CHAPTER 1: ECUMENICAL PROGRESS AND STAGNATION 45 At the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church committed herself irrevocably to following the path of the ecumenical venture, thus heeding the Spirit of the Lord, who teaches people to interpret carefully the ‘signs of the times.’110 An ecumenism of return is a theological principle from the past. Its ecclesial and pastoral consequences should be, too. Ecumenism aims at unity between communities.111 Furthermore: From this eschatological and spiritual perspective the goal of ecumenism cannot be described simply as ‘the others’ returning to the fold of the Catholic Church. The goal of full unity can only be achieved through conversion, when all are impelled by the spirit of God to turn to the one head of the church, Christ Jesus.112 Therefore, it does not engage in any form of proselytism, which should be avoided.113 In line with this conviction, Cardinal Eijk’s comment about mixed couples who seek to receive Communion together, namely, that “[b]y accepting [the Eucharist], the person can, however, do only one thing: enter into full communion with the Catholic Church,”114 can hardly apply to all non-Catholic Christians who yearn for unity. For some, indeed, the incorporation into the Roman Catholic Church may be an explicit and individual desire and course of action. However, in general, individual non-Catholic Christians should be encouraged to remain faithful members of their respective communities and to 110 UUS, sec. 3. 111 Although the question of what that unity means and should look like remains under continuous discussion. In this regard, it is significant that Pope Francis prefers the model of the polyhedron over the classic model of concentric circles: a model which genuinely avoids uniformity and endorses legitimate diversity. Cf. Annemarie C. Mayer, “The Ecumenical Vision of Pope Francis: Journeying Together as Fellow Pilgrims − ‘the Mystery of Unity Has Already Begun,’” International Journal for the Study of the Christian Church 17, no. 3 (2017): 156– 72, https://doi.org/10.1080/1474225X.2017.1403840. 112 Walter Kasper, “The Decree on Ecumenism – Read Anew After 40 Years,” November 11, 2004, http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/card-kasper-docs/ rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_20041111_kasper-ecumenism_en.html#_ftn1. Kasper continues: “To the degree that we are one with Christ we will all be one with one another and thus realise the intrinsic catholicity of the church in its concrete fullness. Theologically the Council defined this goal as communio unity.” 113 Cf. Joint Working Group Between the Roman Catholic Church and the World Council of Churches, “The Challenge of Proselytism and the Calling to Common Witness: A Study Document of the Joint Working Group,” The Ecumenical Review 48, no. 2 (April 1, 1996): 212– 21, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1758-6623.1996.tb03469.x. 114 Willem Jacobus Eijk, “Cardinal Eijk: Pope Francis Needed to Give Clarity.”
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