C ENTRO P RO U NIONE Semi-Annual Bulletin A publication about the activities of the Centro Pro Unione “UT OMNES UNUM SINT” Digital Edition A Ministry of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement Centro Pro Unione Web https://bulletin.prounione.it E-mail bulletin@prounione.it In this issue 2532-4144 Digital Edition ISSN N. 84 - Fall 2013 E-book Gail Ramshaw Multiply the Images: The Readings and Actions of the Triduum `Centro Conferences 21 Gail Ramshaw Hearing the Images: The Lectionary and the Tree of Life `Centro Conferences 16 Gail Ramshaw How I Worship Back Home: The Rites of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America `Centro Conferences 11 Dimitra Koukoura Vatican II through the Eyes of a Woman Orthodox Theo- logian: A Communicative Approach `Centro Conferences 3 James F. Puglisi, SA `Letter from the Director 22 Centro Pro Unione Bulletin Centro Pro Unione Bulletin A semi-annual publication about the activities of the Centro Pro Unione The Centro Pro Unione in Rome, founded and directed by the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, - www.atonementfriars.org - is an ecumenical research and action center. Its purpose is to give space for dialogue, to be a place for study, research and formation in ecumenism: theological, pastoral, social and spiritual. The Bulletin has been pubblished since 1968 and is released in Spring and Fall. IN THIS ISSUE Letter from the Director EDITORIAL STAFF bulletin@prounione.it Contact Information Via Santa Maria dell'Anima, 30 I-00186 Rome (+39) 06 687 9552 pro@prounione.it Website, Social media www.prounione.it @EcumenUnity CENTRO PRO UNIONE A Ministry of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement DIRECTOR'S DESK N. 84 - Fall 2013 Fr. James Puglisi, SA – Director Centro Pro Unione James F. Puglisi, SA Director Centro Pro Unione Fall 2013, n. 84 / Digital Edition (Web) ›Dimitra Koukoura ›Gail Ramshaw his issue is interesting since all of the lectures are by women from various ecclesial traditions, namely Orthodox and Lutheran. In addition the speakers come from varied different backgrounds. Professor Dimitra Koukoura is engaged in the preparation of Orthodox priests by teaching patristics and homiletics as well as communication theories. Professor Gail Ramshaw is a college professor teaching students about religion. In addition she is a liturgist and composer of liturgical texts in her own Evangelical Lutheran Church. She is also well known for her lectionary commentaries to aid preachers in the preparation of the Sunday homily. In our continued celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Second Vatican Council, Dr. Koukoura takes a look at what the Council taught on ecumenism from the perspective of an Orthodox woman theologian. Particular attention is paid to the method and the verification of Council’s approach from an Orthodox vision. Dr. Ramshaw gave three lectures during the Spring. The scope of these was to introduce our public to one Lutheran church’s approach to worship by looking at the rites of the Lutheran liturgy, the readings and lectionary, a nd finally at the celebration of the Easter Triduum as the heart of the Christian liturgical year. Our goal was to show that there was a great deal of convergence both in form and content of the worship life of our churches. These lectures took place during an exciting time in Rome, namely the resignation of one pope and the election of another. Dr. Teresa Francesca Rossi also conducted a series of lectures entitled: Conosciamo I fratelli. The series included a video interview and history of each of the ecclesial traditions followed by a lecture by the pastor of various communities: Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, Reformed, Pentecostal and Catholic. It is our hope to publish these in our series: Corso breve di ecumenismo. Our Fall series will continue with our celebration of the Second Vatican Council. Prof Alberto Melloni of the Bologna Institute of Religious Sciences will speak on Il diario del Concilio: Quaderni, lettere, filmati di un evento namely on the importance of the letters, journals and diaries of the bishops and experts present at the Council for the interpretation of the Council’s texts. Cardinal Walter Kasper will take a look to the future in light of the Council’s teaching on ecclesiology and the search for the unity of Christians. Lastly Fr, William Henn, OFM Cap will round out the year with a lecture: Capturing the Reality in its Entirety’ (Ut Unum sint 38) Toward a Common Vision of the Church (Faith and Order Commission Text 2013) which will look at the ecclesiological project of the Faith and Order commission approved at the General Assembly of the WCC whose theme is: God of Life, Lead us to Justice and Peace held in Busan, S. Korea. Lastly, the Week of Prayer Material is available from www.prounione. urbe.it and www.geii.org This Bulletin is indexed in the ATLA Religion