BENEDICT XVI: TO PATRIARCH BATHOLOMAIOS I, PETRINE MINISTRY “SERVICE OF LOVE NOT OF POWER”

The cardinal, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, is heading the Holy See delegation to Istanbul to attend the celebrations organised by the Ecumenical Patriarchate for the Feast of St Andrew, Patron Saint of the Church of Constantinople. The delegation includes Mgr. Brian Farrell, Secretary of the above-mentioned Pontifical Council, officers Andrea Palmieri and Vladimiro Caroli as well as archbishop Antonio Lucibello, apostolic nuncio to Turkey. In his message to the Patriarch, the Pope recalled the meeting of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic and the Orthodox Churches, which was held in Cyprus on the theme “The Role of the Bishop of Rome in the Communion of the Church in the First Millennium”. The meeting – pointed out the Pope – was marked by a spirit of solemn purpose and a warm sentiment of closeness”.
“It is a source of great encouragement that despite some difficulties and misunderstandings all the Churches involved in the International Commission have expressed their intention to continue the dialogue”, he added. As for the theme discussed in Cyprus, Benedict XVI said it “is certainly complex, and will require extensive study and patient dialogue if we are to aspire to a shared integration of the traditions of East and West. The Catholic Church understands the Petrine ministry as a gift of the Lord to His Church. This ministry should not be interpreted in the perspective of power, but within an ecclesiology of communion, as a service to unity in truth and charity”. Hence, as his predecessor John Paul II, Benedict XVI reiterated the offer he had made on the occasion of his visit to the Phanar in November 2006. It is the same offer contained in the encyclical Ut unum sint No.95, that is, to seek “together, inspired by the model of the first millennium, the forms in which the ministry of the Bishop of Rome may accomplish a service of love recognized by one and all”. “Let us therefore ask God to bless us and may the Holy Spirit guide us along this difficult yet promising path”, he added. Tomorrow the Vatican delegation will be involved in bilateral talks with the representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

© SIR - nov 30th, 2009

< Prec.		Succ. >