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PAGE 2 — The Georgia Bulletin, May 14, 1987 Cardinal Willebrands In Atlanta Quest For Unity Involves Suffering BY GRETCHEN KEISEK HONORED — Cardinal Johannes Willebrands, left, is shown with Father John H. McDonnell, president of the National Associa tion of Diocesan Ecumenical Offiers, after receiving the organization’s annual Fitzgerald Award for ecumenism during the National Workshop on Christian Unity in Atlanta. A passion for Christian unity means suffering at times, said Cardinal Jo hannes Willebrands, who has been at the heart of Catholic ecumenism for more than a quarter cen tury. Passion "can mean the movement of the heart and can mean suffering,” Car dinal Willebrands said May 5. "Often we are called to a task we have not foreseen and for which we are not prepared.” Cardinal Willebrands, president of the Vatican WG're Making Sure Supply Never Falls Short Of Demand. Were all pulling to attract new business to Georgia, But to remain a strong contender, we must assure those compan ies that there will be plenty of electricity to go around. Or they will go elsewhere. Along wit h the extra jobs, the extra paychecks, and the boost to Georgia's economy. That's why we're determined to make sure our electricity supply continues to be one of this state's most powerful attractions. Georgia Power mL We Can't Let You Down Secretariat for Christian Unity since 1969 and secretary of that office through the 1960s, delivered two addresses in Atlanta May 5. In the morning he keynoted the National Workshop on Christian Uni ty, and at noon he spoke at a luncheon of Catholic diocesan ecumenical di rectors attending the work shop In his luncheon address he linked suffering with ecumenism. In Nazi concentration camps, he said, Christians of different denominations who “once persecuted each other, now stood together for the common faith even to the shedding of blood.” Recognizing one another as followers of Christ led to the first stirrings of ecumenical dialogue in Europe after World War II, said the 77-year-old Dutch cardinal, who traces his own involvement in ecumenism to 1946. "We should not underestimate the significance of these events.” The link of love for unity and suffering or passion goes back to Christ's own life, he said, recalling that it was "on the eve of his pas sion and death that he prayed for unity among his disciples and among those who believe in him.” Cardinal Willebrands re jected the idea that modern divisions among churches are only a matter of church structure, not of faith. "In some real way we are divid ed about Christ himself,” he said. "He is the source of the unity ... but on the other hand we have made him a sign of contradiction by the way we use his Gospel.” The cardinal, who receiv ed the National Association of Diocesan Ecumenical Of ficers' ecumenism award at the luncheon, told the Catholic ecumenists that "I too share your vocation to suffer into unity .... Christ suffered for unity. At times so will we. We must not forget that.” In his address to the na tional workshop. Cardinal Willebrands recalled one of the key debates during the Second Vatican Council over a passage in the coun cil’s “Dogmatic Constitu tion on the Church.” As a result of the debate, he said, the council moved from earlier wording say ing that the church of Christ “is” the Catholic Church to new wording that said the church of Christ "subsists in” the Catholic Church. That change, he said, reflected a more profound understanding of the "mystery of grace" and the “implications of belonging to Christ.” The text adopted bv the council reflects that "in the Catholic Church is found the whole of the revealed gift and the fullness of the means of salvation,” he said. At the same time the council avoided declaring the Catholic Church “self- sufficient or morally superior.” he said. The use of the phrase “subsists in” indicated that Christ's church in the world “goes beyond the visible limits of the Catholic Church” although "beyond these limits it does not have the full force” of the Catholic Church's spiritual and hierarchical gifts, he said. The phrase “subsists in” also reflects an un derstanding of degrees of unity or communion in the church, he said. "The move ment toward full unity is built by divine grace. The church of Christ will grow in unity day by day to the end of the ages,” he said. All who are "of Christ” are (by that very fact in some way “of the church," he said. BY JERRY FILTEAl WASHINGTON (NC)- Of all the ecumenical ad vances since the Second Vatican Council, the most important is “that we pray together,” Cardinal Johan nes Willebrands said May 8. "The Second Vatican Nearly 500 ecumenical leaders from some 15 to 20 denominations gathered at Council said that spiritual ecumenism is at the heart of everything,” said the cardinal, who since 1969 has headed the Vatican’s Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity. Other noteworthy ecu menical advances since Vatican II, he said, are the national workshop for practical training and workshops in ecumenism. grass-roots attitudinal changes — from hatred and distrust of those in other churches to love and caring for them — and solid pro gress in the numerous theological dialogues be tween the churches. Cardinal Willebrands, visiting several Eastern U.S. cities in early May, spoke in Washington at The Catholic University of America. In a question-and-answer period after his talk, the cardinal was asked to cite evidence that there really has been ecumenical pro gress since the council. "I would say there is very deep and great progress in the everyday life and the at titude of all Christians,” he said. Before the council, Catholics and other Chris tians "avoided each other” and at times “even rejoiced in the difficulties of other Christian communities,” he said. Now, “if there is suffer ing in another Christian body, we all suffer with it,” he said. “There is a very different mentality from 25 years ago regarding rela tions with non-Catholics.... I consider this as very substantial progress which I can explain only through the working of the Holy Spirit and not as a result of theological discussions.” A second major point of progress since Vatican II, Cardinal Willebrands said, was that ‘‘through our theological dialogues, we have been able to explain clearly what our dif ferences are.” First Communion Confirmation Graduation GIFTS FOR ALL OCCASIONS C^allicjraping Serviced -y4i/ai(al(e C^udtom invitations Snvelope Set. Loehmann’s Plaza 8610 Roswell Road Atlanta, Georgia 30338 993-7554 “Total Pre-Arrangement* A Solution- For Complete Information About Our Cemetery Call Family Counselors: SE Habla Espanol Ricardo DeLeon, 432-5845 Bill Jones, 432-5863 Westview Cemetery, Inc. Sharian Inc. Carpet & Rug Cleaning We Pick-Up & Deliver Prompt —Efficient & Courteous Servin' Premium Quality 368 West Ponce De Leon Ave. Decatur, Ga. 373-2274 Low Cost Term Life Insurance SOMMERS/ MORELANDS ASSOC. 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