wfn.org | Interchurch families: the need to show respect for each other

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ecunet.org>]

Note #6657 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

13-June-2001
GA01098

Interchurch families: the need to show respect for each other
				
by Luca Negro

LOUISVILLE, June 13 - He is Roman Catholic, she is Protestant, or
vice-versa. They want to get married. That's fine, but in which church? Who
will perform the wedding ceremony? And if they are both practicing
Christians, where are they going to worship? In which church tradition will
their children be raised? United in their daily life, will they be always
separated at the Lord's table?
These are some of the burning issues  which have been dealt with by the 7th
dialogue between Roman Catholic and Reformed denominations in the U.S.A. on
interchurch families, whose final report is about to be published by Geneva
Press.  The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is one of churches involved in the
dialogue.

	Two members of the Catholic-Reformed dialogue on interchurch families, the
Rev. Lydia Veliko and Monsignor Alan Detscher, were the guest speakers
Wednesday morning at the Ecumenical Breakfast of the 213th General Assembly
of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A).

	Detscher, a Catholic liturgist from Bridgeport, Ky. who is one of the
contributors of the Presbyterian Book of Order, said that tensions between
churches arise particularly on three occasions: the marriage, the baptism of
children, and the Eucharist. The dialogue, he said, was a valuable
opportunity to carefully listen to each other, trying to understand and
clarify what the "other side" really wants to say. "Sometimes we use same
words," he said, "but mean different things, while in other cases, our
vocabularies are completely different." The role of clergy, said Detscher,
is of vital importance for the spiritual life of interchurch families. The
pastors from both churches need to be with these families. There is a great
need, he concluded, to show respect for each other and each other's
tradition.

	When dealing with the issue of interchurch marriages, said the Rev. Lydia
Veliko, who is Ecumenical Officer for the United Church of Christ, what you
really need to have is good theology combined with pastoral care. Both
ministers should meet together with the couple for marriage
counseling/preparation. Good theology is needed in order not to
underestimate the existing differences, but one should never forget that
these are not "abstract questions, but painful issues, lived by families in
their daily experience," she said. There is a great need, she added, "to
listen very hard to each other. As a reformed Christian, I really want to
know what it means to be inside a Catholic skin."

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