Database, published by the American Theological Library Association, 250 S. Wacker Drive, 16 th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606 (www.atla.com). T3 Centro Pro Unione Bulletin CENTRO CONFERENCES N. 84 - Fall 2013 Introduction Firstly, I would like to express my deep gratitude to my dear friend Dr. Giacomo Puglisi, director of the Pro Unione Center, for this honourable invitation. I would also like to express my sincere joy, because I was given the opportunity to share with you my personal experiences and thoughts on the fruits of the momentous Second Vatican Synod, whose 50 th anniversary is celebrated this year. This commemoration coincides with two other anniversaries of important events that took place during the first millennium, 1700 years since the decree of Milan and 1150 since the mission of my compatriots Thessalonians Saint Cyril and Methodius from Constantinople to Great Moravia, the current Czech Republic. In particular this day is important because of the voluntary resignation of the Holy Father Benedict XVI from his position as the bishop of Rome, which, being his personal choice, can be interpreted as a sign of his love for the Church. * * * Without any doubt, decisions of the Great Synod 1 had concerned mainly the majority of Roman Catholic Church’s members all over the world. These members had seen their church proceed to its convocation especially for pastoral reasons. There were many problems in the post- industrial societies of the North, just as well as the combat for justice and national independence in the South. These problems and issues were certainly demanding a solution 2 . The opening of the Vatican II to the other Christian denominations, 3 and the special reference towards the Orthodox Church gave hope for a renewal of inter-Christian relations. A shared goal was to give a common witness to the Gospel in the rapidly changing technocratic world 1 4 Constitutiones and 12 Decreta which were published (promulgatio) from December 4,1963 (Sacrosanctum Concilium) to November 18, 1965 (Apostolicam Actuositatem). 2 For the sociological and political preconditions of the Synod and its concern about the answers to pastoral problems see Arch. S. HARKIANAKIS (acting Archbishop of Australia ), Αρχιμ. Στυλιανού Χαρκιανάκη, (νυν Αρχιεπισκόπου Αυστραλίας), Το περί Εκκλησίας Σύνταγμα της Β’ Βατικάνειας Συνόδου, Διατριβή επί Υφηγεσία (Θεσσαλονίκη: 1969) 27-33 (=The Constitution referring to the Church of Vatican II , Habilitation Thesis, Thessalonika) . See Unitatis redintegratιο, Decree on Ecumenism, 19: “In the great upheaval which began in the West toward the end of the Middle Ages, and in later times too, Churches and ecclesial Communities came to be separated from the Apostolic See of Rome. Yet they have retained a particularly close affinity with the Catholic Church as a result of the long centuries in which all Christendom lived together in ecclesiastical communion”. 3 “For this reason the Holy Council urges all, but especially those who intend to devote themselves to the restoration of full communion hoped for between the Churches of the East and the Catholic Church, to give due consideration to this special feature of the origin and growth of the Eastern Churches, and to the character of the relations which obtained between them and the Roman See before separation. They must take full account of all these factors and, where this is done, it will greatly contribute to the dialogue that is looked for” (UR 14). Vatican II through the Eyes of an Orthodox Woman Theologian A Communicative Approach Dimitra Koukoura - Professor of Homiletics, Department of Theology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Conference given at the Centro Pro Unione, Thursday, 28 February 2013 Dimitra Koukoura – Prof. of Homiletics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki `Prof. Dimitra Koukoura4 Centro Pro Unione Bulletin CENTRO CONFERENCES N. 84 - Fall 2013 of the sixties, and to show a willingness to reconciliation among, and unity of all Christian churches 4 . More particularly, the friendship Pope John XXIII offered to Constantinople, and the strenuous efforts of an established joint committee 5 , resulted in a brotherly kiss between Pope Paul VI and the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Athenagoras on 5 January 1964 at the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. It was also marked by the rescinding of the excommunications of 1054, on the eve of the Synod’s end, on 7 December 1965, both in Rome and in Constantinople. The excommunications of the 11th Century concerned two specific church leaders (Pope St. Leo IX and Patriarch Michael Kerularius) who played an active role during these turbulent periods of history. None of the churches excommunicated the other, but after maintained channels of communication between them. However, the excommunications as well as various theological 4 The restoration of unity among all Christians is one of the principal concerns of the Second Vatican Council. Christ the Lord founded one Church and one Church only. However, many Christian communions present themselves to men as the true inheritors of Jesus Christ; all indeed profess to be followers of the Lord but differ in mind and go their different ways, as if Christ Himself were divided.