Executive Meeting of the Joint Working Group

The Executive Committee of the Joint Working Group (JWG) between the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Catholic Church met in Bossey, Switzerland, from 4–5 November 2021. The Catholic Church was represented by Most Reverend Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop Emeritus of Dublin and Co–Moderator of the JWG, Bishop Brian Farrell, Secretary of the PCPCU, Monsignor Juan Usma Gómez and Reverend Andrzej Choromanski. The WCC was represented by Metropolitan Nifon of Târgoviște, member of the WCC Central Committee and Co–Moderator of the JWG, Reverend Odair Pedroso Mateus, Acting Deputy Secretary General of the WCC and Director of Faith and Order, and Dr Vasile Octavian Mihoc. Meeting at the Ecumenical Institute of the WCC, the group was welcomed by its Director Reverend Professor Dr Ioan Sauca, Acting Secretary General of the WCC who introduced the participants to the preparations for the 11th Assembly scheduled for September 2022 in Karlsruhe, Germany. As the JWG approaches the end of its tenth mandate, the Executive Committee revised the final Report, developed under the title Walking, Praying and Working Together, and two study documents with recommendations to the churches: Peace is a Treasure for All. An Ecumenical Reflection on Peacebuilding in Situations of Conflict and Violence and Migrants and Refugees – Ecumenical Challenges and Opportunities. The Executive also discussed new trends in world Christianity that call for a renewed vision of the ecumenical movement. A communiqué was issued at the conclusion of the meeting.