Interview with the Bp. Ludwig Michael Jaklonski, of the Mariavite Old Catholics

[please forgive my poor translation]

The last, 26 meetings of the mixed committee for theological dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Old Catholic Church Mariavites has held in Wloclawek.

Those who took part in the dialogue were Michael Bishop Louis Mary Jablonski (Old Catholic Church's chief bishop Mariavites RP, Bishop of the Diocese of Warsaw-Plock), Bishop Bronislaw Dembowski (Professor papal theological faculty in Warsaw). The ceremonial meeting was also attended by Bishop Piotr Libera of Plock.

CONVERSATION WITH Maria Ludwig Michael Jablonski

Rafal Kowalski: Did the deliberations of the committee bring the Roman Catholic and Mariavite Old Catholic communities nearer or more further apart?

Michael Bishop Louis Mary Jablonski: The differences remained. The Roman Catholic Church continues to uphold the decision of 1906 of excommunication St.Mary Frances Kozlowska, founder of the Mariavites. Although it was emphasized that the excommunication does not apply to now living Mariavites. We, in turn, do not accept the findings of Vatican Council I concerning the primacy and infallibility of the pope.This does not mean that there is a gulf between us. On the contrary, one and the other party are of the opinion to emphasize what is common. Mariavites and Roman Catholics recognize seven such sacraments, celebrate Mass., Adoring the Blessed Sacrament, veneration of Our Lady. At the same time celebrate Christmas, Easter and Corpus Christi. It is worth quoting the words of Mary Frances Kozlowska: "How the hope in the coming of the Messiah-King of the Jews failed, faith in the dogmas of the division of nations, so love unites all." And at the end of the meeting the committee hear words referring to the reconciliation of Christians: "We believe and confess together that reconciliation, if it occurs, is not only our human work, but primarily the work of the Holy Spirit.".

As Bishop how do you react, to seeing Roman Catholics coming to the temple to pray Mercy and Love?

- I see nothing surprising in this. They are attracted by the atmosphere of our church and know that God is one. In every temple of the Christian cross hanging reminiscent of the saving sacrifice of the Son of God. I think it dispels doubts Skępego annual pilgrimage to which a number of years stopped briefly in front of our cathedral to honor the presence of the Eucharist, the Saviour of the World. It is worth noting that our temple invariably attracts tourists and płocczan. You should have seen the crowds of participants walking holiday, which was organized recently.

Despite this, Bishop meets with Mariavites stereotypes?- Perhaps in Polish society, which is the dominant Roman Catholic church, still remembers the founder mariawityzmu only as a person was anathema, does not recognize her revelations - the work of the Grand Charity as a last resort for the world in reverence for the Blessed Sacrament and the invocation of Our Help of God. We continue to occur over time in some publications - or in the history of the parish, in which a Mariavitism - information that we heresy or sect. Mariawitom sometimes attributed to events that never took place. Here's an example. In the history of a parish located in Warsaw, was the information about the alleged burning of the church by Mariavites. By moving this matter at a meeting of the committee, Bishop Bronislaw Dembowski action and my humble self, managed to remove offensive Mariavites text. And one more thing: could hardly anyone knows, but close to us in the church of St. Bartholomew on one of the side altars placed an image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help offered by Saint. Frances Maria Kozlowska. It is our common Mother of God and let connects us all Christians.

From these negative voices on Mariavites?- Maybe there is lingering approach to minorities? Yes it is still, unfortunately, that when we see someone on the street with a different skin color, at least to wonder.But this is changing. Even in Plock, as evidenced by at least an annual week ecumenical, Catholic-mariawicka commission or pilgrimage to Skępego said. Yes, it happens that we smash the glass. But I hope it's only a hooligan behavior.

It is difficult to maintain such a large church?

- It is not easy. Effort to maintain the Temple of Mercy and Love with the monastery complex is incumbent upon all the faithful of our Church. In Plock, there are about a hundred. In 2014 we will celebrate our centenary building of the cathedral, and I hope that by then we will get sufficient funds to complete renovation of the monument. Needed are a lot of money, but I always have to have hope. Therefore I would like to express my gratitude to the authorities for the renovation of the existing Plock installation illuminating the dome of the temple and for bearing the costs of its maintenance. Due to these acts of vandalism I hope also that will be installed close monitoring.

Religions for Peace

This coming Thursday, 1 December 2011, the group "Religions for Peace" celebrates in Regensburg its 20th anniversary. Bishop Matthias Ring will attend the ceremony, which will take place in the ballroom of Regensburg Thon-Dittmer-Palais.Regensburg as a pastor he was Vice Chairman of RFP Regensburg.
The Religions for Peace group in Regensburg began with a common prayer for peace of over five hundred people of different faiths and religions on the eve of the Gulf War in 1991. Since then, the Regensburg group well over a hundred events have played in dialogue with religious communities in the city. The focus of the "RFP Regensburg group" is the monthly meeting with people of other religions in the religious centers of Regensburg. The multi-faith prayer for peace with participants from at least four major religions is the annual highlight of the meeting work. The Old Catholic Church is an active member since 1993. RFP is an international organization in 1970 as an accredited at the United Nations NGO (Non Governmental Organization) was constituted.

