Category: Documents

Pope Benedict: Force in the name of Christian faith a great shame and an abuse

Assisi day of prayer for peace – today and 25 years ago

VATICAN CITY, 27 OCT 2011 (VIS) – Today marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the historic meeting for peace in the Italian town of Assisi, called by Blessed John Paul II. For the occasion, Benedict XVI has made a pilgrimage to the city of St. Francis, accompanied by representatives of other religions and by non-believers, for a Day of reflection, dialogue and prayer for peace and justice in the world under the theme: “Pilgrims of Truth, Pilgrims of Peace”.

The Pontiff and the members of the various delegations left the Vatican by train at 8 a.m. today, reaching Assisi at 9.45 a.m. where they were greeted by the civil and religious authorities in front of the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli. As the ceremony unfolded inside the basilica, the large numbers of faithful present were able to follow events on giant screens set up in the square outside.

Following a greeting from Cardinal Peter Kodwo Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, a video was screened in commemoration of the 1986 meeting. Then, one after the other, the representatives of the various religions rose to speak: His Holiness Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople; Anglican Archbishop Rowan Williams of Canterbury, Primate of the Anglican Communion; Archbishop Norvan Zakarian, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of France; Rev. Olav Fyske Tveit, secretary general of the World Council of Churches; Rabbi David Rosen, representative of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel; Wande Abimbola, spokesperson for the Yoruba faith; Acharya Shri Shrivatsa Goswami, representative for Hinduism; Ja-Seung, president of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism; Kyai Haji Hasyom Muzadi, secretary general of the International Conference of Islamic Schools, and Julia Kristeva, representing non-believers.

The Holy Father then rose to make his address, extracts of which are given below: Continue reading “Pope Benedict: Force in the name of Christian faith a great shame and an abuse” →

Catholic theologians in the U.S. speak out against the death penalty

A Catholic Call to Abolish the Death Penalty

There were two state-sanctioned executions in the United States on September 21, 2011. In Georgia, Troy Anthony Davis, an African American man, was put to death for the 1989 murder of Savannah police officer Mark MacPhail. In Texas, Lawrence Brewer, a white supremacist, was executed for his participation in the racist hate crime dragging murder of James Byrd in Jasper in 1998. As theologians, scholars, and social justice advocates who participate in the public discussion of Catholic theology, we protest the state-sanctioned killings of both of these men, and we call for the abolition of the death penalty in the US. Continue reading “Catholic theologians in the U.S. speak out against the death penalty” →

Mennonite nuns?

This might be old news for a few Mennonites involved in Bridgefolk, but since they’ve never spoken up, it will be new news to others:

Anabaptist and Mennonite churches have long had deaconesses.  But only a few years ago, well into the 20th century, the practice took a form that looks very much like a Catholic religious order, according to the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online:

By the 1950s 62 sisters had become members of the Bethel Deaconess sisterhood, 26 of whom were associated with the sisterhood in 1955. The deaconesses of this institution wore a special garb and were ordained by the church. Each sister had her place in the mother house, received full maintenance, a monthly allowance, an annual vacation, and a vacation allowance. She was expected to remain loyal and faithful to her calling but did not take an oath of celibacy. Should a deaconess change her mind, believing it to be God’s will that she serve in some other sphere apart from the sisterhood, she presented her resignation and received an honorable discharge.

We thought you’d want to know!

For source and additional information see:

Neff, Christian and Lena Mae Smith. “Deaconess.” Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1956. Web.  http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/deaconess.

Benedict XVI calls for simple lifestyles, nonviolence

Pope: God’s Love Is Cure for Ills of Society
Offers Reflection on “Yoke” of Christ

VATICAN CITY, JULY 3, 2011 (Zenit.org).- The answer to the many situations of injustice, poverty and suffering around the world lies in the love of God, says Benedict XVI.

The Pope said this today in a reflection on the “yoke” of Christ, which he delivered before praying the midday Angelus with those gathered in St. Peter’s Square.

