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Meeting in Rome marked the 50th anniversary of the Joint Working Group between the Roman Catholic Church and the WCC. © Centro Pro Unione

Meeting in Rome marked the 50th anniversary of the Joint Working Group between the Roman Catholic Church and the WCC. © Centro Pro Unione

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“The World Council of Churches (WCC) is grateful for new momentum in collective efforts to manifest our common faith in God the creator and our commitment to common service,” said the WCC general secretary, Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, as he spoke at the 50th anniversary gathering of a joint WCC-Roman Catholic group.

The WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit was speaking at a 23 June ceremony in the Centro Pro Unione in Rome to mark 50 years of the WCC and Roman Catholic Church’s ecumenical endeavors through their Joint Working Group (JWG).

“The unity agenda remains at the heart of all our efforts for common witness and contributions to ensure more justice and peace for people and creation,” said Tveit addressing a group of Roman Catholic leaders in the Italian capital.

“We are grateful and even proud of 50 years as a working group between these great major ecumenical instruments in the world, the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the World Council of Churches,” he noted.

“Reflecting on these past 50 years, we should be encouraged by the collaboration which the Joint Working Group has promoted, not only in ecumenical issues, but also in the areas of inter-religious dialogue, peace and social justice, and works of charity and humanitarian aid,” said Pope Francis in his message to Tveit.

“I encourage the Joint Working Group to further its discussion on crucial ecumenical issues and, at the same time, to promote ways for Christians to testify together to the real, though imperfect, communion shared by all the baptized,” said Pope Francis.

In his message the WCC general secretary said, through last week’s publication of the Papal encyclical Laudato Si:

“This is why we care for earth as our common home, as Pope Francis calls us to do, with his encyclical, affirming what we have done in our respective churches, and in WCC initiatives over many years.”

Church leaders are celebrating 50 years of work of the JWG during the week of 22-24 June, in the Italian capital.

The JWG is one of the ecumenical legacies of improved relations among churches growing from the Second Vatican Council.

It has worked since 1965 in coordinating activities of the WCC, its member churches, related ecumenical bodies and the Catholic commissions and councils engaged in theological discourse and common action throughout the world.

“It is our responsibility to foster relationships between the Roman Catholic Church and the fellowship of member churches which is the WCC, and to use the significant ways we have to address issues of community, of cooperation, of common interests, of shared concerns, or even issues of controversy or conflict,” said Tveit.

Likening the work of the JWG to city maintenance, Tveit said it needs upkeep and it must be used to deal with issues relating to community, cooperation, common interests, shared concerns and even controversy or conflict.

He turned to areas where more work on Christian unity is needed.

“Looking at the present state of the ecumenical landscape and the world at large, we have to confess that divisions among Christians are there, that we are not sharing the gifts of the Triune God and the fruits of the works of our hands through the holy Eucharistic fellowship.”

While common purpose has been achieved between Roman Catholics and those in WCC member churches on baptism, the Roman Catholic Church does not allow shared Eucharist.

Tveit said there needs to be an awareness “of this deeper theological reading of our context” in a new phase of cooperation.

“What we do cannot have, is business as usual. It must be an expression of our faith and a witness to the love of God revealed in Christ.”

The working group is co-moderated by Metropolitan and Archbishop Nifon of Targoviste from the Romanian Orthodox Church, a member of the WCC central and executive committees, and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of the Catholic Church.

Archbishop Nifon emphasized the importance of continuing the dialogue and working with actual and diaconal challenges in the JWG.

Over the past 50 years, Roman Catholics have become full members of the Faith and Order Commission coordinated by the WCC.

They have provided staff in the WCC areas of evangelization and theological education and sent observer delegations to participate in WCC assemblies and other major conferences.

Reciprocal arrangements have been implemented, with active Orthodox and Protestant participation in Catholic forums.

Pope’s message to the WCC

Radio Vaticana interview with the WCC general secretary

A personal testimony by Bishop Jonas Jonson

Joint Working Group: 50 years of mutual commitment (WCC feature article of 22 June 2015)

More information on cooperation between the WCC and the Vatican