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Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Yves Congar as a Precursor to Catholic Principles of Ecumenism

Paweł Pielka

Language: PL | Published: 02-03-2022 | Abstract | pp. 33-44

The author analyzes the work Chrétiens désunis. Principes d’un «œcumenisme» catholique by Yves Congar (1937) and shows why the French Dominican can be considered a precursor of ecumenism in the Roman Catholic Church. The argument is based on defining the nature of the reunification process, its starting point, the goal of the reunification, and the way in which the relationship between Catholicism and ecumenism is framed. In lieu of the then valid concept of conversion on the basis of the Catholic Church, or the simple absorption of individuals by the fully formed Church, the French theologian proposes a complement or integration into the unity of the Church. As a result of this process, the united Church would be no other body than the present Catholic Church but it would be richer and more complete.

2022-03-02



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Sharing the Eucharist? Critical Comments from a Canonical Perspective on the Statement “Together at the Lord’s Table” (2019) of the Ecumenical Study Group of Protestant and Catholic Theologians

Jiří Dvořáček

Language: EN | Published: 10-08-2022 | Abstract | pp. 119-134

The following article analyses the statement of the Ecumenical Study Group of Protestant and Catholic Theologians entitled “Together at the Lord’s Table” (2019) from the perspective of canon law of the Latin Church. First, it briefly presents the content of the statement, then it summarises the opinion of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The article shows that the alternate participation in the Protestant
and Catholic service of celebrating the Lord’s Supper / Eucharist by virtue of baptism alone is problematic from the perspective of Catholic canon law. Canon law builds on Catholic ecclesiology and sacramentology, based on the connection between baptism and the Church as well as the Church, the ministerial priesthood, and the celebration of the Eucharist. The article, then, shows the instruments of canon law for the protection of the Catholic faith regarding the apostolic succession as the only valid condition for presiding over the Eucharistic community and the Eucharist as the substantial presence of Christ. In the final chapter, the implications of participation in ecumenical worship for the Catholic faithful will be summarised. The participation of Protestants in Catholic worship, as proposed by the Statement, is not explicitly regulated by canon law. The CIC, in Canon 844 § 4, lays down only the conditions under which Protestants may licitly receive selected sacraments (the Eucharist, the anointing of the sick and the sacrament of penance), while for a valid reception of the Eucharist their baptism alone enables them.

2022-08-10



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Mixed Marriages with the Orthodox in the Metropolitan Church sui iuris in Slovakia – History and Present

Jurij Popovič

Language: EN | Published: 29-12-2023 | Abstract | pp. 103-119

The issue of intermarriage among believers is very topical nowadays because we have seen a lot of migration recently. The reasons are various, but the main ones are the opening of borders and migration for work. A frequent outcome of these processes is the celebration of mixed marriages. In the past, the Catholic Church has been negative about mixed marriages because it feared that in the future the Catholic side might lose its faith and the Catholic upbringing of children might be threatened. Even today, the Catholic Church is not very supportive of such marriages, but is tolerant of them in view of the progress of ecumenism. This welcoming does not mean, however, that the Church is indifferent to the fate of those who celebrate mixed marriages, since the celebration of such marriages is governed by the prescriptions of canon law, which have the task, from the very beginning, when such marriages are instituted, of being of help to those who celebrate them, so that they may live in them in peace and without offending the Creator, and so form a happy marriage despite their differences. The attitude of the Orthodox Church towards mixed marriages has been negative in the past and remains unchanged at the present time, and if a marriage is not celebrated in the Orthodox Church, it is not recognized as valid.

2023-12-29



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Church Tribunals in the Czech Republic during the COVID-19 Epidemic

Monika Menke , Damián Němec

Language: EN | Published: 25-06-2023 | Abstract | pp. 33-57

The article aims to summarize the situation in the church justice system in two aspects. From the distance of several years, it briefly evaluates the application of the norms of the 2015 reform of the matrimonial procedural law of the Catholic Church (the dramatic increase in the number of cases after the reform, the stabilization of the situation after the first years, the low use of the possibility of abbreviated proceedings, etc.). It assesses the impact of the imposed limitations (and people’s worries) in the Czech society during the COVID-19 epidemic on the activity of church tribunals and the search for alternative ways of processing cases (using the example of the Interdiocesan Tribunal in Olomouc).

