Common
Declaration signed by Pope Francis and the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis and the Ecumenical Patriarch,
Bartholomew I, on Sunday held private talks in Jerusalem and signed a Common
Declaration in which they pledged to continue on the path towards unity between
the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. Their encounter marked the 50th anniversary
of the historic meeting between Pope Paul VI and the Patriarch Athenagoras in
1964. In their joint declaration, Pope Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew
said it is their duty to work together to protect human dignity and the
family and build a just and humane society in which nobody feels
excluded. They also stressed the need to safeguard God’s creation
and the right of religious freedom. The two leaders expressed concern
over the situation facing Christians amidst the conflicts of the Middle East
and spoke of the urgency of the hour that compels them to seek the
reconciliation and unity of the human family whilst fully respecting legitimate
differences.
Please
find below the full text in English of the Common Declaration of Pope Francis
and the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I:
1.
Like our venerable predecessors Pope Paul VI and Ecumenical Patriarch
Athenagoras who met here in Jerusalem fifty years ago, we too, Pope Francis and
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, were determined to meet in the Holy Land
“where our common Redeemer, Christ our Lord, lived, taught, died, rose again,
and ascended into Heaven, whence he sent the Holy Spirit on the infant Church”
(Common communiqué of Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras, published after
their meeting of 6 January 1964). Our meeting, another encounter of the Bishops
of the Churches of Rome and Constantinople founded respectively by the two
Brothers the Apostles Peter and Andrew, is a source of profound spiritual joy
for us. It presents a providential occasion to reflect on the depth and the
authenticity of our existing bonds, themselves the fruit of a grace-filled
journey on which the Lord has guided us since that blessed day of fifty years
ago.
2.
Our fraternal encounter today is a new and necessary step on the journey
towards the unity to which only the Holy Spirit can lead us, that of communion
in legitimate diversity. We call to mind with profound gratitude the steps that
the Lord has already enabled us to undertake. The embrace exchanged between
Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras here in Jerusalem, after many centuries
of silence, paved the way for a momentous gesture, the removal from the memory
and from the midst of the Church of the acts of mutual excommunication in 1054.
This was followed by an exchange of visits between the respective Sees of Rome
and Constantinople, by regular correspondence and, later, by the decision
announced by Pope John Paul II and Patriarch Dimitrios, of blessed memory both,
to initiate a theological dialogue of truth between Catholics and Orthodox.
Over these years, God, the source of all peace and love, has taught us to
regard one another as members of the same Christian family, under one Lord and
Saviour, Jesus Christ, and to love one another, so that we may confess our
faith in the same Gospel of Christ, as received by the Apostles and expressed
and transmitted to us by the Ecumenical Councils and the Church Fathers. While
fully aware of not having reached the goal of full communion, today we confirm
our commitment to continue walking together towards the unity for which Christ
our Lord prayed to the Father so “that all may be one” (Jn 17:21).
3.
Well aware that unity is manifested in love of God and love of neighbour, we
look forward in eager anticipation to the day in which we will finally partake
together in the Eucharistic banquet. As Christians, we are called to prepare to
receive this gift of Eucharistic communion, according to the teaching of Saint
Irenaeus of Lyon (Against Heresies, IV,18,5, PG 7,1028), through the confession
of the one faith, persevering prayer, inner conversion, renewal of life and
fraternal dialogue. By achieving this hoped for goal, we will manifest to the
world the love of God by which we are recognized as true disciples of Jesus
Christ (cf. Jn 13:35).
4.
To this end, the theological dialogue undertaken by the Joint International
Commission offers a fundamental contribution to the search for full communion
among Catholics and Orthodox. Throughout the subsequent times of Popes John
Paul II and Benedict the XVI, and Patriarch Dimitrios, the progress of our
theological encounters has been substantial. Today we express heartfelt
appreciation for the achievements to date, as well as for the current
endeavours. This is no mere theoretical exercise, but an exercise in truth and
love that demands an ever deeper knowledge of each other’s traditions in order
to understand them and to learn from them. Thus we affirm once again that the
theological dialogue does not seek a theological lowest common denominator on
which to reach a compromise, but is rather about deepening one’s grasp of the
whole truth that Christ has given to his Church, a truth that we never cease to
understand better as we follow the Holy Spirit’s promptings. Hence, we affirm
together that our faithfulness to the Lord demands fraternal encounter and true
dialogue. Such a common pursuit does not lead us away from the truth; rather,
through an exchange of gifts, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, it will
lead us into all truth (cf. Jn 16:13).
5.
Yet even as we make this journey towards full communion we already have the
duty to offer common witness to the love of God for all people by working
together in the service of humanity, especially in defending the dignity of the
human person at every stage of life and the sanctity of family based on
marriage, in promoting peace and the common good, and in responding to the
suffering that continues to afflict our world. We acknowledge that
hunger, poverty, illiteracy, the inequitable distribution of resources must
constantly be addressed. It is our duty to seek to build together a just and
humane society in which no-one feels excluded or emarginated.
6.
It is our profound conviction that the future of the human family depends also
on how we safeguard – both prudently and compassionately, with justice and
fairness – the gift of creation that our Creator has entrusted to us.
Therefore, we acknowledge in repentance the wrongful mistreatment of our
planet, which is tantamount to sin before the eyes of God. We reaffirm our
responsibility and obligation to foster a sense of humility and moderation so
that all may feel the need to respect creation and to safeguard it with care.
Together, we pledge our commitment to raising awareness about the stewardship
of creation; we appeal to all people of goodwill to consider ways of living
less wastefully and more frugally, manifesting less greed and more generosity
for the protection of God’s world and the benefit of His people.
7.
There is likewise an urgent need for effective and committed cooperation of
Christians in order to safeguard everywhere the right to express publicly one’s
faith and to be treated fairly when promoting that which Christianity continues
to offer to contemporary society and culture. In this regard, we invite all
Christians to promote an authentic dialogue with Judaism, Islam and other
religious traditions. Indifference and mutual ignorance can only lead to
mistrust and unfortunately even conflict.
8.
From this holy city of Jerusalem, we express our shared profound concern for
the situation of Christians in the Middle East and for their right to remain
full citizens of their homelands. In trust we turn to the almighty and merciful
God in a prayer for peace in the Holy Land and in the Middle East in general.
We especially pray for the Churches in Egypt, Syria, and Iraq, which have
suffered most grievously due to recent events. We encourage all parties
regardless of their religious convictions to continue to work for
reconciliation and for the just recognition of peoples’ rights. We are
persuaded that it is not arms, but dialogue, pardon and reconciliation
that are the only possible means to achieve peace.
9.
In an historical context marked by violence, indifference and egoism, many men
and women today feel that they have lost their bearings. It is precisely
through our common witness to the good news of the Gospel that we may be able
to help the people of our time to rediscover the way that leads to truth,
justice and peace. United in our intentions, and recalling the example, fifty
years ago here in Jerusalem, of Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras, we call
upon all Christians, together with believers of every religious tradition and
all people of good will, to recognize the urgency of the hour that compels us
to seek the reconciliation and unity of the human family, while fully
respecting legitimate differences, for the good of all humanity and of future
generations.
10.
In undertaking this shared pilgrimage to the site where our one same Lord Jesus
Christ was crucified, buried and rose again, we humbly commend to the
intercession of the Most Holy and Ever Virgin Mary our future steps on the path
towards the fullness of unity, entrusting to God’s infinite love the entire
human family.
“
May the Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The Lord look
upon you kindly and give you peace!” (Num 6:25-26).
Jerusalem,
25 May 2014
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét