Church unity is Christ’s will: Cardinal Cassidy

Sydney
28 April 2002

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Church unity is Christ’s will: Cardinal Cassidy

By Chris Hook

Working for unity between the Chris tian churches is Christ’s will, says Cardinal Edward Cassidy (pictured), former president of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity.

In a lecture on ecumenism to an audience from a variety of Christian traditions, the cardinal said it was important the Churches worked for unity “so the world will believe”.

It was necessary to bear witness so the Churches were not seen to be div iding Christ up among themselves.

Despite moving slowly into the ecumenical movement, the Catholic Church now takes its commitment to ecumenism very seriously and “can be said to be at the forefront of the whole movement”, Cardinal Cassidy said.

But the Church was not seeking unity with uniformity. “There is a real distinction between being united and being uniform,” he said. “We’re not looking for unity without diversity.

“It’s not a sacrifice of everything in order to have unity. That diversity is possible provided it doesn’t destroy unity. How that happens is one of the great difficulties we have in the ecumenical movement.”

There were three aspects to the ecumenical commitment, Cardinal Cassidy said.

Spiritual ecumenism was based upon a spirit of “renewal, conversion and reform,” which, “along with private and public prayer for the unity of Christians, should be regarded as the soul of the whole ecumen ical movement”.

The cardinal said: “Spir itual ecumenism is important. It shows that we are ready to have a change of heart.”

But Vatican II also called for Christians to bear witness to the world and to work together in social matters.

Cardinal Cassidy said Pope John Paul II had described such co-operation as “a manifestation of Christ himself” and “a true school of ecumenism”.

The third aspect of ecumenical commitment was the issue of theological dialogue.

“Unity cannot be the fruit of compromise, but must be sought in a dialogue with other Christians that is founded in a love for truth, deep Christian charity and humility,” the cardinal said.

“We are not looking for compromise, or for easy solutions.

“We have to find the real ones.”