Ecumenical Bulletin
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ECUMENICAL BULLETIN ISSUED BY THE ECUMENICAL AFFAIRS COMMISSION OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF MELBOURNE, 406 ALBERT ST., EAST MELBOURNE. 3002. TEL. (03) 662 1962 REGISTERED BY AUSTRALIA POST- PUBLICATION No. VAR. 90 7937 No.26,June, 1992 CHRISTIAN DIALOGUE Since the early 1970's most Churches throughout the world have been involved in serious discussion with each other. Generally these discussions have involved two parties at a time - dialogues - because it is easier to work that way. Some of these dialogues have been at an international level, some nationally and some locally. At the international level most of us are familiar with the ARCIC discussion (Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission.) In Australia a number of formal discussions have taken place for some years. One of these is about to end one phase of its work and begin another. The Catholic and Uniting Churches have had a Working Group meeting twice or three times a year since the formation of the " Uniting Church in Australia in 1978''. The Group took over work that was being done between the Catholic Church and the Churches that came together to form the Uniting Church. The Working Group has been meeting in Melbourne and is co-chaired by Archbishop Little for the Catholic Church and Dr. Ian Breward for the Uniting Church. His predecessor was Dr. Davis McCaughey. The work of the Group will move to another State (Brisbane) in 1993 so as to involve another group of workers. The Group's first task was to discuss Baptism and a statement of Agreement was published in all Catholic and Uniting Church papers in 1979. It then produced another document "Make Straight His Way" which did not receive such wide publicity. It was a statement about some of the differences between our Churches in the past and what has been done and can continue to be done to overcome these differences. More recently the Group has been looking at Marriage and in 1990 published in the theological journal PACIFICA a document "Moving together on Marriage." This did not set out to give a comprehensive theological explanation of marriage but attempted to highlight what our Churches actually understand and teach about marriage. From this it can be seen how close our Churches are at times and also where they differ. To make this material more readily acceptable a summarized version of that document has heen produced in leaflet form. Also called "Moving together on Marriage" this leaflet will soon be available from this Office, in Churches, Marriage Counselling Offices and similar places. Rev. Fr. P.J. Kenny, E.Y. Ecumenical & Inter-faith Relations Marriage has lasted well, despite divorce and changing social patterns. And more than half of all marriages now are celebrated in church services. The partners in many of them are from the Roman Catholic and Uniting Churches "mixed marriages". Our two churches believe marriage is a gift from God and want to encourage couples in their lifelong commitment to each other. We also face a number of issues and challenges. (Moving together on marriage- Roman Catholic Church & Uniting Church in Australia) Across all our differences of thought, outlook and religious allegiance. Unite Us, Jesus 0 God, for Your greater glory, Gather together the separated Christians 0 God, For the triumph of goodness and truth, Gather together the separated Christians 0 God, that there may henceforth be one flock and one Shepherd, Gather together the separated Christians 0 God, to confound the pride of Satan and his assaults, Abbe' Couturier's Gather together the separated Christians PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY Across all our barriers of language, race and nationality, 0 God, that peace may reign in the world at last, Unite Us, Jesus. Gather together the separated Christians Across all our mutual ignorance, prejudices and hostility, 0 God for the greater joy of the Heart of Your Son, Unite Us, Jesus. Gather together the separated Christians On May 9 a group of Religious Education teachers and Inter-Faith Relations students took the opportunity of visiting four faith ce ntres "THE CATHOLIC CHURCH REJECTS NOTH ING OF around Melbo urne, and gained first hand inform ation of WHAT IS TRUE AND HOLY IN THESE RELIGIONS" the va ri ous aspects of each centre. (HI NDUI SM , BUDDHISM, ISLAM