Joint Statement on the occasion of the Joint Catholic-Lutheran Commemoration of the Reformation Lund, 31 October 2016 «Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me» (John 15:4). With thankful hearts With this […]
Ecumenical Corner Blog: Blog Entries
Sixty Years of Priesthood: A Gift from God
The first step in my journey to the priesthood began when I was nine years old in the fourth grade at Precious Blood School. The Sisters of St. Ann taught there and prepared the boys to serve the priest at the altar. I continued to serve at the altar until I went to Eymard Seminary […]
Eucharistic Spirituality: Centered on the Presence of Jesus Christ
One of the great challenges of the Second Vatican Council is its reception in the spiritual life of Catholic Christians. The council documents of this pastoral council contain both biblical and theological depth which are necessary and implicit in the reception process whereby the intent and the goals of the council take flesh in the […]
Ecumenism of Life: It must be real
The Second Vatican Ecumenical Council made it clear that ecumenical spirituality was no longer a mere movement of some of the Christian churches. It has become an essential part of the Christian way of life, and of the mission of the church. Since the council this view of the way in which the unity of […]
Proclaim the Mighty Acts of God: Theme of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2016
The people of Latvia and other Eastern European nations have known what it is like to go from a world of darkness into a world of light. Though the tragedies of Nazism and Communism ravaged these countries during the Second World War, which historians tell us was simply act two of World War I, […]
Ecumenical and Eucharistic Spirituality
Introduction Fifty years after the close of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, we do well to take a long look at where we are in its implementation and what difference it makes to us personally. We should try to focus on the spirituality which flows from the Eucharist as expressed in the theology of communion […]
A Response to MLK Letter from Birmingham Jail:CCT Explores Racism and Poverty Today
Martin Luther King Jr’s Letter from Birmingham Jail was a long response to an “open letter” from a few white ministers who urged King to call off the civil rights action he had organized in a non-violent protest to unjust laws against civil rights. The letter of the ministers was very short, brief and clear. […]
The Call to Cut Poverty in Half: Goal of CCT in the USA
Christian Churches Together in the USA (CCT) is the newest and largest federation of Christian Churches, Associations of Churches and Non-profit Organizations which has focused on moral and social issues in the United States. It was established in 2001 and began to recruit members after its organizational meeting in Chicago in 2002. It meets annually […]
Immigration: CCT Principles for Fundamental Reform
In the current series of articles for our Provincial Newsletter I have concentrated on moral discernment in the national dialogues of the United States. Christian Churches Together in the USA has issued several statements on moral issues and I thought we might usefully examine some of the most recent statements. Our last article considered the […]
Principles on Mass Incarceration by Christian Churches Together in the USA
Christian Churches Together in the USA was founded in Baltimore, MD in 2001. On April 6, 2002 in Chicago, the new ecumenical organization defined its membership and goals in what is called The Chicago Statement. “Christian Churches Together in the USA…began to see a vision of a new life together. …With excitement we began to […]