Today we visited the Dicastery for the Promotion of Christian
Unity and the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue. I took a quick moment in
each room to imagine all the important conversations that took place in these
rooms – the people who gathered here with a genuine interest in promoting
unity, community and understanding between human beings.
First, we met with Bishop Brian Farrell who is responsible
for the Dicastery of Christian Unity. He is one of 24 people responsible for
dialogues with Christians from all denominations. The dicastery is also
involved as a partner, though not a member of the World Council of Churches. One
of the reasons that the Roman Catholic church is not a member of the WCC is
because of its population. Since voting is based on proportional
representation, Catholic membership would mean a disproportionately powerful voice
in decision making. This was a revelation to me. There are also theological and
pastoral differences but these are not the primary reason for not being a
member. The Catholic church is, however, a full member of the Faith and Order
Commission which Bishop Farrell called “a pearl of great price. This commission
is responsible for reflecting on the theological questions that have divided
churches and working toward understanding.
After this, we went to the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue
where we met with Monsignor Indunil Janakaratne Kodithuwakku Kankanamalage (who
informed us that he has, not surprisingly, the longest name of anyone who works
at the Vatican.) The Monsignor reminded us that in interreligious
conversations, our identity matters. As Christians, we believe we are created
in the image of a Trinitarian God – a community of Love. If God is dialogical and
we are created in God’s image, then we also must be dialogical. Monsignor also
spoke of how interreligious dialogue is a sacred act because we are listening
to the heart of the other where God also speaks. Thus, silence and prayer are
important elements of the encounter with the religious other.
While both of these leaders spoke, I was compelled by the obvious
humility in their personalities. This was demonstrated in the self-deprecating
humour of Bishop Farrell recounting the story of the Holy Father John Paul II
asking him to take on this position. “Not this position, Holy Father,” he said,
“I would have to know something!” As well, we saw this in the honest admission from
Monsignor Indunil that he did not have the expertise to answer a question asked
by one of the students.
Each of the dicasteries was adorned a piece of art that
conveyed something of its mission. An icon of Saints Peter and Andrew embracing
in the first dicastery was a gift from Athenagoras, Patriarch of Constantinople,
to Pope Paul VI in 1964. Peter is regarded as the traditional head of the Roman
Church and Andrew, the traditional head of the Eastern Church. In the second,
there was a painting of Pope Paul VI receiving guests from many different
religious traditions. Both were powerful visual statements of the work being
done.
By Christine
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