Bishop Dr. Ring at Jewish ordination ceremony

Rabbi Dr. Walter Homolka 

On 23 November  five graduates of Abraham Geiger College at the University of Potsdam Rabbis were ordained. The ordination ceremony was attended by Bishop Matthias Ring.

The Old Catholic Diocese has good and friendly relations with the Abraham Geiger College. The rector of the college, Dr. Walter Homolka, took part in the 2010 Episcopal consecration of Dr. Matthias Ring in Karlsruhe and spoke a word of blessing. The Pastoral Synod in Bad Herrenalb in 2000, took place  in the presence of Chief Rabbi Dr. Homolka, a clear acknowledgment of guilt for the failure of the Old Catholic Church in the era of National Socialism. The then Bishop Joachim VoBB then said in his speech to launch the request for forgiveness: "It was not just the fault of this or that Christians, this or that Old Catholics, the personal debt that the parties must agree with themselves or had . There was and is also the fault of the institution and its official representatives in official mission! It was founded by pastors and synodal bodies here and there hailed the dawn of the new era! It was the public position of some abused for praise of the leader. ... It was not stopped even before the Holy: Chance were sermons misused for propaganda, sacraments, to the exclusion of "Bishop VoBB emphasized at the time, with a few exceptions had to find a reasonably bold statements or at least clear delineation attempts of the Church in the period in question compared to the Nazis in vain. Bishop Matthias Ring has written a dissertation published in 2008 about the Old Catholic Church in Germany in the era of National Socialism.

Five years of lesbian and gay services in Karlsruhe

For five years, the Old Catholic Church in Karlsruhe is the host of the so-called "Queer services" that are held about every two months in the Old Catholic Church of the Resurrection. To mark the anniversary, Bp. Matthias  Ring attended the church service.

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.

German Old Catholic awarded for work in Rwanda

Old-Catholic Volunteer receives Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for volunteer work in Rwanda.

25-year-old Saskia Scholten wins along with 13 other young women and men of the Federal President Christian Wulff with the Medal of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. The ceremony will took place in the park of Schloss Bellevue. The awardees are all 25 to 31 years old. Overall, the President has invited 170 young people committed to the celebration. Saskia Scholten has worked in a special way for partnership working in Rwanda.

Saskia Scholten was born in 1986 in Landau. Their spiritual roots lie in the Old Catholic parishes in Landau and Karlsruhe. Since 1993 she is member of the German scouts St. George. "The scouts I've learned with open eyes to go through life, to look and me to form my opinion - but to stand and to act accordingly," said Ms. Scholten. She was one of 200,000 Scouts and Boy Scouts in Germany, the world would leave little better than they found them ..

In 2005, she went through a volunteer service for five months after Rwanda. There she has taught include AIDS orphans in English. She describes her experiences in a Rwanda-diary (published in Iatros-Verlag). The proceeds from the book sale is a social project for orphans in the twin city of Landau, Ruhango benefit. In January 2011, Ms. Scholten finished her psychology degree and continuing to make a psychological psychotherapist.

"I can hardly believe that I was just selected" as Saskia Scholten. "To a certain extent I take the Merit also representative of many Scouts and Girl Scout, and otherwise contrary to Committed."

The other awardees are committed to including environmental and climate change, international and intercultural youth work, in the prevention of sexual violence, for children of parents who died of AIDS in the volunteer fire department and in the international dialogue among Christian youth.

Bp. Alberto Ramento martyr, the bishop of the workers and peasants

This fall, Old Catholics in the Netherlands remember  the five years since Bishop Ramento was murdered in the Philippines. The Old Catholic Church in Amsterdam celebrates a Mass for Bishop Alberto B. Ramento and other martyrs for justice and peace.

That afternoon, a book about Bishop Ramento was presented as a small monument. It is a tribute to someone who was a shepherd for his people and set an example for everyone who has taken on ecclesiastical office.
Five years ago, Bishop Alberto Ramento killed for his testimony. With more conviction than ever the Philippine Independent Church chooses to stand on the side of the poor. Violence has an incompatible alliance with Christianity and those who are oppressed. The book is about this alliance. There are texts written by Bishop Ramento himself and others that followed his tragic death have brought their relationship into words. Our hope is that the publication of these texts in Dutch may encourage us all more to the "alliance": the poor in the Philippines in particular, and with all who suffer for righteousness in general.
The price of the book is 15.95 euro (excl. shipping). The next week will be ordered through the webshop. The bishops have requested during the service on October 9 not only to being the book to attention to the parish but also to bring Bishop Ramento and other martyrs for justice and peace to our prayers.

Its German title is: "Catholic at the time of globalization. In memory of Bishop Alberto Ramento martyr, the bishop of the workers and peasants". The book is also being translated into French.