Nuncio emphasizes spiritual ecumenism at ecumenical conference

Published: 2004-06-28

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Spiritual ecumenism lies at the heart of all ecumenical endeavors, said Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, papal nuncio to the United States, at the eighth annual "Orientale Lumen" Conference in Washington June 22. Referring to the conference theme -- "Orthodox-Catholic Dialogue: What's Our Bottom Line?" -- the nuncio said he chose to speak about spiritual ecumenism because "it is my response to the question of the 'bottom line' of the ecumenical endeavor." He said some might consider that "a simplistic response to the very complex question of where ecumenism is now," but it goes directly to the core of the quest for unity, Jesus' prayer "that they may be one as we are one, so that the world may believe." Archbishop Montalvo was a featured speaker on the second day of the conference, a four-day gathering that brought together nearly 100 Orthodox, Latin Catholic and Eastern Catholic theologians, church leaders and lay people.

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