Address of Benedict to the Delegation of the Ecuмenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, Thursday, 30 June 2005
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2005/june/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20050630_deleg-costantinopoli.html
And how can I not recall here that in St Peter's Basilica a few months before his death, Pope John Paul II, of venerable memory, exchanged a fraternal embrace with the Ecuмenical Patriarch precisely in order to give a strong spiritual sign of our communion in the Saints whom we both invoke, and to reaffirm our determined commitment never to stop working for full unity?
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The unity that we seek is neither absorption nor fusion but respect for the multiform fullness of the Church, which must always be, in conformity with the desire of her Founder, Jesus Christ, one, holy, catholic and apostolic. This recommendation finds full resonance in the intangible profession of faith of all Christians, the Creed worked out by the Fathers of the Ecuмenical Councils of Nicea and Constantinople (cf. Slavorum Apostoli, n. 15).
Address Of Benedict ( . . .) Joint International Commission
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2013/january/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20130125_comm-theological-dialogue.html
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In the past decade the Commission has examined from an historical perspective the various ways in which the Churches expressed their communion in the early centuries. During this week devoted to prayer for the unity of all Christ’s followers, you have met to explore more fully the communion and communication which existed between the Churches in the first five centuries of Christian history. In acknowledging the progress which has been made, I express my hope that relations between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches will continue to develop in a fraternal spirit of cooperation, particularly through the growth of a theological dialogue capable of helping all the Lord’s followers to grow in communion and to bear witness before the world to the saving truth of the Gospel.
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May the example and intercession of the countless martyrs and saints who down the ages have borne courageous witness to Christ in all our Churches, sustain and strengthen all of us in meeting the challenges of the present with confidence and hope in the future which the Lord is opening before us. Upon you, and upon all those associated with the work of the Commission, I cordially invoke a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit’s gifts of wisdom, joy and peace. Thank you for your attention.
Joint International Commission, SEVENTH PLENARY SESSION. Balamand, Lebanon June 17-24, 1993.
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/ch_orthodox_docs/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_19930624_lebanon_en.html
The text finally adopted at Balamand is composed of two parts: 1) Ecclesiological Principles and 2) Practical Rules. In the spirit of the ecclesiology of communion and because of the fact that the Catholic and Orthodox Churches recognize each other as Sister Churches, it was observed that, in the effort to re-establish unity, what is involved is achieving together the will of Christ for those who are His disciples and the design of God for His Church, by means of a common search for full agreement in faith. It is not a question of seeking the conversion of persons from one Church to the other. This latter type of missionary activity, which has been called "uniatism", cannot be accepted either as a method to follow or as a model for the unity which is being sought by our Churches.
Letter Signed by Card. Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State, on Behalf of Benedict
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/secretariat_state/card-bertone/2010/docuмents/rc_seg-st_20100709_frere-roger_en.html
Dear Brother,
In these days when we remember the return to the Father of dear Brother Roger, the Founder of the Taizé Community, who was murdered five years ago, on 16 August 2005, during evening prayer in the Church of Reconciliation, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI wants you to know of his spiritual closeness and union in prayer with the Community and all those involved in commemorating Brother Roger.
A tireless witness to the Gospel of peace and reconciliation, Brother Roger was a pioneer in the difficult paths toward unity among the disciples of Christ. Seventy years ago, he began a community that continues to see thousands of young adults, searching for meaning in their lives, come to it from around the world, welcoming them in prayer and allowing them to experience a personal relationship with God.
Although he has entered eternal joy, he still speaks to us. May his witness to an ecuмenism of holiness inspire us in our march towards unity, and may your Community continue to live and to radiate his charism, especially towards the younger generations!
With all his heart, the Holy Father asks God to fill you with his blessings, as well as the Brothers of the Taizé Community and all who are involved with you on the roads to unity among the disciples of Christ, especially the young.
Brother Roger was a Protestant
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brother_Roger
In 1940 Schütz founded the Taizé Community, an ecuмenical monastic community in Burgundy, France.
Denomination Reformed Christianity
Address of Benedict, 20 August 2005
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2005/august/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20050820_meeting-muslims.html
The believer - and all of us, as Christians and Muslims, are believers - knows that, despite his weakness, he can count on the spiritual power of prayer.
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The defence of religious freedom, in this sense, is a permanent imperative, and respect for minorities is a clear sign of true civilization. In this regard, it is always right to recall what the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council said about relations with Muslims.
"The Church looks upon Muslims with respect. They worship the one God living and subsistent, merciful and almighty, creator of heaven and earth, who has spoken to humanity and to whose decrees, even the hidden ones, they seek to submit themselves whole-heartedly, just as Abraham, to whom the Islamic faith readily relates itself, submitted to God.... Although considerable dissensions and enmities between Christians and Muslims may have arisen in the course of the centuries, the Council urges all parties that, forgetting past things, they train themselves towards sincere mutual understanding and together maintain and promote social justice and moral values as well as peace and freedom for all people" (Declaration Nostra Aetate (http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/docuмents/vat-ii_decl_19651028_nostra-aetate_en.html), n. 3).
For us, these words of the Second Vatican Council remain the Magna Carta of the dialogue with you, dear Muslim friends, and I am glad that you have spoken to us in the same spirit and have confirmed these intentions.
You, my esteemed friends, represent some Muslim communities from this Country where I was born, where I studied and where I lived for a good part of my life. That is why I wanted to meet you. You guide Muslim believers and train them in the Islamic faith.
