Catholic Common Ground Initiative

From Revd John Abberton Sir, Thank you, for publishing Cardinal Hume's address (albeit edited) on the Common Ground Initiative.
For many years I have been dismayed at the simplistic disagreements and disunity in the Church as a "conservative/liberal" division. Such labels remain damaging and completely fail to do justice to the complexities of human nature and community/society, not to mention the complicated relationships between spirituality, psychology and human relationships.
With reference to Cardinal Bernardin's noble failure, there remains something deeply moving about his personal desire to see the American Catholic Church united in mission. There was always something missing, and it was a robust and confident acceptance of Papal authority. We can see why this would have been a problem for the American initiative since the Church there is often perceived as dividing sharply on the question of authority.
Cardinal Hume's address deserves to be printed in a worthy form, to be kept and referred to both in prayer and in discussions. As a deeply spiritual appeal from a holy pastor it deserves to become part of our national Catholic heritage. The centrality of Christ is obvious, but needs our constant attention. The importance of spirituality is also obvious but we are so easily dissuaded from it into fruitless and seemingly endless discussions and halfbaked activity.
I hope the late Cardinal's appeal for respectful dialogue will be accepted not only abroad but especially here, and that his words about prayer and reverence for the Real Presence will inspire many to seek God first in all things, so that our desires will be for the fulfilment of his will and not simply our own agendas.
Many of us are desperately seeking true renewal in the Christian life and this means above all, the Church. The only way is by means of the straight but demanding road of prayer, including humble and joyful devotion to Christ in the Eucharist. It is in him that we truly find each other.
Yours faithfully, JOHN ABBERTON, Bradford, Yorks.
The full text of Cardinal Hume's addresses on the Common Ground Initiative, and on Collegiality are available from the Catholic Media Office: details on P5.