Vatican City (Fides Service) - In a recent interview with a German Catholic news agency KNA the Pope's representative for Christian Unity, German born Cardinal Walter Kasper, said he is optimistic for the future, particularly with regard to relations with the Orthodox Churches for which, he said, the time is right for a new beginning.
With regard to relations with the Russian Orthodox Church which worsened at the beginning of last year with the expulsion from Russia of Catholic Church personnel, the Cardinal sees signs of distension and a clear "readiness to dialogue to solve problems. I am confident that within the year steps forward will be made. Our doors are open and they will remain so. We have no intention to stage an "invasion" . Our wish is only to build fraternal collaboration with this Church which we greatly admire and which finds itself in a difficult situation after the long period of communist repression. We wish to help them in their mission to the extent that they themselves desire".
Speaking of relations with other Orthodox Churches, Cardinal Kasper said that after Pope John Paul II's history making visit to Athens in 2002, attitudes in the Greek Orthodox Church changed completely, he explained that it was the visit "that made a positive difference". Moreover the Serb Orthodox Church hitherto shut tight, recently sent a delegation of its Holy Synod to Rome. "The fact that the Balkan states want to join the European Union has led to a greater opening of their Churches. This is very obvious in Bulgaria, where again the Pope's visit changed everything. In my opinion with regard to Orthodox Christians we stand before a new and positive beginning" explains the Cardinal stressing that Papal visits are very important, "because ecumenism is not only signing documents it is first of all establishing contact and developing friendships." Also with regard to theological dialogue Catholic-Orthodox, Cardinal Kasper says "both sides are anxious to continue dialogue". MS (Fides Service 19/2/2003 EM lines 23 Words: 337)