AND JUDAISM) - The to ur, wit h the support of E A C., was organised by Declarat ion of the Relat ion of the Chu rc h to No n- Chri stian Re v. Kim Cruikshank, assistant curate of the Holy Trinity Reli gion s (Vati ca n 28 / 10 /65) parish, Wi ll ia mstown, and Project Officer for the World Conference for Reli gion and Peace. T he Wo rl d Coun cil of Churches' subunit on Dialogue During the to ur, the group, whi ch included six Muslim wit h People of Living Fa iths women. visited St. Nicholas' Orthodox Chu rc h, Ea st and Ideologies was formed in Melbourn e, Buddhi st Te mple Sun shine, Preston Mosque and 197 1. A new office on In te r Temple Beth Israel, Caul fiel d. All agreed it was a most reli gious Re lat ions has been worthwhile day and it is pl anned to hold a simil ar tour formed with the hope it will in third term . he lp churc hes to relate their In Ma rch, Mos lem s and Christ ians got together at the concerns to the whole huma n Prestion Mosque to annou nce the start of Ramadan, Lent fami ly. and the World Day of Prayer. "Lent and Ramadan had a lot in common - they we re both periods of fas ting, Catholi c members on the V C C Commission on Living abstinence and almsgiving", sa id Rev. Fr. Len Thomas, a Fa iths an d Com mu nity Re lations include Sr. Sh irley co-ord inator of the Conference. Sedaw ie, St. Jaci nta Rice and Ms Vicki Walker, who were invo lved in the very well -attended reception to the Dalai We detail a Christ ian/ Jew ish Calenda r fo r 1992, publ ished La ma here in Me lbourne recently. by the Austra li an Counc il of Chri st ians and Jews:- PRINCIPAL DATES IN PRINCIPAL DATES IN PRINCIPAL DATES IN THE JEWISH CALENDAR THE WESTERN CHURCH CALENDAR THE ORTHODOX CHURCH CALENDAR Shevat 15 Tu b"Shevat CH RISTMAS CYC LE CHRISTMAS CYCLE St Basil the Great January 20 (New Year for Trees) January 6 Epiphany (Revelation of Christ Janua ry I January 6 Epiphany Adar 14-15 Purim to the Nations) Februa ry 2 Presentation of J esus in the Te mple March 19-20 February 2 Presentation or J esus in the SEASON OF LENT Nisan 15-22 Passover Temple (Candlemas) March 9 Begin ning of Lent AI>r il 18·25 SEASON OF LENT March 25 Annunciation (to Mary) Resurrection of St Lazarus Nisan 27 Holocaust Memorial Day Ma rch 4 Ash Wednesday A1>r il 18 Holy Week Ap r il 30 (Yom HaShoah) March 25 Annunciation (to Mary) April 19 Palm Sunday lyyar 4 Israel Independence Day Holy Week April 23 Holy ThUrsday May 7 (Yom Ha"atzmaut) April 12 Passio n (Pa lm Sunday) April 24 Good Friday lyyar 18 Lag b"Ome r April 25 Holy Saturday April 16 Holy Thursday) EASTER May 21 PASCHAL SEASON April 17 Good Friday ) TRIDUUM April 2(i lyyar 28 Jer usalem Day Et1stcr Sunday April 18 Holy Saturday ) A t>ril 27 St Gctwge May 3 1 (Yom Yerushalayim) PASCHAL SEASON May 8 St .Jo hn the Apos tl e Sivan 6-7 Shavuot (Pentecost) Apr il 19 Easter Sunday PENTECOST June 7-8 .Ju ne 14 Pe ntecost Mzy 28 Ascension Thursday Av 9 Fast of Tisha B"Av June 15 Celebration of the Holy Spirit August 9 PENTECOST Tishri 1·2 Rosh Hashanah (New Year) .June 7 Pen tecost .Ju ne 2!} Saints Pe te r and Pa ul (Apostles) Sei>t emhe r 2R-29 June 14 Trinity Sunday August () Transfi gura tion of .Jesus Tishri 10 Yom Kippur J une 29 August 15 Assumption of the Theotokos Saints Peter and Paul (Apostles) A ugust 29 Beheading of St .John the llaptist Octobe r 7 (Day of Atone men t) August 6 Transfiguration o f Jesus Septe mber 8 Birthday of Theotokos (Ma ry) Tishri 15-2 1 Sukkot (Tabe macles) August 15 Assumption of Mary September 14 Exalta tion of Holy Cross October 12-18 Septembe r 8 Birthday of Mary Novembe r 13 St .J ohn Chrysostom Tishri 22 Shemini Atzeret November I All Saints ADVENT November October 19 (Day of Assembly) 2 All Souls No\'e mbe r 15 B cg i n ni n ~ of Adve n t Tishri 2:J Simchat Torah SEASON OF ADVENT Novembe r 16 St /\·1athew (Apostle ) Novemhe r 21 The Presenta tion of T he otokos in 20 Octobe r November 29 First Su nday of Advant the Te mple 11 Kislev 25 Chanukah December 8 Immaculate Conception or Mary Novembe r 30 St Andrew (AJ>Os tle) December 19-26 (Feast of Dedicatio n) CHRISTMAS CYCLE December 6 St Nicholas I. Simchat Torah and She mini Atzere l ilre celebrated on December 25 Na tivity of Christ CHRISTMAS CYCLE I he same day in lsrne l. Oet:em her 25 Na ti vity of Christ ., The fe ast days begin at sunset ou th<' l' \ ' l' llin ~ he fn r('. as 1:;:\·('ry Wl'dn('sd;:J y & Frid:~ y is ;1 fast day.