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Directory for the
application of 1 Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity (SPCU), Ecumenical Directory, Ad Totam Ecclesiam, AAS 1967, 574-592; AAS 1970, 705-724. 2 Address of Pope John Paul II to the Plenary Session of the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity, February 6, 1988, AAS 1988, 1203. 3 Among these are the Motu Proprio Matrimonia Mixta, AAS 1970, 257-263; Reflections and Suggestions concerning Ecumenical Dialogue, SPCU, Information Service (IS) 12, 1970, pp. 5-11; the Instruction on Admitting Other Christians to Eucharistic Communion in the Catholic Church, AAS 1972, 518-525; a Note about certain interpretations of the Instruction concerning particular cases when other Christians may be admitted to Eucharist communion in the Catholic Church, AAS 1973, 616-619; the document on Ecumenical Collaboration at the Regional, National and Local Levels, SPCU, IS 29, 1975, pp. 8-31; Pope Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi (EN), 1975; John Paul II Apostolic Constitution Sapientia Christiana (SapC) on Ecclesiastical Universities and Faculties, 1979; John Paul II Apostolic Exhortation Catechesi Tradendae, 1979; and the Relatio Finalis of the Extraordinary Synod of Bishops, 1985; Ratio Fundamentalis Institutionis Sacerdotalis of the Congregation for Catholic Education, Rome, 1985; the Apostolic Constitution Ex Corde Ecclesiae, AAS 1990, 1475-1509. 4 AAS 1988, 1204. 5 cf. CIC, can. 755; CCEO, can. 902 and 904, 1. In this Directory the adjective catholic refers to the faithful and to the Churches that are in full communion with the Bishop of Rome. 6 See Nos. 35-36 below. 7 Apostolic Constitution Pastor Bonus states: "Art. 135: The function of the Council is to concentrate in an appropriate way on initiatives and ecumenical activities for the restoration of unity among Christians. Art. 136: (1) It sees that the decrees of the Second Vatican Council which pertain to ecumenical matters are put into pratice. It deals with the correct interpretation of the principles of ecumenism and mandates their execution. (2) It fosters, brings together, and coordinates national and international Catholic organizations promoting the unity of Christians, and it is watchful over their initiatives. (3) After having first consulted with the Supreme Pontiff, it looks after relations with Christians of Churches and ecclesial Communities which do not yet have full communion with the Catholic Church, and espec- ially establishes dialogues and talks for promoting unity with them, carrying out the work with trained experts of proven theological doctrine. It deputes Catholic observers for Christian meetings and invites observers from other Churches and ecclesial Communities to Catholic gatherings whenever it seems appropriate. Art. 137: (1) Since the matters dealt with by this department often by their nature touch on questions of faith, it must proceed in close connection with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, especially when it is a matter of publishing public documents and declarations. (2) In carrying out matters of major importance, however, which concern the separated Eastern Churches, it must first consult the Congregation for the Eastern Churches. 8 Unless otherwise indicated, the term particular Church is used throughout this Directory to indicate a diocese, eparchy or equivalent ecclesiastical territory. 9 John 17:21; cf. Eph 4:4. 10 Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium (LG), n. 1. 