(1) Such division openly contradicts the will of Christ, scandalizes the world, and damages the holy cause of preaching the Gospel to every creature (UR 1). 5 I. WILLEBRANDS, M. MACCARRONE, A. RAES, A. STICKLER, C.J. DUMONT, P. DUPREY, Metropolitan of Elioupolis and Thyra Melito, Metropolitan of Myra Chrysostomos, Chief Secretary Gabrie, Deacon Evangelos, Pr Anastasiadis. differences have intensified the conflict, that lead to the schism and they were identified with it 6 Its rescinding in 1965 didn’t imply a rescinding of church schism, but it channeled rays of light that can melt the ice. One year after the beginning of Vatican II (11 October 1962), the second Panorthodox Conference took place at the island of Rhodes (26/9-1/10/1963). Representatives from all Orthodox Churches discussed the position they would take towards the Roman invitation to participate at Vatican II, and towards the proposal to renew contacts in a spirit of peace and love. The inauguration of a bilateral theological dialogue on equal terms (ex aequo) after the end of Vatican II was the most important decision of the Conference. The proposal expressed the spirit of the well known Patriarchal encyclical of 1920 “to all the churches of Christ on earth” 7 , which after the end of the catastrophic First World War was calling for a cooperation despite confessional differences aiming for a common effort for the desired unity. Besides, after the end of the most lethal Second World War, at the same spirit of this encyclical was the participation of Orthodox Churches in ecumenical movement. What was defined as the aim of a bilateral dialogue was the unity of Christians according to the will of Jesus that “they all may be one “(John17:21). Its methodology was in conformity to the tradition of the One Undivided 6 I. ΚΑΡΜΊΡΗ, “Ορθοδοξία και Ρωμαιοκαθολικισμός ΙΙΙ, η Δ΄Φάση της Βατικανείου Συνόδου”, Εκκλησία (1966) 136 [=“Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism III, the 4 th Phase of Vatican II”] . 7 2 http://goo.gl/OMp8Qf (URL Retrieved: March 20, 2015) Dimitra Koukoura – Prof. of Homiletics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki5 Centro Pro Unione Bulletin CENTRO CONFERENCES N. 84 - Fall 2013 Church of the first millennium: in necessariis unitas, in dubiis libertas, in omnibus caritas 8 . We underline again that the serious engagement of the Vatican II with the ecumenical movement, where the approach of Orthodox forms a part of, was invigorated by the Pope John XXIII’s, and his successor Paul VI’s, strong insistence. It was also invigorated by systematic collaboration, and by the efforts of the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity, founded in 1960, and later, in 1989, elevated into the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU) 9 . The following text will focus on my personal experience of this Council’s activities. One is related to the Catholic Committee for Cultural Collaboration 10 and 8 I. ΚΑΡΜΊΡΗ, Ορθοδοξία και Ρωμαιοκαθολικισμός, Ι, Η Β΄Βατικάνειος Σύνοδος και η έναντι αυτής και των ενωτικών τάσεών της θέσεις της Ορθοδόξου Καθολικής Εκκλησίας, (Αθήναι, 1964) 9-10 (= Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicity I. The Second Vatican Synod and the Positions of the Orthodox Catholic Church on it and its Unifying Trends). The dogmas of the seven Ecumenical Synods are considered to be indispensible, the theologoumena or the less important liturgical and administrative differences, however, as ambivalent. Likewise the principle of Patriarch Fotios: «ἐν ο?ς οὐκ ἔστιν πίστις τό ἀθετούμενον, οὐδέ κοινο? τε καί καθολικο? ψηφίσματος ἔκπτωσις, ἄλλων παρ’ ἄλλοις ἐθ?ν τε καί νομίμων φυλαττομένων, οὔτε τούς φύλακας ἀδικε?ν οὔτε τούς μή παραδεξαμένους παρανομε?ν, ὀρθ?ς ἄν τις κρίνειν εἰδώς διορίσαιτο». 9 The origin of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity is closely linked with the Second Vatican Council. It was Pope John XXIII’s desire that the involvement of the Catholic Church in the contemporary ecumenical movement be one of the Council’s chief concerns. Thus, on 5 June 1960, he established a “Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity” as one of the preparatory commissions for the Council, and appointed Cardinal Augustin Bea as its first President. This was the first time that the Holy See had set up an office to deal uniquely with ecumenical affairs.In the Apostolic Constitution Pastor Bonus (28 June 1988), Pope John Paul II changed the Secretariat into the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU); this new designation took effect as of 1st March 1989. 