Teaching is the vehicle through which ideas and convictions are transmitted. Words are highly influential in the education of the mind. You, therefore, have a great responsibility for the formation of the younger generation. I learn with gratitude of the spirit in which you assume responsibility.
Benedict, General Audience Wednesday, 24 August 2005
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/audiences/2005/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20050824.html
This year is also the 40th anniversary of the conciliar Declaration Nostra Aetate, which has ushered in a new season of dialogue and spiritual solidarity between Jєωs and Christians, as well as esteem for the other great religious traditions. Islam occupies a special place among them.
Encyclical Letter Deus Caritas Est, Benedict XVI
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/encyclicals/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20051225_deus-caritas-est.html
31.
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c) Charity, furthermore, cannot be used as a means of engaging in what is nowadays considered proselytism. Love is free; it is not practised as a way of achieving other ends.[30] (http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/encyclicals/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20051225_deus-caritas-est.html#_ftn30) But this does not mean that charitable activity must somehow leave God and Christ aside. For it is always concerned with the whole man. Often the deepest cause of suffering is the very absence of God. Those who practise charity in the Church's name will never seek to impose the Church's faith upon others. They realize that a pure and generous love is the best witness to the God in whom we believe and by whom we are driven to love. A Christian knows when it is time to speak of God and when it is better to say nothing and to let love alone speak. He knows that God is love (cf. 1 Jn 4:8.) and that God's presence is felt at the very time when the only thing we do is to love. He knows—to return to the questions raised earlier—that disdain for love is disdain for God and man alike; it is an attempt to do without God. Consequently, the best defence of God and man consists precisely in love. It is the responsibility of the Church's charitable organizations to reinforce this awareness in their members, so that by their activity—as well as their words, their silence, their example—they may be credible witnesses to Christ.
Address of Benedict to Chief Rabbi of Rome, 16 January 2006
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2006/january/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20060116_rabbino-roma.html
Distinguished Chief Rabbi, you were recently entrusted with the spiritual guidance of Rome's Jєωιѕн Community; you have taken on this responsibility enriched by your experience as a scholar and a doctor who has shared in the joys and sufferings of a great many people. I offer you my heartfelt good wishes for your mission, and I assure you of my own and my collaborators' cordial esteem and friendship.
Address of Benedict to the Ambassador of Morocco, 20 February 2006
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2006/february/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20060220_morocco-ambassador.html
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For her part, in the present international context with which we are familiar, the Catholic Church remains convinced that to encourage peace and understanding between peoples and people, it is urgently necessary that religions and their symbols be respected and that believers not be the object of provocations that wound their outlook and religious sentiments.
Address of Benedict, 20 February 2006
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2006/february/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20060220_ad-limina-africa.html
One of the tasks through which the Church in your region most visibly expresses love of neighbour is her involvement with a view to social development. Many ecclesial structures enable your communities to serve the poorest of the poor effectively, a sign of their awareness that love of neighbour, rooted in love of God, is constitutive of Christian life. So it is that "the entire activity of the Church is an expression of a love that seeks the integral good of man" (Deus Caritas Est, n. 19). However, Christianity must not be reduced to a purely human wisdom or confused with a social service, for it is also a spiritual service.
Nor, for disciples of Christ, can the exercise of charity be a means of engaging in proselytism, because love is free (cf. ibid., n. 31). You often serve human beings in collaboration with men and women who do not share the Christian faith, especially Muslims. Thus, the efforts made for an encounter in truth of believers of different religious traditions contributes to achieving in practice the authentic good of individuals and of society. It is indispensable to increasingly deepen brotherly relations between the communities in order to encourage a harmonious social development, recognizing the dignity of each person and enabling everyone to practice their religion freely.
Letter of Benedict to the Patriarch of Moscow
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/letters/2006/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_let_20060217_patriarca-mosca.html
To His Holiness Alexei II Patriarch of Moscow
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I would like to join this joyful celebration in spirit, and I invoke abundant Blessings from the Lord upon you yourself and upon your ministry, generously dedicated to the great cause of the Gospel.
Gestures and words of renewed brotherhood between Pastors of the Lord's flock show that an ever more intense collaboration in truth and charity help increase the spirit of communion that must guide the steps of all the baptized.
The contemporary world needs to hear voices that indicate the path of peace, of respect for all, of the condemnation of all forms of violence, of the superior dignity of every person and of the innate rights to which he or she is entitled.
With these sentiments, I offer you my best wishes for your good health; after the example and with the intercession of St Alexis, may you continue to fulfill; fruitfully the mission that God has entrusted to you.
Address of Benedict to the Ambassador of Spain
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2006/may/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20060520_ambassador-spain.html
The Church also insists on the inalienable right of individuals to profess their own religious faith without hindrance, both publicly and privately (. . .)
Homily, 10 September 2006
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/homilies/2006/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20060910_neue-messe-munich.html
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We do not fail to show respect for other religions and cultures, we do not fail to show profound respect for their faith (. . .)
Message of Benedict, On the Occasion of the 20th Anniversary [of Assisi]
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/letters/2006/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_let_20060902_xx-incontro-assisi.html
This year is the 20th anniversary of the Interreligious Meeting of Prayer for Peace, desired by my venerable Predecessor John Paul II on 27 October 1986 in Assisi.
It is well known that he did not only invite Christians of various denominations to this Meeting but also the exponents of different religions. The initiative made an important impact on public opinion. It constituted a vibrant message furthering peace and an event that left its mark on the history of our time.
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It is under this profile that the initiative John Paul II promoted 20 years ago has acquired the features of an accurate prophecy. His invitation to the world's religious leaders to bear a unanimous witness to peace serves to explain with no possibility of confusion that religion must be a herald of peace.
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Among the features of the 1986 Meeting, it should be stressed that this value of prayer in building peace was testified to by the representatives of different religious traditions, and this did not happen at a distance but in the context of a meeting. Consequently, the people of diverse religions who were praying could show through the language of witness that prayer does not divide but unites and is a decisive element for an effective pedagogy of peace, hinged on friendship, reciprocal acceptance and dialogue between people of different cultures and religions.
We are in greater need of this dialogue than ever, especially if we look at the new generations.
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I am glad, therefore, that the initiatives planned in Assisi this year are along these lines and, in particular, that the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue has had the idea of applying them in a special way for young people.
Benedict, General Audience, Saint Peter's Square, 20 September 2006
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/audiences/2006/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20060920.html
I hope that in the various circuмstances during my Visit - for example, when in Munich I emphasized how important it is to respect what is sacred to others - that my deep respect for the great religions, and especially for Muslims, who "worship God, who is one" and with whom we are engaged in preserving and promoting together, for the benefit of all men, "peace, liberty, social justice and moral values" (Nostra Aetate, n. 3), appeared quite clear.
Address of Benedict to the Bishops of Greece, 30 October 2006
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2006/october/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20061030_ad-limina-greece.html
I am also pleased to address my thoughts and good wishes to His Beatitude Christódoulos, Archbishop of Athens and All Greece; I ask the Lord to sustain his farsightedness and prudence in carrying out the demanding service that the Lord has entrusted to his care.
Through him I wish to greet with deep affection the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Greece and all the faithful whom it serves lovingly and with apostolic dedication.
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/audiences/2006/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20061206.html
Benedict, General Audience, 6 December 2006
I thus had a favourable opportunity to renew my sentiments of esteem for the Muslims and for the Islamic civilizations. At the same time, I was able to insist on the importance of Christians and Muslims working together for humankind, for life and for peace and justice, reasserting that the distinction between the civil and religious spheres is a value and that the State must assure citizens and religious communities effective freedom of worship.
Address of Benedict, 28 November 2006
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2006/november/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20061128_diplomatic-corps.html
Turkey has always served as a bridge between East and West, between Asia and Europe, and as a crossroads of cultures and religions. During the last century, she acquired the means to become a great modern State, notably by the choice of a secular regime, with a clear distinction between civil society and religion, each of which was to be autonomous in its proper domain while respecting the sphere of the other. The fact that the majority of the population of this country is Muslim is a significant element in the life of society, which the State cannot fail to take into account, yet the Turkish Constitution recognizes every citizen’s right to freedom of worship and freedom of conscience. The civil authorities of every democratic country are duty bound to guarantee the effective freedom of all believers and to permit them to organize freely the life of their religious communities. Naturally it is my hope that believers, whichever religious community they belong to, will continue to benefit from these rights, since I am certain that religious liberty is a fundamental expression of human liberty and that the active presence of religions in society is a source of progress and enrichment for all.
Address of Benedict to the Archbishop of Canterbury, 23 November 2006
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2006/november/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20061123_archbishop-canterbury.html
It is our fervent hope that the Anglican Communion will remain grounded in the Gospels and the Apostolic Tradition which form our common patrimony and are the basis of our common aspiration to work for full visible unity.
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May the Lord continue to bless you and your family, and may he strengthen you in your ministry to the Anglican Communion!
Address of Benedict, 22 December 2006
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2006/december/docuмents/hf_ben_xvi_spe_20061222_curia-romana.html
My Visit to Turkey afforded me the opportunity to show also publicly my respect for the Islamic Religion, a respect, moreover, which the Second Vatican Council (cf. Declaration Nostra Aetate, n. 3) pointed out to us as an attitude that is only right.
Benedict, General Audience, 17 January 2007
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/audiences/2007/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20070117.html
For almost 20 years now the Italian Bishops' Conference has dedicated this Judaism Day to furthering knowledge and esteem for it and for developing the relationship of reciprocal friendship between the Christian and Jєωιѕн communities, a relationship that has developed positively since the Second Vatican Council and the historic visit of the Servant of God John Paul II to the Major ѕуηαgσgυє of Rome.
To grow and be fruitful, the Jєωιѕн-Christian friendship must also be based on prayer. Therefore, today I invite you all to address an ardent prayer to the Lord that Jєωs and Christians may respect and esteem one another and collaborate for justice and peace in the world.
Address of Benedict to the Ambassador of Turkey 19 January 2007
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2007/january/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20070119_ambassador-turkey.html
During my memorable Visit, I frequently expressed the respect of the Catholic Church for Islam and the esteem of the Pope and the faithful for Muslim believers, especially during my Visit to Istanbul's Blue Mosque.
In the contemporary world, where tensions seem exacerbated, the conviction of the Holy See, which agrees with the one you have just expressed, is that the faithful of different religions must strive to work together for peace.
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Dialogue, essential between religious Authorities at all levels, begins in daily life through the mutual respect and esteem that believers of every religion have for one another, sharing in the same life and working together for the common good.
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I also greet with affection His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew I, the Bishops and all the faithful of the Orthodox Church, with which so many ties of kinship already bind us as we await the blessed day when we will be invited to share in Christ's banquet.
