Christian Unity

The Archdiocese of Brisbane shows its commitment to ecumenism in a number of ways:

The Archdiocesan Council for Ecumenism and Inter-religious Relations promotes opportunities for Catholics to pray, dialogue and work on common projects with other Christians. It provides educational resources on ecumenism and guidelines on ecumenical issues.

• Mandate:
  The Council for Ecumenism and Inter-religious Relations has a mandate to assist and resource the Archbishop, the Auxiliary Bishops and other Clergy, and the people of the Archdiocese to ensure that ecumenism and inter-religious relations are organic elements of the life and mission of the Archdiocese pervading all that the Church is and does.In order to carry out its mandate, the Council:
  • Promotes relations between the Catholic Church and other Christian Churches and between the Catholic Church and other religious traditions to advance mutual understanding, respect, enrichment and cooperation for the greater good of all.
  • Initiates opportunities for and co-operates with other Christian traditions in ecumenical prayer.
  • Promotes joint witness to the Christian faith by co-operation with other churches in the areas of education and social issues.
  • Works with appropriate bodies to prepare guidelines and policies on issues within this Mandate.
  • Fosters further development amongst the Catholic community of ecumenical and inter-religious understanding.
  • Promotes and organises opportunities with the Jewish community in order to foster knowledge and understanding of the unique bond between Jews and Catholics.
  • Promotes and organises opportunities with the Muslim community in order to foster knowledge and understanding between Muslims and Catholics.
  • Represents the Archdiocese when appropriate on ecumenical and inter-religious issues.

The Archdiocese was a founding member of Queensland Churches Together, the council of churches in Queensland, and is active in its operation.

On 29 May 1982, His Holiness Pope John Paul II became the first pontiff to travel to Canterbury Cathedral where he met with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert Runcie. On the second anniversary of this historical event Archbishops John Grindrod and Francis Rush signed a Common Declaration at St John’s Cathedral in Brisbane, which highlighted the warm relationships that had existed between Anglican and Roman Catholic communities of the respective Dioceses of Brisbane over many years.

To celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the signing of this Common Declaration and the joint Sesquicentenary of the Anglican and Roman Catholic Dioceses of Brisbane, a major ecumenical event took place at the Cathedral of St Stephen on Friday 29 May 2009. A Covenant was signed by Archbishops Phillip Aspinall (Anglican), John Bathersby (Roman Catholic) and Bishop William Morris (Roman Catholic, Toowoomba). The territory under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Toowoomba is contained within the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane. Warm relationships have continued to grow in both areas over the years and this Covenant is an expression of the commitment of all three communities to ecumenical friendship and cooperation.

• Covenant Document

Brisbane Catholic Education supports three schools within its system which are initiatives of their local communities and which operate ecumenically. These are:

• Jubilee Primary School, Gaven
• Emmaus College, Jimboomba
• Unity College, Caloundra West

While ecumenism can be described as the bringing together of members of all the Christian families and traditions throughout the world in a spirit of unity, this does not clarify what this unity actually means or will look like.

Let us explode a few myths:

• Ecumenism is NOT about creating a “mega-church”. Unity does not mean uniformity, with all Christians thinking and behaving in exactly the same way.
• Ecumenism is NOT about “converting” people. There are many committed and faith-filled people in all Christian traditions and we can learn so much from each other.
• Ecumenism is NOT to be confused with Interfaith (see our section on Interfaith Relations). Christians share the same faith in God as Trinity and Jesus as God and Saviour. Interfaith refers to dialogue with other world religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism, which have different belief systems.
• Ecumenism is NOT “watering down” or betraying the central and cherished beliefs of one’s own tradition in an attempt to find common ground or be “nice” to others. A good ecumenist is one who is deeply committed to his or her own tradition and who is prepared to enter into dialogue with other Christians in order to come to an understanding of the truth of the one true Church of Jesus Christ.
• Ecumenism is NOT just theologians debating difficult doctrinal concepts. Ecumenism is for everyone.
• Ecumenism IS celebrating the things we hold in common with other Christians and acknowledging our differences. It IS dialoguing with other Churches in mutual respect and openness on issues that divide us in search of the truth in love.
• Ecumenism IS unity in diversity. If we look at our own Catholic parishes we can see that diversity already exists within the Catholic Church. Across the world, we see the liturgy celebrated in numerous languages with a wide variety of cultural and religious traditions incorporated into the practice of the faith. The Church of Rome is in communion with a number of Churches from the Eastern Rite which provide even greater diversity in liturgy and discipline. Diversity is certainly not new to the Church.