11 Cf. LG 1-4 and also Conciliar Decree on Ecumenism Unitatis Redintegratio (UR), n. 2. 12 Cf. UR, n. 2. 13 LG, nn. 2 and 5. 14 UR, n. 2; cf. Eph 4:12. 15 LG Chapter III. 16 Acts 2:42. 17 Relatio Finalis of the Extraordinary Synod of Bishops in 1985, "The ecclesiology of communion is the central and fundamental idea of the Council's document" (C,1). Cf. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on certain aspects of the Church as Communion (28th May 1992). 18 Cf. LG, n. 14. 19 Conciliar Decree on the Pastoral Office of Bishops in the Church, Christus Dominus (CD), n. 11. 20 Cf. LG, n. 22. 21 Jn, 17:21. 22 LG, n. 8. 23 LG, n. 9. 24 Cf. UR, nn. 3 and 13. 25 Cf. UR, n. 3: "Without doubt, the differences that exist in varying degrees between them (other believers in Christ) and the Catholic Church — whether in doctrine and sometimes in discipline, or concerning the structure of the Church — do indeed create many obstacles, sometimes serious ones, to full ecclesial communion. The ecumenical movement is striving to overcome these obstacles." Such divergences continue to have their influence and sometimes they create new divisions. 26 UR, n. 3. 27 UR, n. 4. 28 Cf. UR, nn. 14-18. Those to whom the term "Orthodox" is generally applied are those Eastern Churches which accept the decisions of the Councils of Ephesus and Chalcedon. In recent times, however, it has also been applied, for historical reasons, to those Churches which did not accept the dogmatic formulae of one or other of these Councils (cf. UR, n. 13). To avoid confusion, the general term "Eastern Churches" will be used throughout this Directory to designate all of those Churches of the various Eastern traditions which are not in full communion with the Church of Rome. 29 Cf. UR, nn. 21-23. 30 Ibidem, n. 3. 31 Cf. ibidem, n. 4. 32 UR, n. 2; LG, n. 14; CIC, can. 2O5; CCEO, can. 8. 33 Cf. UR, nn. 4 and 15-16. 34 Relatio Finalis of the Extraordinary Synod of Bishops, 1985, C. 7. 35 Cf. Jn 17:21. 36 Cf. Rom 8:26-27. 37 Cf. UR, n. 5. 38 Cf. nn. 92-101 below. 39 In this Directory, when, the term Local Ordinary is used, it also refers to local hierarchies of Eastern Churches in accordance with the terminology in CCEO. 40 The term Synods of Eastern Catholic Churches refers to the higher authorities of Eastern Catholic Churches sui juris as found in CCEO. 41 Cf. Conciliar Declaration Dignitatis Humanae (DH), n. 4: "In spreading religious belief and in introducing religious practices everybody must at all times avoid any action which seems to suggest coercion or dishonest or unworthy persuasion especially when dealing with the uneducated or the poor". At the same time the Declaration affirms that "religious communities have the further right not to be prevented from publicly teaching and bearing witness to their beliefs by the spoken or written word" (ibidem). 42 Cf. UR, nn. 9-12; 16-18. 43 UR, n. 8. 44 1 Cor 13:7. 45 Cf. UR, n. 3. 46 Cf LG, n. 23; CD, n. 11; CIC, can. 383, 3 and CCEO, can. 192, 2. 47 Cf. CIC, can. 755, 1; CCEO, cann. 902 and 904, 1. 48 Cf. CIC, cann. 216 and 212; CCEO, cann. 19 and 15. 49 Cf. Sects or New Religious Movements: A Pastoral Challenge; an interim Report based on the responses (about 75) and the documentation received up until the 30th of October, 1985 from regional or national Episcopal Conferences, SPCU, IS 1986, n. 61, pp. 144-154. 50 Cf. nn. 166-171 below. 51 UR, n. 4. 52 Cf. CCEO, can. 9O4, 1; CIC, can. 755, 2. 