Vatican holds Annual Ecumenical Cooperation Meeting with the World Council of Churches

The Dicasterio for the Interreligious Dialogue of the Vatican and the Office of Dialogue and Interreligious Cooperation of the World Council of Iglesias (WCC) maintained from February 17 to 20 in Rome a new annual meeting of “ecumenical cooperation”.

As noted by the Vatican Press Office in a statement, the meeting allowed “to evaluate the impact of previous joint initiatives, review the interreligious activities of both entities and plan future projects.”

In addition, in the meetings the foundations of the preparations that will lead to the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of cooperation between both organizations in 2027.

Since 1977, the DID and the WCC have worked together in the promotion of interreligious dialogue in an ecumenical cooperation framework.

The Vatican said that the result of this collaboration has emerged important documents such as Interreligious Prayer (1994), Reflection on Interreligious Marriage (1997), Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World: Recommendations for Conduct (2011), Education for Peace in a Multi-Religious World: A Christian Perspective (2019) y Serving a Wounded World in Interreligious Solidarity: A Christian Call to Reflection and Action During COVID-19 (2020).

“Both delegations expressed their satisfaction with the strengthening of friendship and cooperation between institutions. Recognizing the growing religious diversity worldwide, they reaffirmed their commitment to interreligious dialogue as a means for coexistence and mutual understanding, ”reads the statement.

In a global context marked by conflicts and divisions, the Dicasteria for the interreligious dialogue stressed “the fundamental role that religions can play, when they are guided by dialogue, in the healing of wounds, the promotion of fraternity and the construction of the peace and reconciliation ”.

At the end of January, Pope Francis put Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, who is also the organizer of his international trips at the forefront of this Vatican department.

The 51 -year -old Indian Purpurado, happened to the Spanish Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, who died last November. Cardinal Koovakad was born in the city of Chethypuzha on August 11, 1973. In 2006 he entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See and was sent to the apostolic nunciature in Algeria as secretary.