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Jerving Catholics in
I
News & Herald
Western North Carolina
in the
Diocese of Charlotte
Volume
2
Number 32
•
April 23, 1993
he Joy Of Easter.
Catholics, Lutherans Join
To
Celebrate Strides Toward Unity By
CAROL HAZARD Associate Editor
CHARLOTTE — Marking an
his-
some 300 Lutherans and Catholics came together April 15 at St.
Crumley
Gabriel Catholic Church for a "dialogue
Commission and a board member of the Institute for Ecumenical Research,
supper" to celebrate and renew a convenant between the two churches. The covenant between the Dioceses of Charlotte and Raleigh and the Lutheran Synod of North Carolina was
we can
said. "It has to
bother us to
and lay people from both denomina-
be a sense of urgency
tions.
Crumley said. "Loyality to our Lord mustjnean we do everything we can
is
has led to the conclusion that "Lutherans and Roman Catholics are trying to say the same
n buried." John 19:41.
Crumley
say
lemma is "not a simple one," there should
at the international level
tomb where Jesus was buried. The replica was built on the altar for Easter. "Now in the :e where he had been crucified there was a garden and a new tomb in which no one had
Dr.
gathering in the diocese involving clergy
Although remarkable progress has been made in achieving unity between the two churches, the main division continues to be the inability to share the Lord's Supper together, said Dr. Crumley, the keynote speaker. There is convergence, but not consensus on the subject, he said. Dialogue
of
becomes blasphemous to
body and blood of Christ." Although the solution
lumbia.
in Charlotte grace a replica
it
we can not go to the table together,"
yet can't kneel together and receive the
a very contemporary occasomething that would have happened even a few years ago," said the Rev. Dr. James R. Crumley Jr., former bishop of the Lutheran Church in America and Distinguished Visiting Professor of Ecumenism at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Co-
Thomas Aquinas Church
"To me, say
logues at the international level. The dialogue supper was the first large-scale
"This
at St.
Strasbourg, France.
signed Pentecost Sunday 1991 in response to Lutheran/Roman Catholic dia-
sion, not
wers along a waterfall
Active in ecumenical efforts, Dr. is the chairperson of the International Lutheran-Roman Catholic
toric occasion,
thing about the Lord is
truly present,"
'
he
s
believe in Jesus Christ and
to the di-
in resolving
it,
under the Spirit's guidance to get gether and meet together in
full
Dr.
to-
com-
munion
as God's people." Despite this sticking point, the two churches have found ways to "reach
across walls" that have divided them for
Crumley. "All of us recognize that division wounds the church and wounds the body of Christ." Dr. Crumley, who was ordained in centuries, said Dr.
1951, said the Lutheran and Catholic
was in seminary was "an impossible one." There was no rappoire or consensus except on liturgirelationship while he
cal points that neither church could claim,
he said.
The door was opened by the Second Vatican Council, he said. Thus began changes that have led to unity no one
Supper; that Christ
See Unity, Page 3
said.
(See story and another picture on Page 16)
Photo by
JOANN KEANE
100 Years Young.
ope
Tells Visiting
Catholics
Committed To Unity
VATICAN CITY (CNS) ^holic
Lutherans
—
The Church remains "irrevocably
"imitted" to restoring full unity
with
unity," he said. Christian churches
should "pursue that ecumenical journey together," he added.
Pope John Paul II told of Lutheran visitors from Swe-
"By our persistent prayer, sincere and honest dialogue, and common defense of the authentic religious and ethi-
The best way of accompli shing unity hrough prayer, dialogue and com-
cal values rooted in the Gospel, let us
;r
Christians,
['oup
defense of the Gospel's message, aid April 17.
n,i
The pope said Easter recalled the that the first group of Christians fP heard the news of Jesus' resurrecwas a single community a comj I
—
hion that has "sadly been fractured" !*jr the centuries. "I
wish to reassure you that the
Jpolic Church remains irrevocably Emitted to restoring that full visible
remain confident that God will bring to completion the good work that he has already begun in us," he said. The pope said he recalled with great joy the ecumenical service held at the Vatican in 1991 to commemorate the 600th anniversary of the canonization of St. Bridgit of Sweden. That prayer service with Lutheran bishops demonstrated a "rich common heritage, which Catholics and Lutherans share and which we must continue to foster," he said.
Mercy
McGarry receives a congratulatory hug from Mercy Sister Theophane community celebbrates Sister Jarlath's 100th birthday. (See story on Page 3)
Sister Jarlath
Field as the
Photoby
JOANN KEANE