Reconciliation nearer for Catholics and Orthodox

FROM ALAN McELWA1N IN VATICAN CITY
HE prospect of Catholics and adherents of the Eastern Orthodox church, which broke with Rome in 1054 over the question of Papal supremacy, worshipping and receiving Holy Communion. together, is getting nearer.
Prelates and theologians of both communities have been meeting regularly since Pope Paul and Patriarch Athenagoras 1, leader of the 137 million member Eastern Orthodox Rite, exchanged the "kiss of peace" in Jerusalem during the Pope's historic Holy Land visit in 1964.
Recently, in a letter to Pope Paul, the Patriarch wrote: "Just as, in the course of history, we have moved towards division, so now, through a new experience of life, we are called to advance towards perfect unity and all of us. together. are called to the euchariStic table."
Addressing the Pope as "Elder Brother", Patriarch Athenagoras declared his firm intention to continue, and to conclude, the work which. "by common wish, we have initiated and made grow, the work, that is, of rendering visible and making manifest to the world, the one, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ."
'Ibere was a great desire of the faithful in the East and the West, unanimously to cherish the communion of the truth of the faith, and of its confession. which was celebrated and accomplished, in the "common holy chalice," the Patriarch said.
Cardinal Jean Willebrands, head of the Vatican Secretariat for Christian Unity. commenting on the Patriarch's letter in the Vatican newspaper Osscrvalor,. Romano, said it contained statements of the greatest importance for the further. increase of communion between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches.
"Communion by common chalice will be the act of expressing and sealing the cornplete reconciliation between the Catholic Church ' and the Orthodox Church. and it will be the token and the achievement of full communion", he said. "It will be the mark of the great day. Its approach is emphasised in his letter by the
Patriarch with prophetic vision." The Patriarch's declaration has followed a letter Pope Paul sent him in February.
Cardinal Willebrands stressed that the ground for subsequent unity must be well prepared on both sides. Local situations must be weighed carefully as well as possible consequences.
In particular. a previous agreement with the national orthodox churches on unity with Rome must he ensured. Orthodox national churches are independent of each other.
The Greek Orthodox Church has actively opposed any rapprochement with Rome, but the Vatican has established good relations with the Russian Orthodox Church.
In turn, Pope Paul will need to have his bishops' approval for reconciliation with the East.
Cardinal Willebrands points out that there is already a solid basis for reconciliation in that both the Catholic and Orthodox churches have always recognised as valid the apostolic priesthood and the sacrament of the Eucharist.
Some obstacles still remain, Cardinal Willebrands said, hut all these may be surmounted "if we allow ourselves to be guided by the Holy Spirit."