VATICAN - The Pope addresses the Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity: “ecumenism calls us to a generous fraternal exchange of gifts, aware that full communion in the faith, in the sacraments, and in ministry continues to be the objective and goal of the entire ecumenical movement.”

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - “The Reception and Future of Ecumenical Dialogue” was the theme for the Plenary Assembly held by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and was defined by the Holy Father, who received the participants in an audience on December 12, as “an argument that presents two essential dimensions: on the one hand the discernment of the path taken up to now and, on the other, the identification of new paths to follow, seeking to overcome together the differences that unfortunately persist in the relationships between the disciples of Christ.”
In his address, Benedict XVI mentioned that the sessions of the Plenary Assembly had examined the relationship between the first four international bilateral dialogues attended by the Catholic Church since the Second Vatican Council: with the World Lutheran Federation, the World Methodist Council, the Anglican Communion, and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches. The Pope commented: “while you have determined, with God's help, all that has been accomplished in terms of reciprocal comprehension and elements of convergence, you have not failed to use great honesty in pointing out all that is still left to be done. We could say that we are on our way, in an intermediate stage, where it is certainly useful and convenient that we make an objective examination of the outcomes of our efforts.”
The Pope then reflected on how in many regions, the ecumenical situation has changed and is changing, as there are new communities and groups, there are at times tensions among communities. The Holy Father continued: “Charity will help Christians to cultivate that 'thirst' for full communion in the truth, and in continuing to be docile to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, we can hope to promptly arrive at the unity we seek, the day the Lord wishes. This is why ecumenism calls us to a generous fraternal exchange of gifts, aware that full communion in the faith, in the sacraments, and in ministry continues to be the objective and goal of the entire ecumenical movement. For this vast labor, spiritual ecumenism, as Vatican II clearly affirmed, is the beating heart.” (SL) (Agenzia Fides 15/12/2008)