2023-06-25



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Ecclesia in Europa. The Message of His Holiness Pope John Paul II about Marriage and Family

Cătălina Mititelu

Language: PL | Published: 31-12-2024 | Abstract | pp. 95-135

For Pope John Paul II, marriage and the family constituted not only an ecclesi- ological, philosophical, and juridical-canonical concern of study and research, but also a pastoral missionary one, which was determined by his observations on the precarious social and juridical status of the two ancient institutions of humanity at the end of the second millennium.

The Pontiff’s observations have been translated into concrete actions in the field of his pastoral work on marriage and the family, as well as in theological, philosophi- cal and legal works, whose powerful ideas have influenced not only the doctrine of the Catholic Church, but have also had a beneficial impact on the policy of international decision-making bodies on the social and legal status of the two institutions, which we find in the international legal instruments.

In this regard, the text of the Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Europa, published by Pope John Paul II in 2003, remains paradigmatic, in which the Roman Pontiff proclaimed that the source and hope of Europe, including for the two institutions, marriage and the family, is Jesus Christ alone, urging both the “Small Church,” that is, the family, and the “Great Church,” that is, the Church of all Christians, to witness to Him with faith and courage.

2024-12-31



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Reception of John Paul II’s Encyclical Ut unum sint in Cieszyn Silesia

Józef Budniak

Language: PL | Published: 02-03-2022 | Abstract | pp. 99-112

There are places where the ecumenical movement is born and grows out of the very essence of social and cultural reality. Cieszyn Silesia belongs to one of such places. Situated on the meeting point of various nationalities, cultures, and Churches, it constitutes a border region in a literal and symbolic sense. This region has become the home for the largest population of the Lutherans in Poland. The ecumenical movement which has been born and developed here is a necessary and inevitable consequence of such coexistence of Churches — the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran. Both Churches have become symbols of ecumenical life based on faith, tolerance, experience and respect. Nowadays all of these factors create a modern ecumenism. Ecumenism in Cieszyn Silesia has a very long and rich history. The phenomenon of Churches’ coexistence appeared almost five centuries ago. It means that the ecumenical
movement had existed here long before the Catholic Church promulgated the encyclical Ut unum sint. On the basis of the examples of the ecumenical relationships mentioned in the article, it can be said that the look of the “wise” today at its “yesterday” helps to build a better “tomorrow”. Therefore it can be said that on the basis of a well-lived present, firmly rooted in history, rises a favourable hope for the future of the Church.
Presenting the reception of John Paul’s II Ut unum sint among the multi-denominational population of Cieszyn Silesia one could quote Reverend Professor Wacław Hryniewicz, one of the most remarkable Polish ecumenists: “An authentic reception can be achieved only when the partners differ from each other because diversity enables the true relation of giving and taking.”

2022-03-02



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Plenary Council in the Czech Republic (1997—2005)

Monika Menke

Language: PL | Published: 31-12-2020 | Abstract | pp. 73-93

This article analyses the preparation, process and conclusions of the Plenary Council of the Catholic Church in the Czech Republic held in 1997—2005. The Plenary Council was one of the few manifestations of the collegiality of the Czech Church, because the diocesan synods are not used here as a tool. The Decree on convocation of the Assembly was announced by the Czech and Moravian bishops on 5 July 1997 in Velehrad. The council was also an opportunity for priests and laity in the country to realise their responsibility for the Church and the co-responsibility of the Church for the condition of society. The Council had a preparatory phase (1997—2003), a stage of the 1st Session (July 2003), and a second phase of the Session (July 2005) where the project was completed and followed by the process of post-conciliar steps. Three final messages were the immediate output from the Second Plenary Session: the Message of the Council to the Public; the Message of the Council to the Believers of the Catholic Church and the Message of the Council to Christians in the Czech Republic. The resulting document was published in 2007 under the title The Life and Mission of Christians in the Church and the World. It was a document of a pastoral nature, in no way of a normative nature (no rules were actually adopted despite the work of the commission and the proposals). The Czech situation is described as “post-Christian missionary territory” there and — estimated the course of the conciliar process and of the Council itself — as an introduction of more intensive implementation of synodality in the Czech Church.

