Principal Contact Person:
Bill Collins, 642-9651,
bbcollins@earthlink.net
Mission
Committee Activities
Upcoming Events
Contact People
Background Information on Ecumenism and Inter-Religious Affairs
World and National Dialogues
Mission
The Mission of the Ecumenism Committee is to promote understanding and cooperation among the Roman Catholic Church and other Christian bodies, and between the Catholic Church and other religions, so that by the work of the Holy Spirit, full unity can be attained among Christians, and greater understanding, tolerance, cooperation and friendship can be attained with non-Christian religions. Methods for doing this include prayer, reflection and study, personal contact, participation in ecumenism and inter-religious meetings, dialogue, cooperation in ecumenical works of charity, and education of members of the Parish about Catholic Ecumenism and Inter-Religious Dialogue.
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Committee Activities
Committee members take part in local and Diocesan ecumenical and
inter-religious bodies, conferences and other activities. Among these are:
- Friends in Faith Ecumenical Dialogue Series. An inter-church planning group, with members from several different churches, plans and carries out this dialogue series. This local dialogue in Aiken was
initiated by St. Mary's, and our committee members continue active in the planning group.
- Diocesan Ecumenical Commission (Diocese of Charleston). The Commission seeks ways to improve the practice of ecumenism and interfaith cooperation in the Catholic Diocese of Charleston. The Commission organizes and
conducts training workshops on ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue, and supports the work in other ways throughout the Diocese. The Commission is led by the Diocesan Ecumenical Officer, with support of a
staff person. Bill Collins of St. Mary's is a member of the Commission.
- Greater Aiken Ministerial Association (GAMA). GAMA seeks ways to promote cooperation among churches of the Aiken area. The annual Lenten Lunches are among the activities GAMA organizes. Bill Collins or other members
of the Committee represent the Pastor of St. Mary's in GAMA.
- Lutheran, Anglican, Roman Catholic, and United Methodist Conference of South Carolina (LARCUM).
LARCUM provides a forum for dialog and prayer among the Bishops, clergy and people of the member churches in South
Carolina.
- Area Churches Together Serving (ACTS). ACTS is an ecumenical charitable service ministry in Aiken that both helps needy people with material assistance, and provides a means of practical cooperation among Christians from a
variety of churches. Several members of St. Mary's are active volunteers and Board members.
- Ecumenical Lenten Lunches, organized by GAMA. These lunches, held on Wednesdays of Lent, provide
an opportunity for Christians to gather for fellowship, song and prayer.
- Other meetings and conferences.
The Committee meets periodically and exchanges information by e-mail, telephone and paper between meetings. Planning and carrying out the Friends in Faith Dialogue Series involves frequent meetings and discussions, and
forms a major part of the Committee's work at present.
The Committee provides a nucleus of people who can help and advise others regarding ecumenism and inter-religious affairs.
Notes about ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue and related events are published in the Church bulletin. Everyone is welcome to join in these events and meetings.
Click here for a review of recent Ecumenical Dialogue Meetings
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Some Upcoming Events
- Fifth Dialogue of the Friends in Faith Ecumenical Dialogue
Series, November 11, 2006, 8:30 AM to noon, St. Paul Lutheran Church,
961 Trail Ridge Rd, Aiken, SC. Topic: "Islam -- more Familiar Than You
Think?" Speaker, Imam Mohamad Alhomsi, Islamic Society of Augusta;
Respondent, Professor James Cutsinger, University of South Carolina;
Moderator, Rev. Robert Byrne, Pastor, St. Paul Lutheran Church
- GAMA meetings, Aiken Regional Medical Center private dining room,
12:30 PM, third Wednesday each month; Bill Collins normally attends.
- Christian Men's Prayer Breakfast, every Friday at 6:30 AM, Shoney's on
Whiskey Road.
- Other events to be announced. Watch the Church Bulletin.
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People to Contact for More Information
Interested people are welcome to contact Bill Collins or
other Committee members.
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Some Background information on Ecumenism and Interreligious
Affairs
The Second Vatican Council proclaimed ecumenism and interreligious
dialog and cooperation to be essential parts of the mission of the Catholic
Church. Several major Church documents on these subjects were issued at the
Council and later.
Christian Unity and constructive dialogue with
non-Christian religions have been of great importance to Popes John XXIII,
Paul VI, and John Paul II. They established Pontifical Councils within the
Roman Curia (Vatican departments) for Christian Unity and for Interreligious
Dialog. These Pontifical Councils can be found on the Vatican web site at
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/index.htm
and
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/interelg/index.htm
The basic documents of the Catholic Church about Ecumenism and Interreligious
Affairs are:
- Decree on Ecumenism, Second Vatican Council
- Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian
Religions, Second Vatican Council
- Encyclical Ut Unum Sint, Pope John Paul II
- Directory for the Application of the Principles and Norms of
Ecumenism, Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
- Catechism of the Catholic Church
These documents can be found on the World Wide Web at various places, including
the Vatican web site, http://www.vatican.va/phome_en.htm.