Address of Benedict, 1 February 2007
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2007/february/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20070201_dialogo-interreligioso.html
I thank H.E. Metropolitan Damaskinos of Andrianoupolis, your President, who has presented to me the first result of your work: a joint edition of the three Sacred Books of the three monotheistic religions in their original language and in chronological order. Indeed, this was the very first project we conceived of in creating the Foundation together, so as to "make a specific and positive contribution to the dialogue between cultures and religions".
As I have said on several occasions, in continuation with the Conciliar Declaration Nostra Aetate (http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/docuмents/vat-ii_decl_19651028_nostra-aetate_en.html) and with my beloved Predecessor, Pope John Paul II, we, Jєωs, Christians and Muslims are called to develop the bonds that unite us.
Indeed, it was this idea that led us to create this Foundation which aims to seek "the most essential and authentic message that the three monotheistic religions, namely, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, can address to the world of the 21st century", to give a new impetus to interreligious and intercultural dialogue by means of our common research and by highlighting and disseminating everything in our respective spiritual heritages that helps to strengthen fraternal ties between our communities of believers.
Consequently, the Foundation had to work out an instrument of reference that would help us overcome misunderstandings and prejudices and offer a common platform for future work. Thus, you have produced this beautiful edition of the three books which are the source of our religious beliefs, creators of culture, that have made a deep mark on peoples and to which we are indebted today.
Sacramentum Caritatis - Benedict XVI
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/apost_exhortations/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_exh_20070222_sacramentum-caritatis.html#Actuosa_participatio
56.
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The Eucharist in fact not only manifests our personal communion with Jesus Christ, but also implies full communio with the Church. This is the reason why, sadly albeit not without hope, we ask Christians who are not Catholic to understand and respect our conviction, which is grounded in the Bible and Tradition. We hold that eucharistic communion and ecclesial communion are so linked as to make it generally impossible for non-Catholic Christians to receive the former without enjoying the latter. There would be even less sense in actually concelebrating with ministers of Churches or ecclesial communities not in full communion with the Catholic Church. Yet it remains true that, for the sake of their eternal salvation, individual non-Catholic Christians can be admitted to the Eucharist, the sacrament of Reconciliation and the Anointing of the Sick.
Address of His Holiness Benedict, 24 May 2007
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2007/may/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20070524_cei.html
Esteem and respect for all other religions and cultures, with the seeds of truth and goodness that are present there and that represent a preparation for the Gospel, are particularly necessary today in a world that is growing ever closer together.
Chrysostomos II and Benedict XVI, Common Declaration, 16 June 2007
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2007/june/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20070616_chrysostomos-ii.html#COMMON_DECLARATION
2.
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we assure our faithful of our fervent prayers as Pastors in the Church and ask them to join us in a unanimous invocation "that they may all be one... so that the world may believe" (Jn 17: 21).
4.
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Thus, among the human rights to be safeguarded, freedom of religion should be at the top of the list. Failure to respect this right constitutes a very serious offence to the dignity of the human being, who is struck deep within his heart where God dwells. Consequently, to profane, destroy or sack the places of worship of any religion is an act against humanity and the civilization of the peoples.
6.
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The rich patrimony of faith and the solid Christian tradition of our lands should spur Catholics and Orthodox to a renewed impetus in proclaiming the Gospel in our age, in being faithful to our Christian vocation and in responding to the demands of the contemporary world.
Benedict XVI, 5 August 2007
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/angelus/2007/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_ang_20070805.html
At this time, a few days after the death of H.B. Teoctist, the Patriarch, I would like to address a special thought to the leaders and faithful of the Romanian Orthodox Church. I sent Cardinal Walter Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, to take part as my representative in his solemn funeral, celebrated last Friday at Bucharest's Patriarchal Cathedral.
I remember with esteem and affection this noble figure of a Pastor who loved his Church and made a positive contribution to relations between Catholics and Orthodox, constantly encouraging the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue Between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church (as a whole).
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"May his memory live for ever", as the Orthodox liturgical tradition concludes the funeral service of all who fall asleep in the Lord. Let us make this invocation our own, asking the Lord to welcome this Brother of ours into his Kingdom of infinite light and to grant him the repose and peace promised to faithful servants of the Gospel.
Address of Benedict, 21 September 2007
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2007/september/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20070921_idc.html
Another cause highly esteemed by all of you is the defence of religious liberty, which is a fundamental, irrepressible, inalienable and inviolable right rooted in the dignity of every human being and acknowledged by various international docuмents, especially the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The exercise of this freedom also includes the right to change religion, which should be guaranteed not only legally, but also in daily practice.
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That is why all authentically religious traditions must be allowed to manifest their own identity publicly, free from any pressure to hide or disguise it.
Greeting of Benedict XVI, 21 October 2007
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2007/october/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20071021_incontro-napoli.html
Your Holinesses, Your Beatitudes,
Distinguished Authorities representing the Churches and Ecclesial Communities,
Eminent Spokespersons of the great World Religions,
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In a certain sense, what you represent expresses the different worlds and religious patrimonies of humanity to which the Catholic Church looks with sincere respect and cordial attention.
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Today's meeting takes us back in spirit to 1986 (https://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/travels/sub_index1986/trav_perugia-assisi.html), when my venerable Predecessor John Paul II invited important Religious Representatives to the hills of St Francis to pray for peace (. . .)
