JOINT INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION
FOR THE THEOLOGICAL DIALOGUE BETWEEN
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THE ORTHODOX CHURCH

COORDINATING COMMITTEE

Ariccia, Italy, 15-20 June 1998

The Coordinating Committee of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and Orthodox Church met in Ariccia (near Rome), in the Casa Divin Maestro from 15 to 20 June 1998. The meeting was presided over by Cardinal Edward Idris Cassidy and Archbishop Stylianos of Australia (Ecumenical Patriarchate), co-chairmen of the Joint Commission. All members of the Commiteee were present. During the meeting, greetings and blessings were received from His Holiness Pope John Paul II and His Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I. This meeting follows upon the Plenary Assembly of the Commission meeting held in Balamand, Lebanon (1993) and the proposal of the Inter-Orthodox Commission meetings (Ecumenical Patriarchate/ Phanar, 1995 and 1997). The Coordinating Committee examined a common paper on the "ecclesiological and canonical implications of Uniatism” proposed by the Inter-Orthodox meetings (Ecumenical Patriarchate /Phanar 1995 and 1997) and prepared by a joint drafting group in Rome in 1997. The Committee tried to make progress in the dialogue by examining the common project in the light of the Balamand Document (1993) and by completing it in view of the reactions made by the two Churches. It was recognised that the Eastern Catholic Churches, being in full communion with the See of Rome, have the rights and the obligations connected with this communion, particularly concerning the ecumenical dialogue. The next meeting of the Joint International Commission for dialogue is being planned for June, 1999 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Ariccia, June 15-20, 1998

[Information Service 98 (1998/III) 160]