The Catholic Primate, Dr Sean Brady, has welcomed a statement in the working document for the European Synod of Bishops that closer co-operation with other churches is an urgent requirement.
Speaking about the North at the synod in Rome, he said such co-operation was "required by all who wish to be faithful to the will of Jesus Christ, and not because of the contribution which it may make to any given political situation".
Archbishop Brady said the Northern conflict had the appearance of a religious war. "The two parts of our deeply divided community are differentiated not only by culture and by politics, but also by religious affiliation. Sadly, this appearance of religious war gives scandal throughout the world."
In the North "there are those who are opposed to ecumenical dialogue for sincerely-held theological reasons. They believe that evangelisation is not well served by what they see as doctrinal compromise. That sincerely-held view must be accepted," he said.
"There are also those opposed to ecumenism for political reasons," he continued. "They are willing to portray ecumenism as both a doctrinal and political betrayal." It was necessary to distinguish between both views. "Otherwise, political tensions are seen as an integral religious war between Catholics and Protestants. Such a simplistic picture is harmful to both Catholics and Protestants."
He said that despite the political difficulties the churches in Ireland had maintained a spirit of co-operation. This had been done out of a conviction that, "if we do not build community with each other, we cannot build community with the Triune God".
In invoking the Trinity "we invoke the perfect Unity in Diversity, a community at ease with difference, but also enriched and expanded by distinction". That was a truth which challenged Christians everywhere, "to see diversity and difference as an opportunity rather than as a threat, to experience God in what is different as well as in what is familiar".
