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Catholics no longer Roman, United Methodists learn

Feb. 17, 1999	     Contact: Joretta Purdue*(202)546-8722*Washington
10-71B{089}

WASHINGTON (UMNS) - The recent United Methodist-Roman Catholic dialogue had
its name shortened at the insistence of United Methodists, who realized that
the official name of the Catholic Church does not include the word "Roman."

The topic arose during a discussion about shortening the name when it occurs
repeatedly in a resource being developed by the group. The group's Feb.
10-13 meeting focused on creating such a guide for local conversations in
communities where both United Methodist and Catholic congregations are
present. The gathering was the last in a series of seven such meetings.

Some of the six Catholic team members favored keeping "Roman" in the
resource, largely for reasons of clarity and history, since the longer name
has been used by the dialogues up to this point. One member observed that no
one had been named to the Catholic team who represented what used to be
known as the "Eastern Rite" churches.

The Rev. James Gaughan of Bloomington, Minn., a United Methodist clergyman
who was raised in the Catholic Church and educated for the priesthood, said
the use of "Roman Catholic" was often perceived as a slight put-down, like
calling someone a "papist." Several other members of the United Methodist
team, which also numbered six, weighed in on the side of accuracy as a
reason for using the shorter name. 

The United Methodists also said the word "united" should not be omitted from
"United Methodist Church" in current references unless one truly was
referring to all Methodist churches.

The group decided that the resource will be a printed guide for the local
dialogue facilitator, with many components designed for the leader to
duplicate as hand-outs for each participant. The resource will have
suggestions for six local sessions. It is being designed to help
participants find common ground and will be titled Yearning To Be One.

A decision was made in earlier group meetings to stress personal experience
in faith rather than theological correctness or theological debate.

Expected to become available in spring 2000, the facilitator's guide is
being co-published by Discipleship Resources, a part of the United Methodist
Board of Discipleship, and the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. The
Board of Discipleship is providing editorial services through Debra Smith, a
member of the United Methodist team.

The teams have been led by United Methodist Bishop William Boyd Grove,
ecumenical officer for the Council of Bishops, and Catholic Bishop William
S. Skylstad of Spokane, Wash. Members include theologians, Christian
educators, lay leaders, worship specialists and ministers or priests who
have served or are serving congregations. Several lay people also are
involved.

The meeting including a joint love feast, a ritual meal signifying unity in
Christ, at Wesley Seminary. Grove delivered the address, and a hymn for
which he had written the text was sung. Skylstad gave a testimony and a
blessing. Brother Jeffrey Gros of the Catholic team and the Rev. Diedra
Kriewald, a Wesley Seminary professor, also had speaking parts in the
service, which included reading a "Litany for Christian Unity" by Pope John
Paul II.

As the group grappled with final decisions on content and format, the
members decided to offer a closing prayer as a way of keeping a common
thread for the six sessions. The sessions will include explorations of such
experiences as living one's faith and engaging in the mission of the church.
Resources for talking about Sunday morning worship and baptism will also
offered.

"In a way, we recognize our faith in each other," said Sister Mary Aquin
O'Neill of Baltimore.

Members of the dialogue expect to review future drafts of the resource
individually as the editorial phase progresses, but they do not expect to
gather again. 

The Rev. Bruce Robbins, staff person to the United Methodist team and top
executive of  the denomination's agency for Christian unity, expressed mixed
emotions after the final worship service.

"We all left with a great deal of sadness as well as joy -- joy because we
felt we had produced a good resource for use by local churches," he said,
"and sadness because we developed such a good community among ourselves that
was symbolic of the dialogue."
# # #
A list of dialogue participants follows.

United Methodist team: Chairman: Bishop William Boyd Grove, Charleston, W.
Va.; Ruth A. Daugherty, Lancaster, Pa.; Diedra Kriewald, Washington; the
Rev. Yolanda Pupo-Ortiz, Washington; and the Rev. James Gaughan,
Bloomington, Minn. Staff: the Rev. Bruce W. Robbins, New York; and Debra
Smith, Nashville, Tenn.

Catholic team: Chairman: Bishop William S. Skylstad, Spokane, Wash.; Sister
Ellen Joyce, Morristown, N.J.; Sister Mary Aquin O'Neill, Baltimore;
Margaret Nutting Ralph, Lexington, Ky.; and Monsignor John Strynkowski,
Maspeth, N.Y. Staff: Brother Jeffrey Gros, Washington. 

______________
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