Newman Meeting – Ecumenism and the Synodal Church – 21st November 2023.
From Paddy Ferry:
Dear Members and Friends,
We are delighted to forward a reminder of the details of our November 2023 meeting, “Ecumenism and the Synodal Church”.
Our speaker, Mgr. Philip Kerr, was previously the Archdiocesan Vicar Episcopal for Ecumenism and presently is the Vice-President of the Bishops’ Conference Office for Ecumenism..
Our meeting will take place on Tuesday 21st November 2023 at 7.30pm at our usual venue, Mayfield Salisbury Church of Scotland, 18 West Mayfield, Edinburgh EH9 1TQ. All are welcome.
We hope you will be able to forward this invitation to any and all who may be interested.
With very best wishes and gratitude for your support,
Paddy Ferry ( Chair)
Thank you for posting this prior to our Edinburgh Newman meeting.
We had an excellent meeting and a full house so, it seems, there is still life left in the ecumenical dream.
I hadn’t realised that there was such an important section of the Synod devoted to Christian Unity.
Philip took us through all of Section 7, On the Road Towards Christian Unity.
a) to f) are the Convergences.
c), for example, states that Ecumenism is first and foremost a matter of spiritual renewal that also requires processes of repentance and healing of memory.
g) to j) are Matters for Consideration.
Especially important, I thought, especially having read Tom O’Loughlin’s excellent book, “Eating Together, Becoming One”, is i) which states that we need to examine the issue of Eucharistic hospitality (Communicatio in sacris) from theological, canonical and pastoral perspectives in light of the link between sacramental and ecclesial communion.
Finally, k) to o) are the Proposals.
m) There is also a desire to continue to involve Christians of other Churches and ecclesial traditions in Catholic synodal processes at all levels and to invite more fraternal delegates to the next session of the Assembly in 2024.
n) A proposal has been put forward by some to convene an ecumenical Synod on common mission in the contemporary world.
All in all, this seems like a renewal of the “not an optional extra” understanding of our commitment to the goal of Christian Unity which we don’t seem to have heard much of for a very long time.
“There is also a desire to continue to involve Christians of other Churches ….” so, other Christians do belong to a body we can recognise as “church”, after all.
Remember Ratzinger and the CDF’s Dominus Iesus in August 2000.
Perhaps, I need some healing of memory myself.