Vatican City, 4 May 2015 (VIS) – This
morning the Pope received in audience the Lutheran archbishop of
Uppsala, Sweden, Antje Jackelen, who led a delegation to the Vatican
from the Evangelical-Lutheran Church. Francis greeted them cordially
and commented that last year was the fiftieth anniversary of the
Vatican Council II decree on ecumenism, “Unitatis Redintegratio”,
which continues to be the key point of reference for the ecumenical
efforts of the Catholic Church. “This document is an invitation to
all Catholics to undertake the path of unity to overcome division
between Christians, which is “not only openly opposed to the will
of Christ, but is also a scandal to the world and damages the holiest
of causes: the preaching of the Gospel to every creature”.
The decree “expresses a profound
respect and appreciation for those brothers and sisters separated
from us, to whom in daily coexistence we at times risk giving little
consideration. In reality, they are not perceived as adversaries or
as competitors, but instead acknowledged for what they are: brothers
and sisters in faith. Catholics and Lutherans must seek and promote
unity in dioceses, in parishes, in communities throughout the world”,
the Pope emphasised, mentioning the recent document “From conflict
to communion. The Lutheran-Catholic Common Commemoration of the
Reformation in 2017”, published by the Lutheran-Catholic Commission
for Unity. “We sincerely hope that this initiative may encourage,
with God's help and collaboration between Him and among us, the
achievement of further steps on the path of unity”.
The call to unity also implies “a
pressing exhortation to joint commitment at the charitable level, in
favour of all those who suffer in the world as a result of poverty
and violence, and have a special need for our mercy; the witness of
our persecuted brothers and sisters in particular drives us to grow
in fraternal communion. The question of the dignity of human life,
always to be respected, is of urgent relevance, as are issues
regarding the family, marriage and sexuality, that may not be set
aside or ignored for fear of jeopardising the ecumenical consensus
already received. It would be a pity if new confessional differences
were to be consolidated with regard to these important questions”.
Francis concluded his address by giving
thanks first to the Swedish Lutheran Church, “for the welcome given
to so many South American migrants in the times of the dictatorships,
a fraternal welcome that has enabled families to grow”, and
secondly, to Jackelen, “for the delicacy that you, dear sister,
have had in appointing my dear friend, the pastor Anders Root: I have
shared with him the chair in spiritual theology and he has helped me
greatly in spiritual life”.
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