53 Cf. UR, nn. 9 and 11 and Reflections and Suggestions Concerning Ecumenical Dialogue, op.cit. 54 Cf. UR, n. 12; Conciliar Decree on the Church's Missionary Activity Ad Gentes (AG), n. 12, and Ecumenical Collaboration at the Regional, National and Local Levels, op. cit., n. 3. 55 Cf. UR, n. 5. 56 Cf. AG, n. 15; see also ibidem, nn. 5 and 29; cf. EN, nn. 23, 28, 77; see also below, nn. 205-209. 57 UR, n. 5. 58 Cf. ibidem, n. 7. 59 Ibidem, n. 6. 60 Ambrosiaster, PL 17, 245. 61 Cf. CIC, can. 209, 1; CCEO, can. 12, 1. 62 Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation Dei Verbum (DV), n. 21. 63 Cf. UR, n. 21. 64 EN, n. 77. 65 Cf. UR, n. 11; AG, n. 15. For these considerations, cf. General Catechetical Directory, nn. 27, 43, and cf. below nn. 75 and 176. 66 Cf. UR, nn. 3-4. 67 Cf. CT, n. 3 and CCEO, can. 625. 68 Cf. CT, n. 32. 69 Cf. ibidem. 70 Cf. UR, n. 6 and Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World Gaudium et Spes (GS), n. 62. 71 Concerning ecumenical collaboration in the field of catechesis, see CT, n. 33 and also nn. 188-190 below. 72 See Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium (SC), n. 14. 73 Ibidem, n. 2. 74 UR, n. 2. 75 SC, n. 48. 76 UR, n. 8. 77 Cf. ibidem, n. 7. 78 Cf. LG, n. 15 and UR, n. 3. 79 Cf. nn. 102-142 below. 80 Cf. nn. 161-218 below. 81 LG, n. 11. 82 Cf. EN, n. 71; see also nn. 143-160 below. 83 Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio (FC), n. 78. 84 Cf. CIC, can. 529, 2. 85 Cf. Conciliar Declaration Gravissimum Educationis (GE), nn. 6-9. 86 Cf. LG, n. 31. 87 UR, n. 24. 88 Cf. GS, n. 62, 2; UR, n. 6; Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Mysterium Ecclesiae (ME), n. 5. 89 ME, n. 5. 90 Ecumenical Directory, AAS 1970, n. 74. 91 Cf. ME, n. 4; see also nn. 61a and 176. 92 UR, n. 10; cf. CIC, can. 256, 2; CCEO, cann. 350, 4 and 352, 3. 93 Cf. UR, nn. 14-17. 94 Cf. UR, chap. I. 95 Cf. ibidem, chap. III. 96 Cf. nn. 76-80 above. 97 Cf. nn. 194-195 below. 98 Cf. nn. 192-194 below. 99 Conciliar Decree Perfectae Caritatis (PC), n. 2. 100 Cf. nn. 50-51 above. 101 Cf. SapC, Practical Norms, art 51, 1, b. 102 SapC, n. 69. 103 Cf. UR, n. 22. 104 Cf. ibidem, n. 22. 105 With regard to all Christians, consideration should be given to the danger of invalidity when baptism is administered by sprinkling, especially of several people at once. 106 Cf. Ecumenical Directory (1967). 107 Cf. CIC, can. 874, 2. According to the explanation given by the Acta Commissionis (Communicationes 5, 1983, p. 182), the wording "communitas ecclesialis" does not include the Eastern Orthodox Churches not in full communion with the Catholic Church ("Notatur insuper Ecclesias Orientales Orthodoxas in schemate sub nomine communitatis ecclesialis non venire"). 108 Cf. Ecumenical Directory (1967), n. 48; CCEO, can. 685, 3. 109 Cf. UR, n. 4; CCEO, cann. 896-901. 110 Cf. UR, n. 4. 111 Cf. CIC, can. 869, 2, and n. 95 above. 112 Cf. CIC, can. 869, 1 and 3. 113 Cf. UR, n. 8. 114 Cf. UR, nn. 3 and 8; see also n. 116 below. 115 Cf. LG, n. 8; UR, n. 4. 116 Cf. UR, n. 3. 117 Cf. UR, nn. 3, 15, 22. 118 Cf. CIC, can. 908; CCEO, can. 702. 119 Cf. UR, n. 8. 120 Cf. SC, n. 106. 121 Cf. CCEO, can. 881, 1; CIC, can. 1247. 122 Cf. CIC, can. 1247; CCEO, can. 881, 1. 123 Cf. CIC, can. 1183, 3; CCEO, can. 876, 1. 124 Cf. CIC, can. 1184; CCEO, can. 887. 125 Cf. UR, n. 14. 126 Ibidem, n. 15. 127 Ibidem. 128 Cf. CIC, can. 844, 2 and CCEO, can. 671, 2. 129 Cf. CIC, can. 844, 3 and cf. n. 106 above. 130 Cf. CIC, can. 840 and CCEO, can. 667. 131 Cf. UR, n. 3. 132 UR, n. 22. 133 Cf. UR, n. 8; CIC, can. 844, 1 and CCEO, can. 671, 1. 134 Cf. CIC, can. 844, 4 and CCEO, can. 671, 4. 135 For the establishing of these norms we refer to the following documents: On Admitting Other Christians to Eucharistic Communion in the Catholic Church (1972) and Note Interpreting the "Instruction on Admitting Other Christians to Eucharistic Communion Under Certain Circumstances" (1973). 136 Cf. CIC, can. 844, 5 and CCEO, can. 671, 5. 137 Cf. CIC, can. 844, 4 and CCEO, can. 671, 4. 138 Cf. CIC, can. 767 and CCEO, can. 614, 4. 139 Cf. CIC, can. 1124 and CCEO, can. 813. 140 Cf. FC, n. 78. 141 Cf. UR, n. 3. 142 Cf. CIC, cann. 1125, 1126 and CCEO, cann. 814, 815. 143 Cf. CIC, can. 1366 and CCEO, can. 1439. 144 Cf. UR, n. 15. 145 Cf. CIC, can. 1127, 1 and CCEO, can. 834, 2. 146 Cf. CIC, can. 1127, 1 and CCEO, can. 834, 1. 147 Cf. CCEO, can. 835. 148 Cf. CIC, can. 1127, 2. 149 Cf. CIC, can. 1127, 2. 150 Cf. CIC, can. 1127, 3 and CCEO, can. 839. 151 Ordo celebrandi Matrimonium, n. 8. 152 Cf. n. 125 above. 153 Cf. nn. 129-131 above. 154 Cf. nn. 125, 130 and 131 above. 155 Cf. n. 132 above. 156 UR, n. 12. 157 Pope John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Redemptoris Hominis (RH), n. 12. 158 In this context the term Church is generally to be understood in the sociological rather than in the strictly theological sense. 159 SPCU, Ecumenical Collaboration at the Regional, National and Local Levels, op.cit., n. 4 A.c. 160 Episcopal Conferences and Synods of Eastern Catholic Churches should take care not to authorize Catholic participation in Councils of Churches in which groups are present who are not really considered to be ecclesial Communities. 161 Cf. UR, n. 9. 162 UR, n. 11; cf. Eph 3:8. 163 Reflections and Suggestions [...], op. cit. n. 4,b; cf. also UR, n. 11 and ME, n. 4. See also nn. 61a, 74-75 above and 181 below. 164 Cf. 1 Thess. 2:13. 165 Cf. Jude 3. 166 LG, n. 12. 167 Ibidem. 168 Cf. UR, n. 6 and GS, n. 62. 169 Cf. UR, n. 11. 170 Cf. DV, chapter VI. 171 UR, n. 21. 172 Cf. CIC, can. 825, 2 and CCEO, can. 655, 1. 173 New revised edition 1987 of the first 1968 version. Published in IS of the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity, N 65 (1987) pp. 140-145. 174 In accordance with the norms laid down in CIC, cann. 825-827, 838 and in CCEO, cann. 655-659 and the Decree of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Ecclesiae Pastorum de Ecclesiae pastorum vigilantia circa Libros (19.3.1975) in AAS 1975, 281-184. 175 N. 33. 176 Cf. UR, nn. 10-11. 177 Cf. n. 72 above and Circular Letter of the SPCU on Ecumenical Teaching, n. 6, in IS, n. 62 (1986), p. 196. 178 Cf. CD, n. 35, 5-6. 179 Cf. SPCU, Circular Letter on Ecumenical Teaching, 10a, op. cit., p. 197. 180 Cf. Ibidem. 181 Cf. UR, n. 1. 182 EN, n. 77. 183 Ibidem. 184 Cf. AG, n. 6. 185 Ibidem, n. 15. 186 Cf. RH, n. 11. 187 Cf. UR, n. 12 188 Ibidem. 189 Cf. Ibidem. 190 Cf. Pope John Paul II, Address to the Roman Curia, 28 June 1985, AAS 1985, 1148-1159; cf. idem Encyclical Letter Sollicitudo Rei Socialis (SRS), n. 32. 191 Cf. SPCU, IS, 55, 1984, pp. 42-43. 192 Ecumenical Collaboration [...], op.cit. n. 3. 193 RH, nn. 8, 15, 16; SRS, nn. 26, 34. 194 SRS, n. 36. 195 Cf. op. cit., n. 3 g. 196 Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Pastoral Instruction Communio et Progressio, n. 99, AAS 1971, 593-656. 197 Cf. Ecumenical Collaboration [...], op cit., 3, f. 198 Cf. Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Criteria for Ecumenical and Interreligious Cooperation in Communications, nn. 11 and 14, 1989, Origins, 1989, n. 23, 375-377. |