Dialogue is key to Christian participation in the divine life, the Ecumenical Patriarch of the Orthodox Church told attendees at a historic ecumenical event at St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney, yesterday. Source: The Catholic Weekly.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Divinity from the University of Notre Dame Australia in the presence of distinguished Orthodox and Catholic clergy, scholars and laity, in a sign of unity between the two sister churches.
The ecumenical milestone recognised the patriarch’s commitment to Orthodox-Catholic relations, his global stature as the leader of the Orthodox Church, and his significant contribution to environmental theology.
University of Notre Dame Australia chancellor Christopher Ellison said the university was privileged to bestow the honorary doctorate upon the Ecumenical Patriarch for his “tireless advocacy”.
“His leadership inspires us to seek greater unity, understanding, and collaboration in our spiritual and communal lives. Indeed, we live in a world more unified because of the work of his All-Holiness,” Mr Ellison said.
The Ecumenical Patriarch delivered a theological address to the assembled dignitaries on the meaning of dialogue, stressing that dialogue is a reflection of the very heart of the Trinitarian mystery of our faith.
“By engaging in dialogue, Christians participate in the divine life, the relational essence of the Trinity, and foster unity, reconciliation and hope,” the Ecumenical Patriarch said.
“We have more in common with each other than what separates us, if only we begin to see the other with new eyes.”
The Ecumenical Patriarch praised the University of Notre Dame Australia for its commitment to bridge-building, for enriching its students with international experiences, and for its outreach to the most marginalised members of society.
Representing Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP, who is attending the Synod of Bishops in Rome, Sydney Auxiliary Bishop Richard Umbers opened the proceedings with a prayer from St Dionysius of Alexandria, a third-century saint shared by both churches.
The event coincided with the centenary celebrations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia in Sydney and Melbourne.
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Dialogue is participation in divine life, Ecumenical Patriarch says at St Mary’s Cathedral (By Adam Wesselinoff, The Catholic Weekly)
