Unity focus of Pope's address to CDF plenary

Christian Unity was at the centre of Pope Benedict XVI’s remarks Friday to the participants in the Plenary Session of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The Holy Father expressed the hope that the Congregation might work closely and in a spirit of fraternity with the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, in order efficaciously to promote the re-establishment of full unity among Christians. Pope Benedict identified “the structure of revelation” as the crucial problem that cuts across and runs through all specific ecumenical dialogues: that is, the relation of Sacred Scripture, the living Tradition of the Church and the ministry of the successors of the Apostles as a witness to the true faith.

The Pope spoke of the relationship between "capital T" tradition and the many valuable traditions among Christian groups. He noted that the establishment of Ordinariates in keeping with the previsions of the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum coetibus has been a major concrete achievement, and a sign of the truth that there is, as he said, “in fact, a spiritual richness in the many Christian confessions, a richness that is an expression of the one faith and a gift to be shared.” Pope Benedict also addressed the developing moral problematic in the ecumenical journey. “In our dialogues,” said Pope Benedict, “we cannot ignore the great moral questions about human life, family, sexuality, bioethics, freedom, justice and peace. It shall be important to be able to talk about these issues with one voice, drawing on the basis in Scripture and the living tradition of the Church. “Defending the fundamental values of the great Tradition of the Church,” said Pope Benedict, “We defend humanity and we defend creation.” Listen