Inter-churches meeting to respond to `Dominus Iesus' document today

Member churches of the Irish Inter-Church Meeting will today discuss the Vatican's controversial Dominus Iesus document, published last September.

Their private meeting, at the Mount Oliver Pastoral Centre in Dundalk this afternoon, is to be chaired by the Catholic Primate, Dr Sean Brady, and Canon Ian Ellis of the Church of Ireland, both co-chairmen of the inter-church group.

The document will be introduced by Father Bernard Longley, secretary of the Committee for Christian Unity of the Catholic Bishops Conference for England and Wales.

This will be followed by responses from the Church of Ireland Primate, Dr Robin Eames; the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church, Dr Trevor Morrow; and Dr Norman Taggart, former president of the Methodist Church.

In asserting that the Catholic Church was the one true church, whereas other Christian denominations were "not churches in the proper sense", Dominus Iesus said: "There is a single Church of Christ, which subsists in the Catholic Church, governed by the Successor of Peter and by the Bishops in Communion with him . . . (in accordance with) the Catholic doctrine of Primacy which, according to the will of God, the Bishop of Rome objectively has and exercises over the entire Church . . . ."

It continued that "the ecclesial communities, which have not preserved the valid Episcopate and the genuine and integral substance of the Eucharistic Mystery, are not churches in the proper sense; however, those who are baptised in these communities are, by Baptism, incorporated in Christ and thus are in a certain communion, albeit imperfect, with the church."

On September 6th, the day following publication of Dominus Iesus, the Church of Ireland House of Bishops expressed concern and disappointment at the document and wrote to the Irish (Catholic) Bishops' Conference seeking urgent clarification on the likely consequences for ecumenical relations.

Following their autumn meeting in Maynooth, the Catholic bishops issued a statement on October 11th which said Dominus Iesus did not in any way "diminish our deep respect for the other churches and ecclesial communities.

"Precious elements of salvation are clearly present in them . . . The Catholic Church suffers because true particular churches and ecclesial communities with these precious elements of salvation are separated from her."

It continued that Dominus Iesus "has already generated a new focus on ecumenism", which "is to be welcomed and we look forward to the upcoming session of the Irish Inter-Church Meeting dedicated to Dominus Iesus" (which takes place today).

It is understood the Church of Ireland will present a detailed response today, as well as to a letter from Cardinal Joseph Rat zinger advising Catholic bishops against using the phrase "sister churches" when referring to other Christian denominations.