The Joint Committee of Orthodox and Catholic Bishops met on May
22-24, 2016 at the Saint Methodios Faith and Heritage Center in
Contoocook, NH.
The Joint Committee was established in 1981 by the Standing
Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in America, now the Assembly of
Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States, and by the United
States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The Joint Committee is the first
formal gathering of Orthodox and Catholic bishops blessed and supported
by both churches, and is co-chaired by His Eminence Cardinal Sean
O’Malley of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston and His Eminence
Metropolitan Methodios of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Boston.
The purpose of the Joint Committee is to contribute to the
restoration of full communion between the Orthodox Church and the
Catholic Church. In their mission statement, the bishops said that they
will address together topics related to the pastoral life and witness of
the churches. Among the common statements that the Joint Committee has
issued, include: Ordination (1988), Pastoral Statement on Orthodox/Roman
Catholic Marriages (1990), and On Catholic-Orthodox Dialogue at the
Dawn of the New Millennium (2000).
The bishops received a summary of the work of the Joint Committee
by Fr. Ron Roberson of the USCCCB and on the work of the North American
Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation by Fr. Brian Daley of Notre
Dame University. Moreover, the Reverend Archdeacon John Chryssavgis of
the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America presented a summary and a
reflection on the upcoming Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox
Church.
The Hierarchs expressed their hopes and prayers for the Holy and
Great Council, which will be convened by His All-Holiness Ecumenical
Patriarch Bartholomew on the island of Crete from June 16-27, 2016.
Recognizing the importance of the Holy and Great Council for the common
Christian witness of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, the Joint
Committee expressed its hopes “that unity among the local autocephalous
Orthodox Churches will greatly benefit the quest for unity and communion
between Catholics and Orthodox.”
The Joint Committee also addressed the ongoing and worsening
humanitarian crisis in the Middle East. The bishops acknowledged the
escalation of violence against Christians, which has been described by
the US Congress as genocide. Moreover, the bishops expressed their
gratitude to those countries “that have embraced the countless refugees
and migrants during this time.” They also encouraged all people of faith
to entreat the Lord God, Who is not a God of disorder, but of Peace (1
Cor. 14:33), to fill those who are afflicted with His joy and peace.
For more information about the Joint Committee of Orthodox and Catholic Bishops, including its current membership, see:
USCCB.org and
AssemblyofBishops.org
The complete texts of the Joint Committee’s Statements can be found below and as attachments.
The Mission of the Joint Committee of Orthodox and Catholic Bishops
In response to our Lord’s prayer to His Father regarding His
disciples “that they be one as you and I are one” (John 17:22), the
Joint Committee of Orthodox and Catholic Bishops was established in 1981
by the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in America,
now the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States, and
by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. This committee was
the first formal gathering of Orthodox and Catholic bishops blessed and
supported by both churches.
The committee will contribute to the restoration of full communion
between the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church, which had existed
for the first one thousand years of Christianity, by:
• providing opportunities for the bishops to discuss together issues related to the pastoral life and witness of the churches;
• publishing statements of common concern which address issues of significance for our churches and our society;
• encouraging members of
the Orthodox and Catholic Churches, both clergy and laity, to contribute
to the restoration of full communion through prayer, theological
reflection, and common witness in the society.
The committee will consider the pastoral implications of the work
of the North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation which
was established in 1965 and the Joint International Commission for
Theological Dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox
Church which was established in 1979.
Lastly, the committee will forward to the Executive Committee of
the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States and to
the Administrative Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic
Bishops the result of its work for review and appropriate response.
Joint
Committee of Orthodox and Catholic Bishops in the United States Express Wishes
and Prayers for the Holy & Great Council
During their meeting, the members of the Joint
Committee of Orthodox and Catholic Bishops discussed the six preparatory
documents on the agenda of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church.
The members of the Committee expressed their joy and hope at the convening of
this historic event that will take place in Crete, during the feast of
Pentecost, which the Orthodox Church celebrates this year on June 19th.
The Committee highlighted the pastoral dimension of the preparatory documents
regarding the role and life of Christians in today’s world. We pray
wholeheartedly for the success of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox
Church, and are confident that unity among the local autocephalous Orthodox
Churches will greatly benefit the quest for unity and communion between
Catholics and Orthodox.
Joint
Committee of Orthodox and Catholic Bishops Express Prayers for
Middle East Humanitarian Crisis
We, the members of the Joint Committee of Orthodox and Catholic Bishops,
established in 1981, discussed the escalating humanitarian crisis in
the Middle East during our meeting held on May 22-24. This blessed
region is both the cradle of ancient civilizations and the sacred
homeland of Christianity for over two millennia. Moreover, the peoples
of these lands, each with their diverse ethnic and religious
backgrounds, have by and large lived as good neighbors and with
fraternal love and respect.
In concert with Pope Francis, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew,
Patriarch Kyrill of Moscow and all Russia, and Archbishop Ieronymos of
Athens and all Greece, we call the attention of the world to this grave
humanitarian crisis and plead for its resolution. Aid must be assured to
the afflicted people seeking safety in neighboring lands.
The escalation of violence against Christians has recently been
described by the US Congress as genocide. Along these lines, we remind
the world that such acts of violence are not limited to Christians, but
are experienced by the numerous vulnerable ethnic and religious
communities in the region.
We call upon the international community to draw courage from the Gospel
and serve as facilitators of reconciliation and peace by using
diplomatic, humanitarian, and other peaceful means to reestablish the
conditions for harmonious coexistence among people. This process should
also encourage the safe return of those who were uprooted from their
homes and forced into exile due to violence. We express our gratitude to
those countries that have embraced the countless refugees and migrants
during this time, and urge other countries to emulate their example.
Recognizing that human efforts alone cannot fully ensure the end of
violence and the promotion of peace in the world, we encourage all
people of faith to entreat the Lord God, Who is not a God of disorder,
but of Peace (1 Cor. 14:33), to fill with His joy and peace those who
are afflicted, as we continue to trust in Him (Rom 15:13).
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