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While respecting the differences of the various religions, we are all called to work for peace and to be effectively committed to furthering reconciliation among peoples. This is the true "spirit of Assisi" which opposes every form of violence and the abuse of religion as a pretext for violence.
Address of Benedict to the Members of a Delegation of the Mennonite World Conference, 19 October 2007
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2007/october/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20071019_mennonite-conf.html
Mennonites are well known for their strong Christian witness to peace in the name of the Gospel (. . .)
Address of Benedict, 21 December 2007
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2007/december/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20071221_curia-romana.html
A disciple of Jesus Christ, the docuмent tells us, must also be a "missionary", a Gospel messenger. It is here, furthermore, that the objection arises: is it still legitimate today to "evangelize"? Should not all the world's religions and conceptions rather coexist peacefully and seek together to do their best for humanity, each in its own way? Well, that we must all coexist and cooperate in tolerance and reciprocal respect goes without question. The Catholic Church is actively committed to this and, with the two meetings in Assisi, has left evident signs of it, signs that we renewed again at this year's Meeting in Naples.
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St Paul travelled tirelessly, taking the Gospel with him. He even felt under a sort of "compulsion" to proclaim the Gospel (cf. I Cor 9: 16) - not so much out of concern for the salvation of the single non-baptized person who had not yet been reached by the Gospel, but rather because he was aware that history as a whole could not attain fulfilment until the Gospel had reached the full number (pléroma) of Gentiles (cf. Rom 11: 25).
Address of Benedict, 13 December 2007
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2007/december/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20071213_suriname.html
Your Excellency has noted the extraordinary ethnic and religious diversity present in your country. Differences of origin, custom and belief are marvellous opportunities for people to learn and practise tolerance and sympathy for one another.
The Telegram Benedict XVI sent to Eastern Schismatics
https://zenit.org/articles/papal-message-to-orthodox-church-of-greece/
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assuring you of my spiritual closeness to all those who mourn the passing of this distinguished pastor of the Church of Greece.
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I and Catholics around the world pray that the Orthodox Church of Greece will be sustained by the grace of God in continuing to build on the pastoral achievements of the late Archbishop and that in commending the noble soul of his Beatitude to our heavenly Father’s loving mercy you will be comforted by the Lord’s promise to reward his faithful servants.
Please accept, your eminence, this expression of my closeness in prayer to you and your brother bishops as you guide the Church in this time of transition. With fraternal affection in the Lord.
Benedict, General Audience, 23 January 2008
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/audiences/2008/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20080123.html
In these days, Christians of various Churches and Ecclesial Communities are joining in a unanimous chorus of entreaty to ask the Lord Jesus to re-establish full unity among all his disciples.
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Secondly, the Council places the emphasis on prayer in common, prayer raised jointly to the one Heavenly Father by Catholics and by other Christians. The Decree on Ecuмenism says in this regard: "Such prayers in common are certainly a very effective means of petitioning for the grace of unity" (Unitatis Redintegratio, n. 8.). And this is because, in praying together, Christian communities place themselves before the Lord and, becoming aware of the contradictions to which division has given rise, manifest their desire to obey the Lord's will with trusting recourse to his almighty assistance. The Decree then adds that such prayers "are a genuine expression of the ties which still bind Catholics to their separated (seiuncti) brethren" (ibid.). Prayer in common is not, therefore, a voluntaristic or purely sociological act, but rather an expression of faith that unites all Christ's disciples.
Address of Benedict, 18 January 2008
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2008/january/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20080118_finland.html
The joint prayer of Lutherans and Catholics from Finland is a humble but faithful sharing in the prayer of Jesus, who promised that every prayer raised to the Father in his name would be heard (cf. Jn 15:7). This indeed is the royal door of ecuмenism: such prayer leads us to look at the Kingdom of God and the unity of the Church in a fresh way; it reinforces our bonds of communion; and it enables us to face courageously the painful memories, social burdens and human weaknesses that are so much a part of our divisions.
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May the ongoing dialogue lead to practical results in actions which express and build up our unity in Christ and therefore strengthen relationships between Christians.
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. . . there is much that Lutherans and Catholics can do together in the service of the Gospel and the advancement of the Kingdom of God.
Address of Benedict, 15 March 2008
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2008/march/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20080315_ambassador-greece.html
In 2006, I was happy to receive your President here at the Vatican, and I was graced by a visit from His Beatitude Christodoulos, whose recent death Christians in your country and throughout the world continue to mourn. I pray that the Lord will grant this devoted pastor rest from his labours and bless him for his valiant efforts to mend the breach between Christians in the East and West. I avail myself of this occasion to extend to the new Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, His Beatitude Ieronymos, my sincere fraternal greetings of peace, together with an assurance of my constant prayers for his fruitful ministry and good health.
Address of Benedict, 17 April 2008
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2008/april/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20080417_other-religions.html
The task of upholding religious freedom is never completed. New situations and challenges invite citizens and leaders to reflect on how their decisions respect this basic human right. Protecting religious freedom within the rule of law does not guarantee that peoples – particularly minorities – will be spared from unjust forms of discrimination and prejudice. This requires constant effort on the part of all members of society to ensure that citizens are afforded the opportunity to worship peaceably and to pass on their religious heritage to their children.
