Previous reflections   The 16 Documents of Vatican II Resolution  


Reflection 20:  Article 8 of  THE DOGMATIC CONSTITUTION ON THE CHURCH  


                                       LUMEN GENTIUM , 1964 

 

The one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church
which Jesus established "subsists in the Catholic Church,
which is governed by the successor of Peter and by the bishops in communion with him,
although many elements of sanctification and of truth are found outside of its visible structure.
These elements, as gifts belonging to the Church of Christ, are forces impelling toward catholic unity"

The above statement
- honestly admits that there's more to the Church of Jesus than just the Catholic Church 
(in fact, the number of "non-Catholic" Christians will soon be greater than the number of Catholic Christians!)
- humbly teaches that the Catholic Church is the root and main stem of the tree that is Jesus' Church
- commits the Catholic Church to work for unity with other branches of Christianity

Jesus, you established one Church.
You prayed that all your followers "would be one".
Please help us give more than lip-service to the goal of Christian Unity

Comments

[login] 
Not using Html Comment Box  yet?
jdwomi (mod) · Mar 8, 2013

Thank you Darlene and Hazel for your comments. When I was in Australia in January I met an elderly nun who said that during the Creed she omits "holy" ...because of so many bad things which have happened

Hazel · Mar 7, 2013

We used to be taught that the four marks of the Church were that she was one, holy, catholic and apostolic. Now she has relinquished the right to called holy. May our new pope, leads us all back to true holiness in Jesus Christ.
As for unity, surely we should all be reaching out to ALL Christians, working together to bring everyone to Jesus. We don't all have to be the same, we don't have to all worship the same way, we are all different and what suits me may not suit you! Bless us, O dear Lord, and help us to overcome and minimise our differences, hold hands, and come to you together.

Darlene Starrs · Mar 6, 2013

I am being, very, very, honest, when I say, I really "don't get this agenda" and I don't think the Lord does either!
We don't even have unity in the Catholic Church.....We don't even have unity in mind, heart, and spirit! As far as I'm concerned ordinary human wisdom dictates that for "unity", we all have believe the same way, think the same way, practise the faith, the same way.......Do you think God wants some kind of mass conformity, that is all, that it would amount to....I sound pessimistic? ....no, I'm think, I'm being "realistic in Christ".

rss