First and foremost, ecumenism is about a change of heart.

“There can be no ecumenism worthy of the name without interior conversion. For it is from newness of attitudes of mind, from self-denial and unstinted love, that desires of unity take their rise and develop in a mature way.” (Second Vatican Council: Decree on Ecumenism # 7,)

And so, we are all called to a change of attitude of mind and heart. To be open and loving in our relationships with all Christians, so that together we may listen and come to understand that unity which Jesus so earnestly prayed for at the Last Supper (John 17:21). What Christian unity will ultimately look like is in God’s hands. It is up to us, through the gifts of the Holy Spirit, to build the bridges and to examine our own lives to ensure that we are open to the truth wherever we may find it.

The Council is involved in a wide range of activities. For up-to-date information “Like” us on

• Facebook
  • Council for Ecumenism and Inter-religious Relations
  • Queensland Churches Together
• Faiths Connect (newsletter)
  Or subscribe to our quarterly e-newsletter – email: ecum@bne.catholic.net.au

Established in 1991, the Joint Churches Domestic Violence Prevention Project (JCDVPP) was created to address the needs of those affected by Domestic Family Violence within the Church and community. The group aims to raise awareness among clergy and lay people through workshops and the publication of literature. Please click here to read more about JCDVPP and to access its resources and workshops.

• The Institute of Ecumenical Studies at the Ukrainian Catholic University offers a Distance Learning Master’s Program in Ecumenical Studies.
• Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, Geneva
• Tantur Ecumenical Institute for Theological Studies, Jerusalem
• The Irish School of Ecumenics, Trinity College, Dublin

• Living Word Living Tradition
  Ecumenical Resource based on the Report of the National Dialogue between the Lutheran and Roman Catholic Churches (2008-2011). Click here for more information.
• The Mission of the Church
  1. Reflections on the Mission of the Church
     A four-session small group study program for use by Christians from a range of traditions.
  2. What is the Mission of the Church?
     (Roman Catholic Perspective) Seven brief “prayerful ponderings” for use before meetings etc.
  3. What is the Mission of the Church?
     (Uniting Church Perspective) Seven brief “prayerful ponderings” for use before meetings etc.
• Christians In Dialogue
  A series of parish level discussion programs intended to be used ecumenically. Contact  ecum@bne.catholic.net.au for more information.
• Church as Communion
  A discussion resource based on the Anglican Roman Catholic International Dialogue. Contact  ecum@bne.catholic.net.au for more information.
• Justification: A Common Statement of the Australian Lutheran – Roman Catholic Dialogue
  A small group study resource written to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the signing of the Joint Declaration on Justification by the Lutheran World Federation and the Roman Catholic Church in 1999. Click here for free download.

• Blessed and Broken
  On Eucharistic Hospitality – Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane
• Ecumenical Schools: A Roman Catholic Perspective
  Archdiocese of Brisbane 2009
• Ecumenical Worship
  Pastoral Guidelines – Ecumenical Task Group on Collaborative Local Ministry, Queensland.
• Australian Churches Covenanting Together
  National Covenant signed by Member Churches of the NCCA in Adelaide, July 2004
• The Impulse of God’s Grace: Pastoral Letter on the Centenary of the Ecumenical Movement 2010
  Australian Catholic Bishops Conference
• Decree On Ecumenism
  Unitatis Redintegratio from Second Vatican Council
• Directory For The Application Of Principles And Norms On Ecumenism
  Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
• Ut Unum Sint
  On Commitment to Ecumenism – Encyclical of John Paul II
• Joint Declaration on Justification
  Between the Lutheran World Federation and the Roman Catholic Church 1999

O Holy Spirit,
As breath, breeze and great wind,
As flame and fire,
As inspiration and imagination,
As Lord and giver of life,
You have come through the ages to God’s people.

Come now and heal the church,
make us one that the Reign of God
may be proclaimed through all the world
and God’s saving power may touch all people,
through the ministry of the Body of Christ.

Amen

(Thanks to Toowoomba Roman Catholic Diocesan Commission for Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations for this prayer)