The transmission of religious traditions to succeeding generations not only helps to preserve a heritage; it also sustains and nourishes the surrounding culture in the present day. The same holds true for dialogue between religions; both the participants and society are enriched. As we grow in understanding of one another, we see that we share an esteem for ethical values, discernable to human reason, which are revered by all peoples of goodwill. The world begs for a common witness to these values. I therefore invite all religious people to view dialogue not only as a means of enhancing mutual understanding, but also as a way of serving society at large. By bearing witness to those moral truths which they hold in common with all men and women of goodwill, religious groups will exert a positive influence on the wider culture, and inspire neighbors, co-workers and fellow citizens to join in the task of strengthening the ties of solidarity. In the words of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt: “no greater thing could come to our land today than a revival of the spirit of faith”.
A concrete example of the contribution religious communities make to civil society is faith-based schools. These institutions enrich children both intellectually and spiritually. Led by their teachers to discover the divinely bestowed dignity of each human being, young people learn to respect the beliefs and practices of others, thus enhancing a nation’s civic life.
Address of Benedict, 9 May 2008
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2008/may/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20080509_karekin-ii.html
The recent history of the Armenian Apostolic Church has been written in the contrasting colours of persecution and martyrdom, darkness and hope, humiliation and spiritual re-birth. Your Holiness and the members of your delegation have personally lived through these contrasting experiences in your families and in your own lives. The restoration of freedom to the Church in Armenia has been a source of great joy for us all. An immense task of rebuilding the Church has been laid on your shoulders. I cannot but voice my great esteem for the remarkable pastoral results that have been achieved in such a short time, both in Armenia and abroad, for the Christian education of young people, for the training of new clergy, for building new churches and community centres, for charitable assistance to those in need, and for promoting Christian values in social and cultural life.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenian_Apostolic_Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the national church of the Armenian people. Part of Oriental Orthodoxy . . .
Address of Benedict, Meeting With Representatives From the World of Culture, 12 September 2008
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2008/september/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20080912_parigi-cultura.html
I thank the delegates of the French Islamic community for having accepted the invitation to participate in this meeting: I convey to them by best wishes for the holy season of Ramadan already underway.
Address of Benedict, Meeting With Representatives of the Jєωιѕн Community, 12 September 2008
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2008/september/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20080912_parigi-cultura.html
By her very nature the Catholic Church feels obliged to respect the Covenant made by the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Indeed, the Church herself is situated within the eternal Covenant of the Almighty, whose plans are immutable, and she respects the children of the Promise, the children of the Covenant, as her beloved brothers and sisters in the faith.
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I cannot neglect, on an occasion such as this, to recall the eminent role played by the Jєωs of France in the building up of the whole nation and of their prestigious contribution to her spiritual patrimony.
Benedict XVI, General Audience, 21 January 2009
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/audiences/2009/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20090121.html
The "Week" is also a favourable opportunity to thank the Lord for what, with his help, has been done up to now to bring divided Christian and Ecclesial Communities closer to one another. This spirit has enlivened the Catholic Church which, in the year that has just ended, continued with firm conviction and well-founded hope to engage in respectful brotherly relations with all the Churches and Ecclesial Communities of the East and West. Within a variety of situations, at times more positive and at times with greater difficulty, we endeavoured never to fall short of our commitment to make every possible effort for the recomposition of full unity. Relations between the Churches and theological dialogues have continued to show encouraging signs of spiritual convergence. I myself have had the joy, both here at the Vatican and during my Apostolic Visits, of meeting Christians from all parts. I have received the Ecuмenical Patriarch His Holiness Bartholomew I three times with deep joy and, during what was an extraordinary event at the recent Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, we heard him speak with fraternal ecclesial warmth and convinced trust in the future. I had the pleasure of receiving the two Catholicoi of the Armenian Apostolic Church: His Holiness Karekin II of Etchmiadzin and His Holiness Aram I of Antelias. And, lastly, I shared in the sorrow of the Patriarchate of Moscow at the departure of our Beloved Brother in Christ, His Holiness Patriarch Alexei II, and I continue to remain in communion through prayer with these brothers of ours who are preparing to elect the new Patriarch of their venerable and great Orthodox Church.
Letter of Benedict to the Patriarch of Moscow
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/letters/2009/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_let_20090128_patriarch-moscow.html
I greet Your Holiness with joy as you undertake the great responsibility of shepherding the venerable Russian Orthodox Church.
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I pray that our heavenly Father will grant you the abundant gifts of the Holy Spirit in your ministry and enable you to guide the Church in the love and peace of Christ.
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It is my earnest hope that we will continue to cooperate in finding ways to foster and strengthen communion in the Body of Christ,
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Conscious of the enormous responsibilities which accompany the spiritual and pastoral ministry to which the Holy Spirit has called you, I renew to Your Holiness the assurance of my prayers and fraternal good will. I ask Almighty God to bless you with his love, to watch over the beloved Russian Church, and to sustain the Bishops, priests and all the faithful in the unfailing hope which is ours in Christ Jesus.
Address of Benedict, 9 May 2009
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2009/may/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20090509_capi-musulmani.html
Places of worship, like this splendid Al-Hussein Bin Talal mosque named after the revered late King, stand out like Jєωels across the earth’s surface. From the ancient to the modern, the magnificent to the humble, they all point to the divine, to the Transcendent One, to the Almighty. And through the centuries these sanctuaries have drawn men and women into their sacred space to pause, to pray, to acknowledge the presence of the Almighty, and to recognize that we are all his creatures.
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Muslims and Christians, precisely because of the burden of our common history so often marked by misunderstanding, must today strive to be known and recognized as worshippers of God faithful to prayer, eager to uphold and live by the Almighty’s decrees, merciful and compassionate, consistent in bearing witness to all that is true and good, and ever mindful of the common origin and dignity of all human persons, who remain at the apex of God’s creative design for the world and for history.