“In today’s Gospel,” the Holy Father began, “the Lord Jesus repeats to us those words we know well, but which always move us: ‘Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.'” Continue reading “Benedict XVI calls for simple lifestyles, nonviolence” →

Message of International Ecumenical Peace Convocation:
“Churches can teach nonviolence, if we dare”

The final message of the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation, held in Jamaica in May, closes by highlighting the witness of historic peace churches, and insisting that all churches can teach peace to the powerful:

History, especially in the witness of the historic peace churches, reminds us of the fact that violence is contrary to the will of God and can never resolve conflicts. It is for this reason that we are moving beyond the doctrine of just war towards a commitment to Just Peace. It requires moving from exclusive concepts of national security to safety for all.  This includes a day-to-day responsibility to prevent, that is, to avoid violence at its root. Many practical aspects of the concept of Just Peace require discussion, discernment and elaboration. We continue to struggle with how innocent people can be protected from injustice, war and violence. In this light, we struggle with the concept of the “responsibility to protect” and its possible misuse. We urgently request that the WCC and related bodies further clarify their positions regarding this policy.

We advocate total nuclear disarmament and control of the proliferation of small arms.

We as churches are in a position to teach nonviolence to the powerful, if only we dare. For we are followers of one who came as a helpless infant, died on the Cross, told us to lay aside our swords, taught us to love our enemies and was resurrected from the dead.

To read the entire document click here.

For a reflection on the IEPC and its message by Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the World Council of Churches, click here.

Praying the Bridgefolk prayer – 10 years and counting

Ten years ago this week, a small group of original Bridgefolk participants and leaders met together to talk, pray and discern.  How should we follow through on our initial meeting in Pennsylvania in 1999?  What kind of community are we becoming?  How will participants know if they are “members?”  Should we have a common discipline of prayer, the way religious orders do?  What will bind our life together when we depart?  It would be good to at least have a common prayer that would resonate equally with Mennonites and Catholics, they decided, but what might that be?

In the middle of the night, one of Bridgefolk’s co-founders found the following prayer taking shape, got up, and wrote it down.  When he shared it with the others the next day, the group embraced it as a simple answer to many of our questions:

  • If someone can pray this prayer with all their heart, he or she is Bridgefolk.
  • Our rule would be to pray this prayer daily, and live accordingly.

On this 10th anniversary of the Bridgefolk prayer, therefore, we invite you to pray our common prayer today, to make or renew your commitment to pray it daily, and to live out the groanings we share for a Church of unity, nonviolence, and faithfulness to our Lord Jesus Christ. Continue reading “Praying the Bridgefolk prayer – 10 years and counting” →

Vatican’s ecumenical council proposes renewed dialogue with Mennonites

A recent Information Service publication of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU) includes news that the PCPCU has sent a letter to the Mennonite World Council “proposing a round of conversations.”  The council suggests that this new round of dialogue begin in late 2010 or early 2011, and that discussions center on “the theology and practice of baptism in our communities”.

The news is part of an article reporting on last year’s Mennonite World Conference assembly in Paraguay: Continue reading “Vatican’s ecumenical council proposes renewed dialogue with Mennonites” →

Joint statement by Mennonites and Catholics to WCC Decade to Overcome Violence now available

Following up on their 1998-2003 dialogue and ground-breaking document, Called Together to Be Peacemakers Mennonite and Catholic leaders met together for a brief conference October 23-25, 2007 in order to offer joint suggestions for the World Council of Churches’ Decade to Overcome Violence (DOV). The DOV will culminate in an International Ecumenical Peace Convocation (IEPC) in 2011. In preparation, representatives from the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Mennonite World Conference met at the Centro Pro Unione in Rome with the goal of submitting theological reflections that Mennonites and Catholics, committed to overcoming violence, might affirm together as a witness to peace in the ecumenical context. Continue reading “Joint statement by Mennonites and Catholics to WCC Decade to Overcome Violence now available” →

Toronto dialogue group releases report

New on our website is the report of a dialogue group at the Toronto School of Theology. Ten graduate students in theology, half of whom are Roman Catholic and half Mennonite, met together regularly for two years to analyze and discuss Called Together to be Peacemakers, the final report from the international dialogue between Mennonites and Roman Catholics, 1998-2003. Their final report is entitled “Responding to the Call: Reflections on Called Together to be Peacemakers.” It gives particular attention to five themes — authority and the reception of teaching in each tradition, religious liberty, baptism, Eucharist, and peace. The report is available at http://www.bridgefolk.net/theology/dialogue.