Opening Meeting For Jubilee 2000 Announced

SOURCE:

Vatican Information Service (VIS)
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News from the Holy See
Christus Rex Information Service
V.I.S. - Thursday, 15 February 1996

CARDINAL ETCHEGARAY OPENS MEETING ON JUBILEE

VATICAN CITY, FEB 15, 1996 (VIS) - With words of welcome from Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, president of the Central Committee for the Jubilee of 2000, began this morning the first international meeting for the preparation of the jubilee, which will conclude tomorrow afternoon with an intervention by the Holy Father.

In his speech, Cardinal Etchegaray noted that, "very seldom has the announcement of a religious event stirred up such unanimity, such hope, such enthusiasm, that is - in the etymological sense of the word - such divine jubilation in the Church. A jubilee is called...for rejoicing!"

The president of the central committee said that "we are in the operative phase and since ecumenical requirements have priority in the pope's thoughts, according to his own wishes it is not enough to invite other Churches and Communities to participate in projects that have already been established, but rather, respecting their own plans, we want them to associate themselves with the development of our projects."

He then explained that this two-day meeting will be carried out in three movements:

"The first movement: from the Central Committee to the delegates of the Churches...The Commissions and Committees...expect of this meeting all that can help them define and enrich their work."

Regarding the "second movement: from the delegates of the Churches to the Central Committee," he affirmed that "this will be undoubtedly the most useful moment: the Central Committee hopes to receive requests and suggestions from each Church to contribute with greater consistency all that the apostolic letter 'Tertio Millennio Adveniente' highlights. The Central Committee - and this is one of the novelties desired by the pope - is at the service of the local Churches especially because the celebration of the Great Jubilee 'will take place simultaneously in the Holy Land, in Rome and in the local Churches throughout the world.'"

He added that in "the third movement: the development of the three years of preparation (1997-1999), we will reflect in work groups to formulate pastoral proposals according to the thematic and theological structure indicated by the pope."

Cardinal Etchegaray concluded his intervention announcing another similar meeting, which could take place in 1998.

In addition to the 25 members of the Central Committee, Catholic Churches of the Oriental Rite are represented at this meeting: the Copt, Greek-Melkite, Maronite, Chaldean, Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankar. There are also delegates from 30 episcopal conferences from Africa, 23 from America, 13 from Asia, 31 from Europe and 3 from Oceania. Added to these are fraternal delegates from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, the Anglican Communion, the World Lutheran Federation, the World Reformed Alliance, the Methodist World Council and the World Council of Churches.