
commitment: in Him we will be one. ... Precisely today, in post-modern society
when everything becomes relative and arbitrary, and everyone creates his or her
own religion a la carte, we need a solid foundation and a trustworthy common
reference point for our personal life and our ecumenical work."

The cardinal asked: "What does this mean concretely? I will mention only three
consequences. In the first place, it is over the Bible that we are divided and
it is only through reading, studying and meditating on the Bible that we can
rediscover unity. ... Secondly, through Baptism we are incorporated into Jesus
Christ. In our ecumenical commitment, we don't start from zero. Through Baptism
we are already in a fundamental communion that unites us to Christ and unites
us one to the other. ... Thirdly, Jesus Christ is present in the Church through
His Word and His sacraments. He is the Head of the Church and the Church is His
Body."

In concluding remarks, Cardinal Kasper said: "We can and must distinguish
Christ from the Church, but we cannot separate one from the other. St.
Augustine taught us the formula 'Christus totus', the fullness of Christ as
Head and Body. And this is the deepest point of divergence between the Churches
and the ecclesial communities of the West, which impedes us from fully being
signs and instruments of Christ."
CON-UC/WEEK PRAYER UNITY/KASPERVIS 050126 (520)

SUMMARY

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