Ecumenism and Canon Law
A Canon Lawyer's Perspective

by Pete Vere, JCL

Bishops, ecumenists, and canonists received a practical aid for implementing the Second Vatican Council’s teaching on ecumenism with the 1993 Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism.

This directory, published by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and approved by Pope John Paul II on March 25, 1993, provided practical norms for engaging in ecumenical prayer and dialogue with our separated Christian brethren. The directory is available in several languages, including English, at the Holy See’s website, www.vatican.va.

The Ecumenical Directory is not law in the strict sense of the word. Nevertheless, as an act of executive power within the Church, it is law in the broader sense of jurisprudence. Its purpose is to guide bishops, canonists, ecumenists and other Catholics—including laity like you and me—in understanding how to interpret the law when carrying out the Church’s ecumenical duties. It also provides a clear statement to the Church’s ecumenical partners of the Church’s commitment to Christian unity.

Following a simple structure, the directory encompasses 218 articles in its five chapters. The first chapter, “The Search for Christian Unity,” covers the Church’s commitment to ecumenism arising from the Second Vatican Council. The second chapter, “Organization in the Catholic Church at the Service of Christian Unity,” outlines the people and structures within the Church tasked with promoting ecumenism. The third chapter, as its title suggests, promotes “Ecumenical Formation in the Catholic Church.”

The final two chapters deal with the participation of Catholics in ecumenism. Chapter 4, entitled “Communion in Life and Spiritual Activity Among the Baptized,” outlines when Catholics are permitted to share in prayer and other spiritual activities with non-Catholic Christians. Chapter 5, “Ecumenical Cooperation, Dialogue and Common Witness,” guides Catholics when participating in other ecumenical activities, such as setting up a food bank with other local Christian communities or the publication of a joint statement between Catholics and evangelical Protestants on a topical issue, as was seen during Canada’s so-called “same-sex marriage” debate when Catholics and evangelical Protestants banded together to defend the traditional definition of marriage as an institution exclusive to one man and one woman.

Ecumenism vs. Interfaith Dialogue

It is important to distinguish between ecumenism and interfaith dialogue. Ecumenism pertains to prayer and religious dialogue between validly baptized Christians, although depending on the issue it may extend to our relationship with Jews as well. Dialogue with any other world religion (Sikhism, Hinduism, Islam, Mormonism, etc.) falls under the category of interfaith dialogue.

There are different levels of ecumenism depending upon the proximity of the body of separated Christians to the Catholic Church. For example, Catholics and the Orthodox share a mutual belief in the sacraments, hierarchical priesthood, and the intercession of the Blessed Mother. Thus the Ecumenical Directory recognizes the Eastern Orthodox and the Oriental Orthodox as belonging to Churches (ie. The Greek Orthodox Church, the Russian Orthodox Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church, etc.) Both the directory and the Code of Canon Law categorize these bodies of Christian believers as Eastern non-Catholic Churches. The expression “equivalent in law” (to an Eastern non-Catholic Church) is extended to the Polish National Catholic Church and other non-Eastern Christian denominations with valid orders and all seven sacraments.

On the other hand, Protestants and Anglicans fall into the category of ecclesial communions—a term that pertains to denominational groupings of validly baptized Christians who lack valid holy orders.* The potential for ecumenical activity between Catholics and members of ecclesial communions is much more restrictive than that between Catholics and members of Eastern non-Catholic Churches. For example, a Catholic may never approach an Anglican priest for Holy Communion. On the other hand, canon 844 permits a Catholic to approach an Eastern Orthodox priest for Holy Communion on special occasions or in a state of emergency such as a war or natural disaster, provided one can avoid the appearance of religious indifference.

The Ecumenical Commission

To facilitate and promote authentic ecumenical activity at the diocesan and parish level, the Ecumenical Directory recommends that every diocese have a commission or office that is representative of the diocese and includes clergy, religious, laity, and those with various areas of expertise.

This ecumenical commission is tasked with helping to facilitate ecumenism. This means the commission should work within existing ecumenical structures when available and establish these types of structure when they are not. It should also serve as a resource to other diocesan departments, parishes, institutes of consecrated life, and individual ecumenical initiatives promoted by faithful Catholics in conjunction with our separated brethren.

For example, in my hometown it is not uncommon for Catholics and evangelical Protestants to come together and pray for an end to abortion, pornography, and the corruption of young people. The Ecumenical Directly envisions the diocesan ecumenical council as a diocesan-wide resource for such initiatives. A similar commission, with similar functions, is to be established at the national level by the episcopal conference or synod of Eastern Catholic Churches. (See below for a list of additional functions of diocesan ecumenical commissions.)

Areas of Ecumenical Cooperation

The Ecumenical Directory suggests many possible areas for cooperation between Catholics and non-Catholic Christians. Many of these are practical and, indeed, there already exists much common ground.

For example, all Christians share a common love and respect for the Bible. Thus Scripture scholarship and translation is a prime area where qualified Catholic experts can work closely with their non-Catholic Christian counterparts. Another area is common liturgical texts, such as the Our Father or the traditional Christian creeds. Additionally, the directory suggests that Christians may want to work together on ecumenical prayer books or hymnals, catechesis, and even missionary activity. In fact, as the Ecumenical Directory points out, ecumenical cooperation in missionary activity can be a missionary activity in itself as Catholics explain to non-Catholic Christians the teachings of the Catholic faith!

Catholics and non-Catholic Christians may also work together in the settings of seminaries, universities, institutes of graduate studies, and post-graduate research. And there are many other situations, such as prison ministry, hospital chaplaincy, and the armed forces, where an ecumenical approach can benefit all.

There is also the possibility of ecumenical cooperation in society and culture. For example, many Christians in Germany banded together during World War II to oppose Hitler’s regime. Catholics and non-Catholic Christians can band together to present a common Christian front when facing social and ethical issues like abortion, same-sex marriage, and euthanasia. They also pool resources to carry out corporal acts of charity such as serving the poor in Third World countries, building soup kitchens for the homeless, and establishing food banks for society’s most-in-need. These include apostolates in the field of medicine, in which doctors and other medical professionals from different Christian communities can band together to share a common Christian witness.

Finally, Catholics and non-Catholic Christians can unite in the media to present a common Christian worldview. For example, I often write for The Interim, Canada’s largest pro-life newspaper, which is supported by many different faith communities.

Thus ecumenism brings great blessing to the Church when carried out properly and in keeping with the Ecumenical Directory, serving not only the interests of the Church and those directly involved, but also benefiting society as a whole.

*See the recent document from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith that addresses this topic.

Pete Vere, J.C.L., is a husband, father, canon lawyer, and lay author. This article was adapted from the chapter on ecumenism in his forthcoming book Surprised by Canon Law, vol. 2 (Servant), co-authored with Michael Trueman. To order a copy, please call (800) 488-0488.

Additional Functions of Diocesan Ecumenical Commissions

The Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism assigns the following functions, among others, to diocesan ecumenical commissions:

• Implement the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, Holy See, diocesan bishops, and episcopal conferences on ecumenism
• Foster common prayer and other acts of spiritual ecumenism among Christians
• Organize workshops, teaching seminars and lectures on ecumenism for clergy, laity, religious, seminarians, and other groups within the diocese
• Initiate and promote friendly relations with non-Catholic Christians
• Promote a common Christian position on issues pertaining to education, morality, social justice, cultural issues, and the arts
  

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