Give Baptism priority over Denominations

July 23, 2013 Martin Mallon (Ireland) Martin's previous articles

The changes Pope Francis is bringing into the Church will take time to change the mind-sets established under Popes John Paul II and Benedict. However, there are hopeful signs as has been acknowledged by Tony Flannery on 5 July on The Tablet Blog

As Tony writes, the signs are good, but it will take time:

There are so many interesting signals coming out of the Vatican since the election Pope Francis that most of us are beginning to hope for a brighter future. The signals have not as yet been followed by real changes in approach or structure, but it is probably too soon to realistically expect that.

This ties in well with Darlene’s article of Sunday 21 July, wherein she describes how we have Archbishop Clifford and the:

Papal Nuncio Charles Brown denying common Eucharist to an Ecumenical Gathering that is celebrating 50 years. This is absolutely incomprehensible, as well as, offensive. I cannot see Pope Francis condoning this decision. Does he intervene? If he doesn't, that would be consistent with having all the nice words, but, when "push" comes to "shove", who's listening?

I agree with Darlene that it is very unlikely that Francis would condone such behaviour, but what is he doing about such situations? As Tony Flannery writes above regarding real changes in approach or structure “it is probably too soon to realistically expect that.”

This brings to mind an article I wrote June 19, 2012, titled BAPTISM, ECUMENISM AND VATICAN II, see here and I include some relevant excerpts below:

The Taize community is ecumenical and the local bishop has given them permission to receive communion. Brother Alois Löser, Prior of the Taize Community, France spoke at last summer’s International Eucharistic Conference in Dublin. He stated that the Second Vatican Council asserted confidently “Baptism establishes a sacramental bond of unity which links all who have been reborn by it.” (Unitatis Redintegratio, no. 22).

Löser pointed out that we read in the New Testament “In the one spirit we were all baptised into a single body”. (1 Cor 12:13 ) In this way the unity of all Christians is hammered home by St Paul.

Brother Löser highlights the gifts all the baptised receive from Christ who goes as far as giving us his own life, the Holy Spirit. Löser also emphasises that unity of the baptised was a prayer of Christ; he not only wants the Church and the different denominations to be united, but he wants to bring “us with himself into the communion of the Holy Trinity.”

Br Löser then shows us that as we are all baptised in the one spirit then ecumenism cannot simply be a question of us attempting to bring the different denominations into step; it is essential to give baptism priority over denominations.

Interestingly, all the members of the Taize Community, which is made up of different denominations, are, according to Löser, permitted by the local bishop, since 1973, to receive communion in the Catholic Church. This is ecumenism, a real sign of unity and hopefully a sign of more unity in the future.

Not only that, but at the funeral of John Paul II, Cardinal Ratzinger personally gave Brother Roger, the founder of Taize and a protestant, Holy Communion.

If the Taize local bishop can give such permission then logically so can the Archbishop of Cashel and Emly, Dermot Clifford. Clearly Pope Francis would not approve the decisions of the Archbishop and the Nuncio Brown, but I am sure Francis was not consulted and we must remember that he did not appoint either man to his post.

We must pray that Francis has time to make “real changes in approach or structure” and to ensure that Baptism, as envisioned by Vatican II, is given “priority over denominations.”

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