10The Catholic Committee for Cultural Collaboration Founded in 1963, the Committee seeks to promote, between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches of the Byzantine tradition and the Oriental Orthodox Churches, exchanges of students, who wish to follow theological studies or other ecclesiastical disciplines at Catholic or Orthodox institutions. An international Committee for the awarding of scholarships, which depends on the Committee, meets every year in March: 2 http://goo.gl/lUdtqP (URL Retrieved: March 20, 2015) the other to the participation of Roman Catholic Church representatives, particularly women, at the Commission on “Faith and Order” 11 , as well as at other different encounters of the WCC. Visions perceived by inspired leaders need firstly the youth, who will adopt them and put them into practice. This can be achieved through education, enhancement of cultural goods and by sincere fellowship. Ιn the framework of this perspective the Secretariat for Cultural Cooperation started to grant scholarships to young Orthodox for studies at Roman Catholic universities in Western Europe so that they might know better the new “face” of Roman Catholic Church. This happened as of the end of the sixties, in a time in which the mobility of today’s students (for example in the framework of European network Erasmus) was still unimaginable. At this time possibilities for studying abroad were only open to a few scholars from international foundations and a few youngsters from wealthy families. However the WCC had initiated a similar cultural program in early fifties. The scholarship program at the first decades was accepted by the Orthodox, with reactions ranging from enthusiasm to deep mistrust and even fear. Young students were happy having the chance to study abroad. Those bishops that accepted openly the decisions of the second Panorthodox Conference for having relations of peace and reconstruction of harmonious relations with the Roman Catholic Church encouraged their future collaborators to study abroad. Nevertheless, diverse ecclesiastic or monastic circles, with great influence, not infrequently commented that: “they give scholarships to our youth in order to make them theirs”. Others were giving advice to young people: “Be careful where you are going as not to loose your faith”. How can all these reactions be explained? Obviously these negative, sometimes even hostile positions taken had their roots in the behavior of Rome against Christians in the East during some painful phases of their history. I shall briefly remind you of the destructions of crusaders (11 th -13 th c.), the indifference of the Christian West towards the total subjection of the Orthodox East by the Ottomans(15th c.) and also the unfair attitude of 11 At the same time, the Pontifical Council also aims to develop dialogue and collaboration with the other Churches and World Communions. Since its creation, it has also established a cordial cooperation with the World Council of Churches (WCC), whose headquarters are in Geneva. From 1968, twelve Catholic theologians have been members of the “Faith and Order” Commission, the theological department of the WCC: 2 http://goo.gl/lUdtqP (URL Retrieved: March 20, 2015) Dimitra Koukoura – Prof. of Homiletics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki6 Centro Pro Unione Bulletin CENTRO CONFERENCES N. 84 - Fall 2013 Propaganda Fidei through the action of the missionaries among the enslaved Orthodox intending by all means to convert them to the Roman Catholic faith. It is about several devastating events that took place from the beginning until the end of the second Christian millennium, events that did not fade away from collective memory. The reason is that they had spread disappointment and bitterness to Greek, Arabic, and Slavic speaking people persecuted by Islam for their Christian faith. This behavior from the West was adequately considered to be one of the reasons for the calamities of the Orthodox people and created a climate of deep mistrust against the Western Church and Pope. Obviously, the historical bitterness and anger can’t favor the sober thought and understanding for the contemporary Church of Rome. The coherence of its Head in those circles goes with the past; whereas for example the development of theological thought or even administrative and pastoral changes that were lead by its multicultural dimension all over the world are ignored. The intense critique that was heard 50 years ago and still is heard today from diverse Orthodox towards both Synods, the Vatican II and the Panorthodox II of Rhodes is summed up below: dialogue can’t exist, if there are differences. Among them, besides the primacy and infallibility 12 of Pope, the validation by Vatican II of Greek Catholic Churches 13 is underlined. This action defined at many Orthodox circles the certainty for the dishonesty of intentions of Vatican II for honest approach. For this reason they considered it with enough suspiciousness for its action of Catholic Committee for Cultural Collaboration. In the long suffering history of the Ottoman and Latin domination of the island regions of the Ionian and Aegean Sea, Crete and the shores of Asia Minor and 12 Detailed orthodox commentary concerning the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, some years after the promulgatio of the “Constitution” in the year 1964, see Archbishop S. XARKIANAKIS, as mentioned above , pp.79-259. 