Notes on second ecumenical conference in Germany

MUNICH, Germany, MAY 13, 2010 (Zenit.org) - Catholic and evangelical representatives have gathered for an ecumenical conference in Munich, which includes music, presentations, prayer and fellowship.

The congress, which is being promoted by the Central Committee of German Catholics and the German Evangelical Congress, opened Wednesday and will close on Sunday.

Some 130,000 participants are registered for the event that has as its theme "So That You Have Hope."

On Wednesday night, 300,000 people formed a human chain and prayed the Our Father together through the streets of the city.

On Friday, as part of the congress, participants will gather in Munich's Odeonsplatz for the celebration of Vespers according to the Orthodox tradition.

Then, the Christians of different Churches will sit outdoors at 1,000 tables, each with two benches to accommodate 10 persons. After singing hymns and offering prayers, they will hold an agape meal, in which they will share blessed bread, oil and wine.

The congress aims to promote reflection on the way Christians can witness to their faith in modern secular society.

This is the second congress of its kind; the first took place two years ago in Berlin with 500,000 participants.

And also...

(PrayTell) - Today the 2nd ecumenical church conference (Kirchentag) opened in Munich under the theme “That You Might Have Hope” with 3 simultaneous outdoor worship services. Over 80,000 participated. Pope Benedict read a message and, for the first time, acknowledged sexual abuse in the German church. 125,000 are registered for the conference, and 300,000 are expected for the closing service on Sunday. Sponsored by Catholic and Lutheran lay organizations and church officials, with participation by pastors and bishops and political leaders and societal figures. Sessions on bible, prayer, social justice; concerts, plays, cultural offerings, youth activities. It’s huge.

You might recall that Fr. Gotthold Hasenhüttl got suspended in 2003 for celebrating a common Eucharist with Protestants at the first such ecumenical Kirchentag in Berlin. This time around everyone seems to be respecting the rules, but not without several Protestants noting that the Catholic Church is dragging its feet on intercommunion and still does not officially consider Protestants to constitute a “church.” "Dragging its feet" is an unfortunate choice of words.

Let us keep praying and working for church unity!