Weekly THIS AND THAT for October 7, 2007: Christianity, the Cause of Problems in Europe

This and That:
Christianity, the Cause of Problems in Europe

Dear Family,

I found the following address of Cardinal Kasper very important for European Catholics. His comments would apply to American Catholics as well.

Fondly,
Father Nick Amato


The divisions between Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants are partly responsible for the divisions in Europe and the secularization of the continent, said Cardinal Walter Kasper. Cardinal Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, said this recently at the opening talk of the 3rd European Ecumenical Assembly, under way in Sibiu, Romania. “Because of our divisions,” said the cardinal, “we have obscured the light of Jesus Christ for many people and have rendered the reality of Jesus Christ less credible.” He continued: “Our divisions – and history is proof of this – are partly to blame for the divisions in Europe and the secularization of this continent. Our divisions are also partly responsible for the doubts many have about the Church, and their calling it into question. Faced with this situation, in which our Churches find themselves, we cannot say we are pleased; we cannot go on as if nothing is wrong.”

Nature of Church

Cardinal Kasper also mentioned reactions to the recent Vatican document, published in July by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith titled “Responses to Some Questions Regarding Certain Aspects of the Doctrine on the Church.” The German cardinal said: “I know that many, in a special way our Protestant brothers and sisters, felt hurt by this. This does not leave me indifferent and it is a difficulty for me as well. The suffering and sorrow of my friends is also my sorrow. It was not in our intentions to hurt or debase anyone. We wanted to give witness to the truth, which is what we also expect from other Churches, and as other Churches are certainly doing.”

Despite this, the 74-year-old cardinal continued, the document points out that “Jesus Christ is present with salvific power in the churches and ecclesial communities that are separate from us. The differences have nothing to do with being Christian or the question of salvation, the differences concern the question of concrete salvific mediation, as well as the visible form of the Church,” he explained. In order to overcome obstacles to understanding the Church and the Eucharist, a “purification of the memory” is needed, he said quoting the famous expression used by Pope John Paul II, according Cardinal Kasper. “No ecumenical progress will be possible without conversion and penance. From that will come openness to renewal and reform, which is necessary in every Church and requires that each Church start with itself,” he said. However, he underlined, it is not possible “to build unity; it cannot be the fruit of our work. It is a gift of the Holy Spirit; only he can reconcile hearts. We must pray for this spirit of unity.”

Wake-Up Call

Cardinal Kasper linked the question of the visible and full union of all Christians with the problems facing Europe: “Christian unity is subordinate to world unity and, in particular in our situation, to the unification of Europe.” Unfortunately, he added, “today Europe runs the risk of not only betraying its own ideals but, moreover of forgetting them in a trivial way.” The cardinal continued: “The principle danger is not represented by atheistic opposition but rather by forgetting about God, passing over God’s precepts, by indifference, by superficiality, by individualism and not working for the common good or knowing how to sacrifice oneself to this end. The new evangelization is our task. ... A lived and decisive faith is needed. Europe cannot only be an economic and political entity; if Europe wants a future it needs a common vision and a common system of fundamental values. Europe, and this means we European Christians, must wake up; Europe must side with itself, with its history and its values that at one time gave it its greatness and that could guarantee it a new beginning. This,” he said, “is our common mission.”