13 “This sacred ecumenical Council, therefore, in its care for the Eastern Churches which bear living witness to this Tradition, in order that they may flourish and with new apostolic vigor execute the task entrusted to them, has determined to lay down a number of principles, in addition to those which refer to the universal Church; all else is remitted to the care of the Eastern synods and of the Holy See,” Orientalium ecclesiarum, Decree on the Catholic Churches of the Eastern Rite §1. In the course of the bilateral dialogue the issue of uniatism found a compromise solution: an agreement stating that uniatism does not consist of a form of unity between two churches, in the year 1993 at the Theological School of Balamand, Lebanon, where it was widely accepted by the Orthodox: 2 http://goo.gl/MmI61T (URL Retrieved: March 20, 2015) Middle East from 13 th to 20 th century, the chapter “Action of Western Missionaries” 14 as well as “Studies of Greek children at the Greek College of Saint Athanasius of Rome” 15 withdraw bitter memories. The educational role of Secretariat had relevant external efforts with the Church of Rome the 16 th century and that’s why a lot of people believed that the same history is repeated. The College of Greeks of Saint Athanasius (1576) had been founded with decisions made by one also great Synod of Trent (1545-1563) and was addressing to young Greek Orthodox with the following clear aim: to educate clergy in Greek and Latin (summa cum diligentia) in order to serve the idea of United Church, with preaching and spiritual guidance of the enslaved Orthodox. Necessary precondition for the graduation and the diploma was confession of faith towards Roman Catholic Church, as it was defined by Pope Pious IV (1559- 1565) with the seal of 13 November 1564 16 Certainly, research of sources reveals that the main goal of the College to make its Orthodox alumni to confess the Catholic faith didn’t always succeed. Undoubtedly most of them after their graduation worked really on bringing Orthodox to the Catholic faith, as clergy at occupied regions or as scholars, lay or clergy in Italy. Some have lost their chance for high education for not denying the faith of their fathers and others took their diploma with public confession, which although didn’t continue. Without any doubt, the 16 century of Synod of Trent is not the same with 20 century Synod of Vatican II. Neither young Greek students were not living under horrific conditions nor were uneducated. Moreover, the institutional goals of the Secretariat were clear: consolidation of friendship and collaboration for the promotion of dialogue of love and peace. It was not about subordination to the Catholic tradition. 14 See A. ΒΑΚΑΛΌΠΟΥΛΟΥ, Ιστορία του Νέου Ελληνισμού, Γ’ τόμ (Θεσσαλονίκη: 1968) (=History of Modern Hellenism. Vol. III). 15 Z. ΤΣΙΡΠΑΝΛΉ, Το Eλληνικό Κολλέγιο της Ρώμης και οι μαθητές του 1576-1700, (Θεσσαλονίκη : Πατριαρχικόν Ιδρυμα Πατερικών Μελετών, 1980) (= The Greek College of Romeand its Students, 1576-1700). 16 The confession of faith was necessary for everyone who held teaching responsibilities, and it included the following: the Symbol of Faith with the addition of Filioque, the explicit acceptance of the tradition of the Church, the Bible, the 7 Sacraments, the decisions of Trent on original sin, the remission of sins, transubstantiation, the Purgatory, the worship of icons, the indulgences and forgiveness, (indulgentia), the supremacy of the Roman Catholic Church and the primacy of Pope. See for relevant source note 15 above The Greek College of Rome..., op. cit., 93. Dimitra Koukoura – Prof. of Homiletics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki7 Centro Pro Unione Bulletin CENTRO CONFERENCES N. 84 - Fall 2013 Moreover from the beginning of the twentieth century the relays of “evangelism” that glides towards proselytism had already passed to more dynamic communities that until today are spread with inconceivable pace all over the Global South 17 . The Center of gravity of Christianity from Europe and North America has already shifted to the South and the percentage of Christians between North and South had brought extraordinary changes at the Christian Atlas 18 . Within this reality, the open wound from the schism of West and East at the North Hemisphere, after a millennium it should have followed a real healing