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Such initiatives clearly lead to greater reciprocal knowledge, and they foster a growing respect both for what we hold in common and for what we understand differently. Thus, they should prompt Christians and Muslims to probe even more deeply the essential relationship between God and his world so that together we may strive to ensure that society resonates in harmony with the divine order.
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Our love and duty before the Almighty is expressed not only in our worship but also in our love and concern for children and young people – your families – and for all Jordanians.
Letter of Benedict to the Metroplitian Archbishop of Bucharest
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/letters/2009/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_let_20090506_ioan-robu.html
It therefore gives me great pleasure to extend my cordial greeting to all those who will be taking part in this important event. It is an interesting initiative that unites the Catholic and Orthodox faithful of this country which - because of its geographical location and its long history, its culture and its tradition - keeps a record of its special ecuмenical vocation, as it were, impressed in its roots. The wish that I warmly express is that believers in Christ may not only keep alive the memory of those unforgettable days but also, gathering the teachings of my venerable Predecessor John Paul II, that they may all strive to find together courageous ways to face with trust the great challenges of our time. I am thinking especially of the defence of human life in all its phases, of the safeguard of the family, of respect for creation and of promotion of the common good. In addition, making my own the wishes of beloved Pope John Paul II, I ask you to pray that full fraternal communion among all Christians in both the West and the East may be achieved as soon as possible: "the Divine Master prayed for this unity, enlivened by love, in the Upper Room on the eve of his Passion and death" (Holy Mass, Podul Izvor Park, Bucharest, 9 May 1999).
With these sentiments I assure you of my remembrance in prayer and impart my Blessing to you, venerable Brother, to all those present here and to the entire Christian community in Romania. I also impart a warm greeting and Blessing to the beloved Orthodox Patriarch and to all the members of that noble Church.
Encyclical Letter Caritas In Veritate, Benedict XVI
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/encyclicals/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20090629_caritas-in-veritate.html
56. The Christian religion and other religions can offer their contribution to development only if God has a place in the public realm, specifically in regard to its cultural, social, economic, and particularly its political dimensions. The Church's social doctrine came into being in order to claim “citizenship status” for the Christian religion[135]. Denying the right to profess one's religion in public and the right to bring the truths of faith to bear upon public life has negative consequences for true development.
Visit to the ѕуηαgσgυє of Rome, Address of Benedict, 17 January 2010
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2010/january/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20100117_sinagoga.html
1.
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With sentiments of heartfelt appreciation, I come among you to express to you the esteem and the affection which the Bishop and the Church of Rome, as well as the entire Catholic Church, have towards this Community and all Jєωιѕн communities around the world.
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Furthermore, the Church has not failed to deplore the failings of her sons and daughters, begging forgiveness for all that could in any way have contributed to the scourge of anti-Semitism and anti-Judaism.
(. . .) asking your forgiveness we wish to commit ourselves to genuine brotherhood with the people of the Covenant.
3.
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As I noted during my visit of 28 May 2006 to the Auschwitz cσncєnтrαтισn cαмρ (http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2006/may/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20060528_auschwitz-birkenau.html), which is still profoundly impressed upon my memory, "the rulers of the Third Reich wanted to crush the entire Jєωιѕн people", and, essentially, "by wiping out this people, they intended to kill the God who called Abraham, who spoke on Sinai and laid down principles to serve as a guide for mankind, principles that remain eternally valid.
Address of Benedict, 22 May 2010
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2010/may/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20100522_centesimus-annus.html
The exclusion of religions from the public sphere, just as, in another way, religious fundamentalism, impedes the encounter of peoples and their collaboration for the progress of humanity.
Address of Benedict, 28 January 2011
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2011/january/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20110128_commission-theological-dialogue.html
Through you I gladly extend fraternal greetings to my venerable Brothers, the Heads of the Oriental Orthodox Churches.
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All Christians need to work together in mutual acceptance and trust in order to serve the cause of peace and justice. May the intercession and example of the many martyrs and saints, who have given courageous witness to Christ in all our Churches, sustain and strengthen you and your Christian communities.
Address of Benedict, 19 January 2012
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2012/january/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20120119_finnish-delegation.html
The annual visit of an ecuмenical delegation from Finland testifies to the growth of communion among the Christian traditions represented in your country. It is my profound hope that this communion may continue to grow, bearing rich fruit among Catholics, Lutherans and all other Christians in your beloved homeland. Our deepened friendship and common witness to Jesus Christ – especially before today’s world, which so often lacks true direction and longs to hear the message of salvation – must hasten our progress towards the resolution of our remaining differences, and indeed of all matters on which Christians are divided.
Homily, 10 March 2012
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/homilies/2012/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20120310_vespri-rowan.html
I am delighted to be joined on this occasion by His Grace Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury. To you, my dear Brother in Christ, and to each one of you, dear monks and nuns, and to everyone present, I extend cordial greetings.