2020-12-31



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Synodality, Discernment, Catholic Movements

Przemysław Sawa

Language: PL | Published: 29-12-2019 | Abstract | pp. 115-141

One of the basic categories used to describe the nature of the Church is communion with its spiritual, structural, and legal dimensions. On the basis of their  aptism, all the faithful should undertake common responsibility and real care for the life and particular areas of the Church. This also includes discernment within the Church. Synods and synodality are a special case which expresses the communal character of the Church. However, synodality and communal discernment cannot be understood similarl to a parliament where the majority decides. It is about recognising contemporary needs and searching for the place of the Church in the world while preserving the Revelation. In recognising the ways for the Church, her movements are important as they form Catholics who increasingly identify with the mission of the baptised. Deepening their meaning and determining the degree of their influence on discernment in the Church, both universal and local, remains a challenge.

2019-12-29



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Pope John Paul II’s Encyclical Letter "Ut unum sint" and Its Praiseworthy Contribution to the Cause of Christian Unity

Cătălina Mititelu

Language: PL | Published: 28-08-2022 | Abstract | pp. 135-156

A careful examination of the text of Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Ut unum sint allows us to see, first of all, the fact that His Holiness was closely acquainted with the ecclesiological doctrine of the Second Vatican Council, in which he, in fact, played an active part, including by drafting some synodal documents, such as the decree on ecumenism Unitatis redintegratio. Moreover, in his ecumenical approach, Pope John Paul II aptly advocated for the participation of the Catholic Church in the work of the Ecumenical Council of Churches and for the restoration of the unity of Christians, hence his full ecumenical commitment to engage in ecumenical dialogue with all the Churches, and particularly with the Eastern Church, which he suggestively called “sister Church”. In fact, both his pastoral-practical activity of ecumenical commitment, as well as his encyclicals, abundantly confirm that the Supreme Pontiff has indeed made a praiseworthy contribution to the cause of Christian unity, which the Founder of the Church himself wanted (cf. John 17:21), and which must remain an example for us Christians of today and tomorrow.

2022-08-28



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Sources of the Encyclical „Ut unum sint"

Stanislav Přibyl

Language: EN | Published: 09-08-2022 | Abstract | pp. 7-28

John Paul II’s encyclical Ut unum sint on commitment to ecumenism was published 30 years after the ground-breaking ecumenism decree of Vatican II Unitatis redintegratio. It was meant to present a summary of everything the Catholic Church and its partners achieved in the field of ecumenical efforts. However, the article does not list these achievements but discusses the very fundamentals of Catholic identity, namely,
how the Catholic Church is to remain faithful to itself in developing ecumenical dialogue with other churches and ecclesial communities. The article thus provides a detailed analysis of the way the encyclical uses the basic sources of faith, that is, the logia of the Sacred Scripture, Church Fathers and the Magisterium. As one might expect, the documents of the Magisterium that are quoted are the documents of Vatican II because this council represents a real turning point in the relations of the Catholic Church towards ecumenism. The article also considers the role of the canon law for ecumenism because both codices of canon law as well as the ecumenical directory represent major tools for the realisation of ecumenical efforts.

2022-08-09



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

The Requirements for an Ecumenical Dialogue according to Pope John Paul II’s Encyclical Letter „Ut unum sint"

Nicolae V. Dură

Language: PL | Published: 28-08-2022 | Abstract | pp. 91-118

In the Christian theological language, the term “ecumenism” was put in circulation by the Ecumenical Movement initiated by the Christians after the First World War. But, in the language of the Catholic Church, the term “ecumenism,” used with the meaning of the “ecumenical movement,” was introduced by the renowned theologian Yves Congar in 1937. And, then, it was taken over by the Second Vatican Council for the
text of the decree on ecumenism Unitatis redintegratio. The Roman Catholic Church joined the Ecumenical Movement in 1961, when its delegates were presents at the Session — held in New Delhi — of the Ecumenical Council. Among other things, from the text of the Encyclical Ut unum sint published by Pope John Paul II in the year 1995, we could notice that His Holiness asserted that an ecumenical dialogue — that remains in fact one of the main instruments for the reestablishment of the ecumenical unity — has to fulfill the requirements stipulated by the Second Vatican Council, adopted however to the ecumenical realities of the present times.

2022-08-28



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Challenges Facing the Church in Europe. Insights from the Teaching of John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis

Przemysław Sawa

Language: PL | Published: 31-12-2024 | Abstract | pp. 67-93

The aim of this article is to provide the main indications for a renewal of the Catholic Church in Europe in the face of contemporary challenges, both internal (e.g. community crisis, neglect of evangelisation, insufficient catechisation, secularisation, insufficient involvement of the laity) and external (e.g. general crisis of religiousness, indi- vidualisation of life). The source material is the teaching of John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis, who can be described as the “popes of the new evangelisation.” Basically, this article analyses certain official documents of the Bishops of Rome and selected, due to their number, official homilies and speeches. The analysis of the texts leads to the following conclusions: there is a need for evan- gelisation leading to a personal decision on faith, catechisation and multidimensional formation, a renewal of spirituality, a deepening of the ecclesial self-awareness of the faithful, and the Church’s involvement in world affairs (ecumenism, interreligious dia- logue, human brotherhood, addressing social issues, articulating the truth about mar- riage and the family, help in solving migration problems and care for the environment).

2024-12-31



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

What Can Be Said about the Condition of the Contemporary Polish Family in the Light of Annulment of Marriage in the Catholic Church? The Research Findings

Przemysław Kisiel , Piotr Kroczek , Paweł Ulman

Language: PL | Published: 25-06-2023 | Abstract | pp. 89-99

The study of the condition of marriage and family is an essential task of science. This is because the results of this research can be of great importance for the direction and shape of actions taken by secular and Church authorities to protect and for the development of society. This article presents the results of research on contemporary marriage and family in Poland. This research uses an innovative method of obtaining data on marriages as a result of quantitative and qualitative surveys conducted among people who have decided to obtain a declaration of nullity of their marriage in the Catholic Church.

2023-06-25



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Matrimony between Christians: Historical Dynamics and Canonical Perspective

Stanislav Přibyl

Language: EN | Published: 29-12-2023 | Abstract | pp. 7-27

Firstly, the article provides basic information on the biblical teaching on marriage. While the Old Testament sees marriages with numerous offspring as a high value, the New Testament shows a tendency towards celibacy, be it on account of imitating Christ or for the expectation of imminent parousia. The most important author amongst the Fathers of the Church, St. Augustine, made a significant contribution towards forming the Catholic doctrine on marriage upon which drew even the medieval scholastics. In the modern age, the Church complained about the countries which forced their concept of marriage on the Catholic faithful. Even today, the Catholic Church is against the breakdown of marriage by means of divorce. Since the Second Vatican Council, however, there has been a development, for example, as regards contracting marriages between Christians of Catholic and non-Catholic confessions. Prior to the publication of the 1983
Code of Canon Law, this was expressed in the motu proprio of Paul VI Matrimonia mixta, whose regulation did not have to be changed substantially in the Code.

2023-12-29



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

The Service of the Romanian Orthodox Church to Migrants

Cătălina Mititelu

Language: PL | Published: 29-06-2021 | Abstract | pp. 45-66

Through the concrete steps taken by its members (clergy, believers, and monks), from 1998 until now, the Romanian Orthodox Church has carried out extensive actions to monitor and solve the migration crisis.

Thanks to this approach, initiated and improved by its current Primate, His Beatitude, Patriarch Daniel, both in the country and in the diaspora of our Church, the phenomenon of migration was not only be monitored, but also solved both in accordance with Church rules and with State laws, as well as those of the Law of the European Union, that is, of the EU Member States.

From our article, the informed reader will be also able to see that, in its actions for monitoring and solving the migration problem, our Church has taken into account both the guidelines issued by the bodies of the Ecumenical Council of Churches and the guiding principles stated by the leaders of the two Churches, Catholic and Orthodox, namely, His Holiness, Pope Francis, and His Beatitude, the Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew I, in their joint Declarations on the issue of migration, hence the ecumenical nature of the approach to the issue of migration.

2021-06-29



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Ut unum sint: New Areas of Spiritual and Pastoral Ecumenism

Przemysław Sawa

Language: PL | Published: 02-03-2022 | Abstract | pp. 59-86

Care for Christian unity is part of the nature of the Church. Many years after the ecumenical movement began, signs of disappointment are appearing. The doctrinal dialogues and official meetings are still taking place, but spiritual and pastoral ecumenism is increasingly needed. It manifests itself not only in joint prayers but also in an actual exchange of spiritual gifts, pastoral inspirations and cooperation in many areas of the church and social life. New aspects of such ecumenism have appeared. They take the form of various spiritual trends going beyond the boundaries of churches and communities (prayers, music, spiritual gifts) as well as a search for sources and guidelines for spiritual life that other traditions can offer. In particular, the new shape of ecumenism may be seen in Evangelical and Pentecostal communities. Therefore, the broadly understood Catholic charismatic renewal has a special place in the work for Christian unity. People must walk together, accompany one another, be hospitable and work for the benefit of others. Only then can the Holy Spirit lead the followers of Christ to unity.

2022-03-02



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Cross-Border Flow of Personal Data in the Context of Emigration of the Faithful of the Catholic Church from Poland

Piotr Kroczek

Language: PL | Published: 31-12-2021 | Abstract | pp. 141-149

The increased emigration of Poles has caused numerous problems of legal and canonical nature, also relating to the activity of the Catholic Church. The article concerns the cross-border processing of personal data carried out by the Catholic Church entities in the context of the emigration of the faithful. Processing of the data of believers takes place, for example, in the formalities related to preparation for entering marriage. From the point of view of canon law the article deals with such issues as: the legality of the process of cross-border data processing, the obligations of the data controller carrying out such a process and the role of the supervisory authority.

2021-12-31



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Damián Němec: Standardy konkordátní smlouvy o majetkových otázkách na vzoru plánované smlouvy mezi Slovenskem a Svatým stolcem ve světle současných konkordátních úmluv [Standards for a Concordat Agreement on Property Issues, Based on the Model of the Planned Agreement Between Slovakia and the Holy See in the Light of the Current Concordat Conventions] Praha: Leges, 2024

Stanislav Přibyl

Language: PL | Published: 31-12-2024 | Abstract | pp. 171-176

The article addresses the issue of church-state relations and religious freedom. It presents legal solutions in different countries (concordat, agreements).

2024-12-31



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Lutheran service to the migrants. Global and Polish experiences

Jerzy Sojka

Language: PL | Published: 29-06-2021 | Abstract | pp. 67-88

The article presents Lutheran engagement for migrants, using the examples of activities undertaken by the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland, as well as by the Lutheran World Federation, which is the biggest global organisation of Lutheran Churches all over the world. In case of the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession the text provides an overview of the initiatives undertaken since 2015 in service to the migrants on the parish and Church levels, as well as in cooperation with ecumenical partners (including the activities within the Polish Ecumenical Council and in cooperation with the Catholic Church). In case of the Lutheran World Federation, the first step was to present the theological justification for the Federation’s engagement in the work for migrants, and the next one — to outline the characteristics of the work of the Department for World Service (Federation’s humanitarian agency) in 2018.

2021-06-29



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Sławomir Gołębiowski: W obronie własnej tożsamości [Defending the Identity] Płock: Wydawnictwo Kościoła Starokatolickiego Mariawitów, 2024

Przemysław Sawa

Language: PL | Published: 31-12-2024 | Abstract | pp. 177-185

An article is a scientific review of a publication: Sławomir Gołębiowski, W obronie własnej tożsamości, Płock: Wydawnictwo Kościoła Starokatolickiego Mariawitów 2024, pp. 202.

2024-12-31



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Ecclesia in Europa: Biblical-Theological and Organizational-Structural Aspects of the Exhortation

Stanislav Přibyl

Language: EN | Published: 31-12-2024 | Abstract | pp. 47-66

The present article discusses John Paul II’s exhortation Ecclesia in Europa (2002), focusing first on the biblical sources of its systematics. In fact, the framework of the exhortation is defined by several passages taken from the Revelation of St. John; however, the text is also filled with other biblical references. The origins of the Trinitar- ian theological inspiration in the exhortation relate to the preparations for the Great Jubilee of the year 2000, since each of the three years preceding the Jubilee was dedi- cated to one of the three persons of the Holy Trinity. On the one hand, the exhortation expresses hope for the European continent, whose unique source is the person of Jesus Christ; on the other hand, it does not obfuscate the problems the Church in Europe faces, for instance, abandoning the sacrament of reconciliation and the moral princi- ples of premarital purity, favouring new ecclesial movements at the expense of a parish pastoral model; excessive activism accompanied by a lack of contemplation. The exhor- tation welcomes the process of European integration and its organizational and insti- tutional guarantees. Thanks to the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences (CCEE), this dynamic also finds a reflection in the Catholic Church itself. However, the exhor- tation takes a critical view of abortion and euthanasia, as forms of attack on innocent human life.

2024-12-31



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Pastoral Care for Migrants. Canonical and Religious Related Legal Requirements on Asylum and on the Change of Religion

Wilhelm Rees

Language: PL | Published: 31-12-2021 | Abstract | pp. 41-69

Refugees and migrants have always been of particular concern to the Roman Catholic Church and its pastoral care. Even if the large influx of refugees happening
in 2015 and 2016 is no longer the case, flight and migration are still relevant topics in Austria. The contribution deals with the historical development of canonical regulations, the situation of refugees and migrants in Austria, the legal basis, the implementation of asylum procedures and numbers, the statements of the Austrian Bishop’s Conference, the access to a Church or religious community and converting from one to another, the question of the Catholic Church’s necessity of salvation, regulations concerning catechumenate and the question of church asylum. It provides figures, data and facts, presents the canonical and state legal situation and analyses it. It tries to make weak points obvious and would like to provide help for future considerations.

2021-12-31



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Legal Regulation of Care for Mixed Marriages in Selected Central European Countries Comparison and Proposals

Damián Němec

Language: PL | Published: 30-12-2023 | Abstract | pp. 81-102

This article presents the modalities of legal regulation regarding mixed marriages in the Catholic Church in selected countries of Central Europe: Poland, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Germany, and Austria. In the comparative part, it presents a comparison of the solutions in the following areas: announcement before marriage, declaration before requesting permission for a mixed marriage, mandate for permission for marriage, dispensation from the canonical form and possibilities of access to the sacrament of the Eucharist in mixed marriages. In the synthesizing part, it presents not only an evaluation of the solutions described and suggestions for their improvement, but also the way in which the relevant regulations and forms are issued and published from the point of view of pastoral care and the openness of the Church. In the appendix, it discusses the legal solution to similar situations (marriage of a Catholic party with an unbaptized person and with a Catholic party distant from Christian faith and practice) and presents in a framework the draft directive of the Bishops’ Conference for mixed and similar marriages in the Czech Republic.

2023-12-30



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Aiming at Good Work: The Conference of European Churches in the Face of the Global Changes in the Area of Work

Piotr Kopiec

Language: PL | Published: 30-06-2024 | Abstract | pp. 67-81

The future of human work is one of the crucial issues the ecumenical movement reflects on. For example, the question plays an essential role in the social teaching of the
Conference of European Churches. Apart from issuing many documents and statements, the organisation established the Church Action on Labour and Life (CALL), a working group called to promote a Christian viewpoint in European and global discussions about a just socio-economic order, including employment and labour. The article outlines the teaching on human work developed by the CALL, setting it in the broader context of the current debate on the future of work. It also briefly considers similarities between the CALL’s concepts and the approaches of Churches in Europe, with emphasis on the Evangelical Church in Germany. Finally, the article discusses the concept of good work and the guidelines for sustainable digitisation, which are CALL’s primary area of focus and its biggest achievement.

2024-06-30



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Canon Law in the Service of Ecumenism

Andrzej Pastwa

Language: EN | Published: 31-12-2024 | Abstract | pp. 7-25

An event from 25 years ago is written in thick letters in the history of ecu- menism. On 7—9 May 1999, the head of the Catholic Church, Pope John Paul II, made an apostolic journey to Romania, a first visit by any pontiff to a country of Orthodoxy. A specific climax of the event was the papal words delivered at the departure ceremony: “Here, on Romanian soil it is especially clear that the Church breathes with both lungs.” That is how the idea of the two lungs of the Church (already present in the Pope’s teach- ing before) became permanently inscribed as a keystone and the first element of the magisterial “triad,” delineating the hermeneutic horizon of the contemporary interpreta- tion of the words: Ut unum sint. The two remaining, equally essential elements — identified in the great encyclical bearing the same title, are: the idea/postulate of Eucharistic ecclesiology and the idea/postulate of a new form of exercising the primacy (synodal- ity). This article constitutes an attempt to show the inseparable role of ius ecclesiasticum (both in the area of legislation and execution of law) within the context of the need of a multi-level activity — consistent but also pressing, the proof of which is Pope Francis’ synodal engagement — of implementing the paradigms of John Paul II’s ecumenical thought.

2024-12-31



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Islamophobia in Poland in the Context of the Migration Crisis in Europe

Janusz Balicki

Language: PL | Published: 29-06-2021 | Abstract | pp. 117-140

The high level of fear of Islam in Poland arose in spite of the fact that Poland has very few Muslims, just 0.1% of the population. This phenomenon began to surface in 2004, after Poland’s accession to the EU but grew considerably in 2015, during the so-called migration crisis in Europe. Public opinion polls indicate that it can be described by the term “Islamophobia”, which is often used in the literature of social and political sciences. The aim of the article is to explain the reasons for such a high level of fear of Muslims in Poland and the negative attitude towards Islam, given that it is contrary to the teaching of the Catholic Church, with which Polish society mostly identifies. The article consists of three parts. Part one presents the reaction of the EU Member States to the migration crisis in Europe. The second part analyzes the position of the United Right (Pol. Zjednoczona Prawica) political coalition in Poland, towards immigrants and refugees from Muslim countries. Part three confronts the stands of the United Right in Poland and the position of the Catholic Church towards Islam.

2021-06-29



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Diocesan Synod from the Catholic and Lutheran Perspectives

Piotr Kroczek

Language: PL | Published: 29-12-2020 | Abstract | pp. 7-18

The aim of the article is to verify the hypothesis that the institutions of diocesan synod in the perspective of the Roman Catholic Church and that of the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in the Republic of Poland are very similar. The method to achieve the aim is the comparable analysis of the legal provisions of the fundamental laws of the Churches which refer to diocesan synod. The general conclusion is that the institutions of diocesan synod seen in the two perspectives are completely incompatible. They are different institutions.

2020-12-29



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Joint Statements of the Representatives of the Christian Communities on Important Questions in Austria according to the Instructions of „Ut unum sint" (n. 43)

Wilhelm Rees

Language: PL | Published: 22-08-2022 | Abstract | pp. 59-90

In his encyclical Ut unum sint, Pope John Paul II called on the leaders of the Christian churches to draw up joint statements on urgent problems (n. 43). In Austria, the Ecumenical Council of Churches in Austria (ÖRKÖ), which, unlike in Germany, includes the Catholic Church, have complied with this request and wish of the pope by
issuing numerous joint statements on various topics. These joint statements are to be widely disseminated until the beginning of the year 2022.

2022-08-22



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Synods and Synodality in Austrian Church after the Second Vatican Council

Wilhelm Rees

Language: PL | Published: 31-12-2020 | Abstract | pp. 37-59

Synods have a long tradition in the ecclesiastical history, though their significance varied in different epochs of the Roman Catholic Church. Within the European area, synods gained in importance after the Second Vatican Council, although they appeared in a new or rather modified form. This also applies to the diocesan synods and the Austrian Synodal Process (1973/1974), which took place after and has been celebrated by the supporters of the Second Vatican Council.