treatment. It is true that time acts most of times as the best doctor and heals deep wounds from the past. However, in many cases it is proved insufficient, when sadness and wondering keep them alive in memory: the Muslim conquerors grabbed violently the children of Orthodox, for changing them their faith and use them against their families. How was it possible also for Christians from West to vindicate their children 19 ? In this case the doctor who will heal the wound is the one who created it. This has really achieved it the Secretariat for the Cultural Collaboration. The experiences from people gained scholarships consist the most accurate and convincing evaluation of the educational project. During the period of the half century, the people who accepted this beneficence consists a long 17 Cf. LG, and “moreover, Catholics engaged in missionary work in the same territories as other Christians ought to know, particularly in these times, the problems and the benefits in their apostolate which derive from the ecumenical movement” UR, 10. 18 H. van BEEK, ed., Revisioning Christian Unity. The Global Christian Unity (Oxford: 2009), vii-ix. See also D.L. ROBERT, Boston University School of Theology, Witness and Unity in 21st Century World Christianity, Global Christian Forum Manado Meeting, Indonesia Meeting, 4-7 October, 2011: 2 http://goo.gl/2cfBS7 (URL Retrieved: March 20, 2015) 19 “Nessun’altra cosa e più atta a mutar il governo di una famiglia o città, che con l’ educazione contraria a quello” Opinion on the functioning of the Greek College of Rome, P. SAPRI, Opere, t. 6 (Helmstat: 1765)146, and TSIRPANLI, The Greek College..., 4. list of clergy high in authority from all the Eastern Orthodox and Ancient Oriental Orthodox Churches. Among them His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and lots of scholar teachers are included. On May 1976, when I had completed the first year of my postgraduate studies at Sorbonne and the Catholic Institute of Paris, I received a short letter from the Secretariat of that time because of the good news that I received a scholarship for my studies. Signature: Fr Pierre Duprey. Some months later I have met him, an authoritative, educated and approachable clergyman who told me very kindly: “I am glad that you have a classic and theological background and you are engaged with the language that Church Fathers used in their texts. I was impressed by your research plan, for the linguistic understanding of liturgical texts from the contemporary Greek -speaking and for this reason I recommended positively for your scholarship. When I had been studying in Athens, I had the same question with you”. The Secretariat had awarded a scholarship to a woman for a research program that was interdisciplinary. There was no involvement in the choice of my studies, the methodology of my research, the place of accommodation and certainly no trace of proselytism. Only consistent monthly payment of scholarship for four years from the young at this time clergyman fr Nikolaos Wyrwoll. One could say that the few woman awarded with scholarships might have not been included in a possible plan of “conversion”. However nor the huge amount of young students who were carrying studies of high level at well known Universities of Roman Catholic Church or at state universities in Italy, France, Belgium, Germany and Ireland never were a goal of confessional approach. Not even in the Colleges or the Foyers that they were staying. On May 2010 the Department of Theology of Aristotle University of Thessalonika organized a symposium in memory of the three years of the dormition of Bishop Pierre Duprey. Among the hundreds that were invited, fifty have succeeded to be present for expressing their gratitude and respect for their warm friend of Orthodox Pierre Duprey of blessed memory. They have also described their experiences from their studies, their professors and the people responsible for the Colleges or Foyers, the understanding they had shown for their Dimitra Koukoura – Prof. of Homiletics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki8 Centro Pro Unione Bulletin CENTRO CONFERENCES N. 84 - Fall 2013 adaptation, the encouragement for their tiredness, the joy for the progress in the field of studies and their following career. The Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Unity with its educational program adopted an effective healing treatment. It didn’t base on oblivion but on the healing of memory. As far as the Orthodox circles are concerned that are still not convinced about the honest intentions and are afraid that the young people may loose their faith, the answer from the same scholars is breathtaking: not only we don’t loose our faith but we realize ours and we fortify it, because we meet people that have devoted their whole life on studies, editions, commentaries and translations of patristic and liturgical texts and often ask to know how