They can be purchased in paper form from various sources. For more information
on these documents, contact Bill Collins or another Committee member.
For the Roman Catholic Church, the term Ecumenism
applies to relations among the various Christian churches and ecclesial
communities. The goal of Catholic ecumenism is the realization of our Savior's
prayer that all his followers would be one. (John 17:20-23)
The fullness of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic
church founded by Jesus Christ subsists in the Roman Catholic Church. The
Church regards everyone who confesses Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and
who is baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
as being truly Christian, and sharing a close, though as yet imperfect, communion
with the one, holy catholic and apostolic church. [cf. Decree on Ecumenism]
The term Interreligious Affairs pertains to relations
with non-Christian religions. Foremost among these are the Jews, who are,
in the words of Pope John Paul II, 'Our elder brothers in the Faith of Abraham.'
Also holding a special place are the Muslims, who believe in one all-powerful
God, and share in the faith of Abraham. The Church also reaches out to non-Abrahamic
religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism and others. The Catholic Church recognizes
that these religions contain much that is good and true, and really serve
as means for their followers to come to know and love God. It is the hope
of the Catholic Church that, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, all people
will come to know the fullness of God's revelation to mankind in Jesus Christ.
[cf. Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions]
Dialog and cooperation with other Christians and followers of other religions
must always proceed on the basis of love and respect. Catholics are called to
adhere to and proclaim the truth of the Gospel, but must at the same time listen
to others with respect, patience and love, seeking opportunities where possible,
and with gentleness, to alleviate misunderstandings and distrust and to increase
mutual understanding, so that all may be drawn closer to God.
To quote from passages of the Declaration on the Relation of the Church to
Non-Christian Religions:
"The Catholic Church rejects nothing which
is true and holy in these religions. She regards with sincere reverence
those ways of conduct and of life, those precepts and teachings which, though
differing in many aspects from the ones she holds and sets forth, nonetheless
often reflect a ray of that Truth which enlightens all men. Indeed, she
proclaims, and ever must proclaim Christ "the way, the truth and the life"
(John 14:6), in whom men may find the fullness of religious life, in whom
God has reconciled all things to himself.
"The Church, therefore, exhorts her children, that through dialog
and collaboration with the followers of other religions, carried out with
prudence and love and in witness to the Christian faith and life, they
recognize, preserve and promote the good things, spiritual and moral, as well
as the socio-cultural values found among these people." (Section 4)
"We cannot truly call on God, the Father of all, if we refuse to treat in a
brotherly way any man, created as he is in the image of God. Man's relation to
God the Father and his relation to men his brothers are so linked together
that Scripture says: 'He who does not love does not know God.' (1 John 4:8)
"No foundation therefore remains for any theory or practice that leads to
discrimination between man and man or people and people, so far as their human
dignity and the rights flowing from it are concerned.
"The Church reproves, as foreign to the mind of Christ, any discrimination
against men or harassment of them because of their race, color, condition
of life, or religion. On the contrary, following in the footsteps of the
holy Apostles Peter and Paul, this sacred synod ardently implores the
Christian faithful to 'maintain good fellowship among the nations' (1
Peter 2:12), and, if possible, to live for their part in peace with all
men, so that they may truly be sons of the Father who is in heaven." (Section 5)
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World, National and Regional
Dialogues
Numerous dialogues have gone on with other
Christians, and with leaders of other religions, since the Second
Vatican Council, at the world, national and regional level. World-level
dialogues are generally sponsored by the Vatican, through either the
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, or the Pontifical
Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue. National and regional dialogues
are sponsored by the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Some
of these dialogues have produced joint statements of great importance.
An example is the Lutheran-Catholic
Dialogue, which produced the Joint
declaration on the Doctrine of Justification of the Lutheran World
Federation and the Roman Catholic Church (JDDJ). The JDDJ was
signed by Pope John Paul II and the leaders of the Lutheran World
Federation. The JDDJ is truly a landmark document, which largely
resolves the issue of Justification, which was a principle source of
the split between Martin Luther and the Roman Catholic Church. Other
issues remain between the Catholic and Lutheran churches, so we are not
yet in full communion with each other, but the JDDJ has resolved one of
the main causes of division.
For the JDDJ and other fruits of dialogues
at world, national and regional levels to become real and effective, it
is necessary that they be received by the local clergy and people of
the churches. For the Pope to sign an agreement is important, but it is
only a start; the agreement must be received and understood in the
local churches in order for it to have practical effect. Local bodies
such as the Diocesan Ecumenism Commission and the Parish Ecumenism
Committee have an important role to play in helping local pastors bring
these agreements and joint statements into the parish.
World-level dialogues, agreements, joint
declarations and other documents can be found at the Vatican web site,
under the two Pontifical Councils, for Promoting Christian Unity, and
for Inter-Religious Dialogue:
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/index.htm
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/interelg/index.htm
National and regional dialogues and
related documents can be found at
the USCCB web site under the Secretariat for Ecumenical and
Interreligious Affairs:
http://www.usccb.org/seia/
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