2020-12-31



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Pastoral Care of Migrants in the Catholic Church in the Czech Republic

Dámian Němec

Language: PL | Published: 31-12-2021 | Abstract | pp. 71-89

This article deals with the pastoral care of migrants in the Czech Republic. It starts from a description of the ethnic composition of inhabitants of the Czech Republic and of permanently settled foreigners from 1918 to the present. It also acquaints the reader with the principles and individual structures of pastoral care for migrants coming from special Church documents and codes of canon law. On this basis, it presents specific structures existing in the Czech Republic and evaluates them.

2021-12-31



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Migrations and Spirituality in Europe. A Catholic Voice Inspired by the Thought of Pope Francis

Przemysław Sawa

Language: PL | Published: 29-06-2021 | Abstract | pp. 89-116

Europe has been experiencing crisis caused by migrations, especially from Africa and the Middle East. This is not only an economic problem, but a cultural, social, and religious issue as well. Therefore, a proper approach to migration cannot overlook the broadly understood religiousness and spirituality. Rooted in the Christian experience, Europe cannot ignore the significant message of the Word of God and the teaching of the Church on migration and its various dimensions.

Thus, Catholics and other Christians are required to care for their own spirituality, create the culture of coming together that leads to peace, and stay open to ecumenical and interreligious dialogue which fosters exchange of spiritual gifts. Protection of family and support to integral development of human life are special areas where people can join forces and work together. This requires proper formation and being open to
God’s help.

2021-06-29



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

“The Night of the Churches” — a Pastoral Response to the Challenges of the Exhortation Ecclesia in Europa

Damián Němec

Language: PL | Published: 30-06-2024 | Abstract | pp. 103-124

This article presents the Night of the Churches as one of the possible and effective responses to the challenges discussed in Pope John Paul II’s 2003 post-synodal apostolic exhortation Ecclesia in Europa, and introduces the history, spread and purpose of this activity. It focuses in detail on its implementation in the Czech Republic since 2009, with special emphasis on the years 2000—2002, marked by the pandemic of COVID-19. It also tries to show its positives (chances) and negatives (pitfalls). In this way, it can serve not only as a recapitulation of past actions, but also as an inspiration, especially for countries where this activity is not widespread and often not even known.

2024-06-30



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Jirí Dvorácek: Die Apostolische Exarchie in der Tschechischen Republik. Studien zur Geschichte, Gegenwart und Zukunft einer griechisch-katholischen Ostkirche [Eichstätter Studien — Neue Folge. Band 83]. Regensburg: Friedrich Pustet, 2020. 272 pp.

Dámian Němec

Language: PL | Published: 31-12-2021 | Abstract | pp. 159-161

Die Apostolische Exarchie in der Tschechischen Republik. Studien zur Geschichte, Gegenwart und Zukunft einer griechisch-katholischen Ostkirche [The Apostolic Exarchate in the Czech Republic. Studies on the history, the present, and the future of an Eastern Greek Catholic Church] [Eichstätter Studien — Neue Folge. Band 83]. Regensburg: Friedrich Pustet, 2020. 272 pp.

2021-12-31



Journal: Ecumeny and Law

Pope Francis’ Reform of Roman Curia — Continuity and Discontinuity

Damián Němec

Language: PL | Published: 31-12-2024 | Abstract | pp. 137-167

The article deals with the reform of the Roman Curia, implemented in 2022 by the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium of Pope Francis. It does not deal with the redefined structure of the Roman Curia, but places this reform in a broader his- torical context, with an emphasis on comparison with the previous regulations of Popes Sixtus V in 1588, Pius X in 1908, the first Code of Canon Law of 1917, and the two pre- vious reforms after the Second Vatican Council, of Pope Paul VI in 1967 and John Paul II in 1988. It shows both the partial continuity of Pope Francis’ reform and the preceding juridical regulations, as well as his new emphases, and the partial juridical discontinu- ity that leads to a discrepancy in canon law between the provisions of the 1983 Code of Canon Law and the 1990 Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, on the one hand, and Pope Francis’ Apostolic Constitution, on the other. This will have to be addressed in the future, either by further changes in the structure of the Roman Curia or by amend- ing the provisions of the two existing Codes.

2024-12-31