CCEE applaud historical act of Orthodox and Catholic Reconciliation
August 18, 2012: Cardinal Péter Erdő, president of the Council of European Bishops’
Conferences, hailed the historical message signed on Friday by both Patriarch Kirill
of Moscow and all Russia, and the president of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, Mons.
Józef Michalik.
The president of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences
(CCEE), Cardinal Péter Erdő, archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, has sent a letter on
Friday to the president of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, H.E. Msgr. Jozef Michalik
and to Patriarch Kiril of Moscow and all Russia, who co-signed the joint message,
to express his joy and that of the CCEE regarding this historical act of reconciliation.
“We thank God for this exemplary Message and we hope that it may be of help
for the whole of Europe in the promotion of true human and Christian values. At a
time of great spiritual and social confusion throughout our continent, your Message
gives us hope because it witnesses truly to the fact that “Jesus Christ is our peace
and our reconciliation”, Cardinal Erdò said.
Aware of the difficulties Europe
is experiencing at the moment, Cardinal Erdő also wished to join in the concern regarding
Europe as expressed in the message, an “appeal to political leaders and people of
culture to support this initiative.”
Recognizing the symbolical and exemplary
value of the joint declaration, the Cardinal hoped “that this Message may be a first
step on a new path of relations between Poland and Russia, we hope that it can be
an example for all those who have not yet had the courage to allow themselves to be
guided by God’s wisdom and goodness which always leads to pardon and reconciliation.”
To the Council of the Bishops´ Conferences of Europe (CCEE) belong, as members,
the current 33 European Bishops’ Conferences of this Continent, represented by right
by their Presidents, and the Archbishops of Luxembourg, of the Principality of Monaco,
the Maronite Archbishop of Cyprus and the Bishop of Chişinău (Moldova Rep.)
and the Eparchial Bishop of Mukachevo. The President is Cardinal Péter Erdő, Archbishop
of Esztergom-Budapest, Primate of Hungary; the Vice-Presidents are Cardinal Angelo
Bagnasco, Archbishop of Genoa, and Mgr Józef Michalik, Archbishop of Przemyśl. The
General Secretary is Mgr. Duarte da Cunha. The Secretariat is based at St Gallen (Switzerland).