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The Monastery of San Gregorio al Celio is the Roman setting for our celebration of the millennium of Camaldoli in company with His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury who, together with us, recognizes this Monastery as the birthplace of the link between Christianity in Britain and the Church of Rome. Today’s celebration is therefore marked by a profoundly ecuмenical character which, as we know, is part and parcel of the modern Camaldolese spirit. This Roman Camaldolese Monastery has developed with Canterbury and the Anglican Communion, especially since the Second Vatican Council, links that now qualify as traditional. Today, for the third time, the Bishop of Rome is meeting the Archbishop of Canterbury in the home of Saint Gregory the Great. And it is right that it should be so, because it was from this Monastery that Pope Gregory chose Augustine and his forty monks and sent them to bring the Gospel to the Angles, a little over 1,400 years ago. The constant presence of monks in this place, over such a long period, is already in itself a testimony of God’s faithfulness to his Church, which we are happy to be able to proclaim to the whole world. We hope that the sign of our presence here together in front of the holy altar, where Gregory himself celebrated the eucharistic sacrifice, will remain not only as a reminder of our fraternal encounter, but also as a stimulus for all the faithful – both Catholic and Anglican – encouraging them, as they visit the glorious tombs of the holy Apostles and Martyrs in Rome, to renew their commitment to pray constantly and to work for unity, and to live fully in accordance with the “ut unum sint” that Jesus addressed to the Father.
Interview of Benedict, 23 March 2012
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2012/march/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20120323_incontro-giornalisti.html
Your Holiness, let us look at Cuba.
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As I said, I am totally in accord with the words of the Holy Father John Paul II, which are still very up-to-date. This visit of the Pope paved the way for collaboration and constructive dialogue; a road that is long and demands patience but stretches out ahead of us. Today it is obvious that the Marxist ideology as it was conceived no longer corresponds to reality: it is no longer possible to respond to or to build up a society in this way. New models must be found, patiently and constructively.
Address of Benedict, 14 September 2012
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2012/september/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20120914_firma-es-ap.html
The happy coexistence of Islam and Christianity, two religions that have helped to shape great cultures, is what makes for the originality of social, political and religious life in Lebanon. One can only rejoice in this circuмstance, which must absolutely be encouraged. I entrust this wish to the religious leaders of your country.
Milestones: Memoirs, 1927-1977 By Benedict XVI
https://books.google.com/books?id=981K4YqNzpAC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Milestones:+Memoirs,+1927-1977&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjxyoq2yuLfAhUm6YMKHVSOAQsQ6AEIKDAA#v=onepage&q=%22I%20have%20ever%20more%20come%20to%20the%20realization%22&f=false
I have ever more come to the realization that Judaism (which, strictly speaking, begins with the end of the formation of the canon, that is, in the first century after Christ) and the Christian faith described in the New Testament are two ways of appropriating Israel's Scriptures, two ways that, in the end, are both determined by the position one assumes with regard to the figure of Jesus of Nazareth. The Scripture we today call the Old Testament is in itself open to both ways.
The Ratzinger Reader: Mapping a Theological Journey, page 162-163:
https://books.google.com/books?id=pfARBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA162&dq=Nor+is+it+possible,+on+the+other+hand,+for+him+to+regard+as+the+only+possible+form&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiX2uC0zeLfAhVk5oMKHTyYB3oQ6AEIKzAA#v=onepage&q=Nor%20is%20it%20possible%2C%20on%20the%20other%20hand%2C%20for%20him%20to%20regard%20as%20the%20only%20possible%20form&f=false
On the question of reunion between East and West
How, then are the maximum demands to be decided in advance? Certainly, no one who claims allegiance to Catholic theology can simply declare the doctrine of primacy null and void, especially not if he seeks to understand the objections and evaluates with an open mind the relative weight of what can be determined historically. Nor is it possible, on the other hand, for him to regard as the only possible form and, consequently, as binding on all Christians the form this primacy has taken in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The symbolic gestures of Pope Paul VI and, in particular, his kneeling before the representative of the Ecuмenical Patriarch were an attempt to express precisely this and, by such signs, to point the way out of the historical impasse.
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In other words, Rome must not require more from the East with respect to the doctrine of the primacy than had been formulated and was lived in the first millennium. When the Patriarch Athenagoras, on July 25, 1967, on the occasion of the Pope's visit to Phanar, designated him as the successor of St. Peter, as the most esteemed among us, as one who presides in charity, this great Church leader was expressing the essential content of the doctrine of primacy as it was known in the first millennium. Rome need not ask for more. Reunion could take place in this context if, on the one hand, the East would cease to oppose as heretical the developments that took place in the West in the second millennium and would accept the Catholic Church as legitimate and orthodox in the form she had acquired in the course of that development, while, on the other hand, the West would recognize the Church of the East as orthodox and legitimate in the form she has always had.
The Ratzinger Reader: Mapping a Theological Journey, page 166:
https://books.google.com/books?id=pfARBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA166&lpg=PA166&dq=It+means+that+the+Catholicdoes+not+insist+on+the+dissolution+of+the+Protestant+confessions&source=bl&ots=PggJk17SVn&sig=1fu99-mcqZU35V3u26yII6DemXM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjgsK-d0-LfAhUj0YMKHTCHBVMQ6AEwAHoECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q=%22It%20means%20that%20the%20Catholic%20does%20not%20insist%20on%20the%20dissolution%20of%20the%20Protestant%20confessions%22&f=false
It means that the Catholic does not insist on the dissolution of the Protestant confessions and the demolishing of their churches but hopes, rather, that they will be strengthened in their confessions and in their ecclesial reality.
Address of Benedict, 19 August 2005
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2005/august/docuмents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20050819_ecuмenical-meeting.html
We all know there are numerous models of unity and you know that the Catholic Church also has as her goal the full visible unity of the disciples of Christ, as defined by the Second Vatican Ecuмenical Council in its various D