Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Agenzia Fides) - “Diversity in unity ” is the theme of the 5th European Ecumenical Conference on China being hosted 16-20 September by the Pontifical Unviersity S. Anselmo, in Rome focussing on spiritual and cultural relations between China and Europe. These conferences are organised by the German Ecumenical China Committee for representatives of the Chinese and European academic world, theologians, experts, members of the Catholic Church and Orthodox and Protestant confessions.
Speakers at this 5th edition incude Arif Dirlik from the University of Oregon, United States; Felix Wilfred from Madras University, India, Wong Wai Chin from Hong Kong University. On Sunday 18 September over 150 participants will take part in an ecumenical service at St Paul’s Basilica presided by Benedictine primate Abbot Notker Wolf and Lutheran Bishop from Hamburg.
In the opening address Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, expressed profound admiration and gratitude to all Christian missionaries Catholic and non Catholic for their tireless service and witness to the Gospel of Christ in mainland China, offering an appropriate example of diversity in unity for the good of the Gospel of Jesus Christ”.
The Cardinal said the bond of unity is charity which means promotion of the human person, human values and spirituality and transcendent calling. “Catholic communities all over the vast nation of China-- said Cardinal Sepe - offer vivacious witness of faith and charity with various initiatives: clinics, dispensaries, homes, hospitals, orphanages and centres for abandoned children and for people with leprosy or a disability”.
“The Holy See - he said - wishes to continue its work in the field of charity and to support projects to help the people of China as it does in other parts of the world”.
Cardinal Sepe encouraged the Catholic Church in China to offer witness of communion and to “grow in unity” recalling that the Pope, as Shepherd of the universal Church, is aware of “the duty which cannot be renounced to confirm Chinese Catholics in the faith and promote their unity with the means proper to the Church”, with activity which us “purely ecclesial and non political”.
The Cardinal expressed the wish, voiced also by the late Pope John Paul II, for dialogue with the authorities of the People’s Republic of China to overcome past misunderstandings and “work together for the good of the people of China and for peace in the world ”.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 17/9/2005 righe 32 parole 341)
