Dialogue between Roman Catholic and Old Catholic Church continues

Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, together with Msgr. Matthias Türk, the delegation of the Old Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Union of Utrecht was received for an interview in Rome. The Old Catholic Archbishop Joris Vercammen delegation comprised Chairman of the Old Catholic Bishops 'Conference of the Union of Utrecht, Prof. Urs von Arx, University of Bern, and the Rev. Joan L. Jebelean from Lucerne, ecumenical officer of the Old Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Union of Utrecht.

The representatives of the two churches informed each other about the reception of the report "Church and Community Church" of the International Joint Commission Römisch-katholisch/Alt-katholischen . The conversation took place in a very cordial and trusting atmosphere. It is understood that it was chosen with the work of the Commission's "Dialogue in Truth and Love" managed to create a new basis of mutual trust, which will be further expanded.

There was an exchange about the current state of ecumenical talks between the two churches with other churches. The reasoning of the Old Catholic side, possibly to act as observers in the Old Catholic / Roman Catholic dialogues with the Orthodox and Anglicans, is checked with the dialogue partners.

It was further noted that the issue is the relationship between universal and local Church is the most important problem of the dialogue. This ratio should be related to the primacy issue here. Even the early church consensus "no Eucharist community without a church community" deserves more attention, listening in connection with the discussions between the Catholic Diocese of Old Catholics in Germany and the Evangelical Church in Germany, which took place in 1985 and to an "agreement on a reciprocal invitation have led to participate in the celebration of the Eucharist. " Even the church communion between Anglicans and Old Catholics should be addressed. Other topics to be addressed are the issues of women's ordination and the Marian dogmas.

Finally, the delegations agreed to continue the work of the Commission the text of "Church and Community Church." A new international dialogue commission will start working in early 2012. In addition, the text "Church and Community Church" will soon be in English and French are available.