they are experienced by the people of God and their spiritual leaders. Unquestionably, the people awarded scholarships were young in majority clergy or candidates to be clergy, obviously for serving with their knowledge later on the Inter church relations and the theological dialogue. Hereby from what is concluded, the women awarded with scholarships were few. However, mainly at the first decades before the fall of totalitarian regimes at Eastern and South East Europe, when consequently the number of clergy grant holders was broader, some portions from the budget of Secretariat were leaving for young women students. But even this small number of women added some color to the ordinary black and white picture. Of course and the selection of women was not irrelevant with the general spirit of the Synod. Obviously it was going hand in hand with the recognition of the role of laity in the life of Roman Catholic Church 20 , including women in a cultural context with increasing feminist 20 See the Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, “3. The laity derives the right and duty to the apostolate from their union with Christ the head; incorporated into Christ’s Mystical Body through Baptism and strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit through Confirmation, they are assigned to the apostolate by the Lord Himself. They are consecrated for the royal priesthood and the holy people (cf. 1 Peter 2:4-10) not only that they may offer spiritual sacrifices in everything they do but also that they may witness to Christ throughout the world. The sacraments, however, especially the most holy Eucharist, communicate and nourish that charity which is the soul of the entire apostolate. (...) On all Christians therefore is laid the preeminent responsibility of working to make the divine message of salvation known and accepted by all men throughout the world.(...) 9. The laity carries out their manifold apostolate both in the Church and in the world. In both areas there are various opportunities for apostolic activity”. pressures. Τhe requests “pray, pay, obey” which confined in the past the participation of women in the community and the three K’s: “die Küche, die Kirche, die Kinder” that defined their roles in the society in the twentieth century did not have significant impact. The contribution of women at the decisions of Vatican II took place at the stage of the preparatory period. The Permanent Committee for International Congress of the Lay Apostolate had been nominated by the Pope Pius XXIII that included prominent women from the Catholic Action who in collaboration with the World Union of Catholic Women’s Association have been elaborating at long term relevant issues and have contributed on the formation of decisions of Lumen Gentium and Gaudium et Spes. At plenary sessions of Vatican II, as it is highlighted 21 there was not any woman speaker, only in September of 1965 fifteen nuns and lay women as auditors, who became twenty three until the end 22 . Nearly twenty more women are being added to the audience experts in bioethics, worldwide famine and peace movements. After the end of the Synod the Roman Catholic Church had shown that she had recognised multiple talents of women and created for them a place for the Mission of the Church, for the multiplication of their talents with diverse important roles. It is enough to compare the number of students and professors at Catholic Universities before the Synod with the today’s reality: in the past women needed special allowance for entering libraries, whereas today, most of them teach 23 . Unitatis Redintegratio, Decree on ecumenism, beyond other things encouraged the participation of the 21 Dr Donna Orsuto, director of the Lay Center at Foyer Unitas in Rome, Professor at the Institute of Spirituality of the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, Italy. 2 http://goo.gl/LhHRFN (URL Retrieved: March 20, 2015) 22 A.VALERIO, Madri del Concilio. Ventitré donne al Vaticano II (Roma: Carocci, 2012) ii. 23 Orsuto did note that «the wheels are slowly grinding in the direction of an expanded role, even in Rome. Once upon a time, she noted, women needed special permission just to use the library at a pontifical university such as the Gregorian; today, she and other women are valued members of the faculty» 2 http://goo.gl/LhHRFN (URL Retrieved: March 20, 2015) Dimitra Koukoura – Prof. of Homiletics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki9 Centro Pro Unione Bulletin CENTRO CONFERENCES N. 84 - Fall 2013 Roman Catholic Church at the ecumenical movement 24 . In 1965 the Joint Working Group set up with equal number of member of WCC and Roman Catholic Church, for discussing issues of common interest and promoting collaboration on a permanent basis. Henceforth Vatican proceeded as a full member at the theological Commission on “Faith and Order” as well as at “Mission and Unity” with a counseling capacity. Also it supports the ecumenical institute of Bossey and works in common in the group of interfaith dialogue and of collaboration 25 . In 1981 the Commission on Faith and Order of WCC organised a historical Conference at Sheffield in England, which elaborated the answers of questionnaires that the Committee had sent to the member churches of WCC before three years. The content of questions concerned was about generally the position of woman within the Eucharist community, the modern Hermeneutics of Holy Scripture and the interpretation of the tradition for the possibility of ordination of women and the redistribution of authority and power not only to men but also to women 26 . The issue of women’s ordination had already been discussed at WCC from the first Assembly of 1948, whereas in 1975 at Nairobi in the fifth Assembly, there were already several ordained women from some protestant churches 27 . This was a dominant issue at all theological discussion and as it goes challenged all their members to give their own answers. From the extended catalogue of Sheffield that had been set towards the Orthodox interlocutors we can summarize the following: Which is the place of woman in the life of your church? Why at the Orthodox delegations women are not included? Why women’s ordination is excluded? The Orthodox representatives at the beginning were surprised from the pressing questions of their 24 “Today, in many parts of the world, under the inspiring grace of the Holy Spirit, many efforts are being made in prayer, word and action to attain that fullness of unity which Jesus Christ desires. The Sacred Council exhorts all the Catholic faithful to recognize the signs of the times and to take an active and intelligent part in the work of ecumenism” UR, 4. 25 2 http://goo.gl/CcPrG3 (URL Retrieved: March 20, 2015) 26The Community of Men and Women in the Church, The Sheffield Report, Sheffield 1981 (Geneva: WCC, 1983). 27 Metr. G. LYMOURIS, “Woman in Dialogue within the Orthodoxy and the Ecumenical Movement in the 20 th Century. A Historical Survey,” KANON (2001) 1-24. interlocutors and the insisting argumentation of feminist women for the reconsideration of history “through the eyes of women” and were answering spontaneously: “in our Church men and women have the same faith and perception of their salvation”. The interlocutors then were asking: “if this really happens, why this is not applied at the life of the church? And why they don’t participate to the dialogue, in order to explain us their position?” The one side was answering for the essential and the other side for its application in our times. In the rumble of questions about the place of woman in the Orthodox Church and issue of ordination, in 1974 an Inter Orthodox Conference was convened at Chambésy, where only clergy and lay men participated. Regarding their fuller participation in the life of church, it was recognized that women can offer their talents with many ways such as the charity and catechism work. As for the ordination issue, it was stated that the Orthodox Church hasn’t discussed it yet. The inter-Orthodox discussions for women issues continued the following year with their participation, sponsored by WCC. These were culminated with the historical inter Orthodox conference of Rhodes that Ecumenical Patriarchate convened the autumn of 1988, with the topic: “The role of woman in the Orthodox Church and issues related to her ordination”. The interest of all members of the Conference, one third of them being women, an unprecedented percentage, turned directly to the better participation of laity in the life of church, meaning the automatic upgrade and broadening the role of women in multiple activities at parishes and dioceses. The possibilities and roles described analytically reflect as much as possible except the populous Diaspora at North West Hemisphere and the Orthodox world at Russia and South East Europe before the fall of totalitarian regimes and the Middle East during the bloodiest civil war in Lebanon. There is a long reference at the importance of monastic women communities and an encouragement for the institutional renewal of deaconess. The ordination of women had not been an issue of vivid discussion, because it was not an innate problem of church communities. In contrary, the voices for broadening the participation of laity in the life of church were loud. The obligatory percentage men-women at all initiatives of WCC, as requested from its regulations, in accordance with similar decisions of U.N ,pushed several Orthodox to nominate women delegates at tasks of WCC, under different capacities. In the environment of WCC, “the Orthodox women theologians” consisted a “rare and intriguing species”, which was treated with respect, interest and readiness to be offered every moral support needed in case she declared Dimitra Koukoura – Prof. of Homiletics, Aristotle University of ThessalonikiNext >