UTRECHTER UNION DER ALTKATHOLISCHEN KIRCHEN
UNION OF UTRECHT OF THE OLD CATHOLIC CHURCHES

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Office of Information and Communication of the
International Old Catholic Bishops’ Conference
Of the Union of Utrecht
Maja Weyermann, Willadingweg 39, CH-3006 Bern, Tel +41 31 352 83 10, Fax +41 31 372 50 04
E-mail: info@utrechter-union.org

Press Communiqué 

The International Roman Catholic – Old Catholic Dialogue Commission (IRAD) met for their seventh meeting from 6th to 9th May 2007 in Bonn. During this time the Commission continued to work on a consensus paper on the understanding of the Church with a view to pushing forward the question of a possible church communion. Agreement in teaching and practice, as well as differences, was discussed. Further topics included consideration of the canon law implications of a possible church communion according to the norms of the Codex Iuris Canonici of 1983. Further attention was given to the importance of Mary and the Marian dogmas from an Old Catholic viewpoint, as well as to the results of certain previous consensus papers between the Roman Catholic and the Old Catholic Church. 
The IRAD was established in 2003 by the International Old Catholic Bishops’ Conference and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity in order to take further, on an international level, the work of previous talks, which had been conducted in individual countries. 
On the Old Catholic side were: Bishop Fritz-René Müller, Berne, as Co-President, Prof. Dr. Urs von Arx, Berne, Prof. Dr. Günter Esser, Bonn, Prof. em. Dr. Jan Visser, Zeist/Netherlands, Prof. Dr. Angela Berlis, Haarlem/Netherlands, and the Revd Martin Eisenbraun, Salzburg;
The Roman Catholic Church side comprised: Bishop em. Dr. Paul-Werner Scheele, Würzburg, as Co-President, Suffragan Bishop Johannes Gerardus Maria van Burgsteden Haarlem/Netherlands (not present), Prälat Hubert Bour, Rottenburg/Germany, Prof. Dr. Heinrich J. F. Reinhardt, Bochum, Prof. Dr. Hans Jörg Urban, Paderborn, and Msgr.. Dr. Matthias Türk, Rome.
The consultation will continue in autumn 2007 in Würzburg.
Msgr. Matthias Türk
Pontifical Council for Promoting
Christian Unity

Lic. Theol. Maja Weyermann
International Old Catholics Bishops'
 of the Union of Utrecht
Press Communiqué

The International Roman Catholic/Old Catholic Dialogue Commission (IRAD) met for its sixth meeting from 24th to 27th September 2006 in Würzburg, Germany. The commission sought to develop further a consensus paper on its understanding of the Church bearing in mind the question of the possibility of working towards a church communion in the future. Further topics of discussion were the norms of the Codex Iuris Canonici of 1983 for the dialogue between Roman Catholics and Old Catholics, the Old Catholic view on the statements of the Council of Trent and the first Vatican Council, the significance of Mary and of the Marian dogmas from an Old Catholic point of view, and the results of certain earlier consensus papers between the Roman Catholic and Old Catholic Church. 

The IRAD was established in 2003 by the International Bishops' Conference (IBC) and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity with a view to developing further, on an international level, earlier dialogues which had taken place in individual countries. The members are on the Old Catholic side: Bishop Fritz-René Müller, Berne, as Co-President (gave his apologies for the sixth meeting), Prof. Dr. Urs von Arx, Berne, Prof. Dr. Günter Esser, Bonn, Prof. em. Dr. Jan Visser, Zeist/The Netherlands, Dr. Angela Berlis, Arnhem/The Netherlands, and The Revd Martin Eisenbraun, Salzburg; On the Roman Catholic side the following participated: Bishop em. Dr. Paul-Werner Scheele, Würzburg, as Co-President, Suffragan Bishop Johannes Gerardus Maria van Burgsteden, Haarlem/The Netherlands, Prelate Hubert Bour, Rottenburg/Germany, Prof. Dr. Heinrich J. F. Reinhardt, Bochum, Prof. Dr. Hans Jörg Urban, Paderborn, and Msgr. Dr. Matthias Türk, Rome. 
The consultation will be continued in the Spring 2007.

Würzburg-Rome, October 2006
Msgr. Matthias Türk
Pontifical Council for Promoting
Christian Unity

Lic. Theol. Maja Weyermann
International Old Catholics Bishops'
 of the Union of Utrecht

Guest of the General Synod of the Church of England

Archbishop Vercammen is to participate as a guest of the Church of England in the General Synod, which comes together from 7th to 11th July in York. 

In his address to the Synod Dr. Vercammen shall speak about the relations between the Anglican and Old Catholic Churches. He will refer to the seventy-five years of existence of the Bonn Agreement, to the church communion which exists between the two churches, and the path which the two churches have shared in this time. He shall also talk about how the co-operation between the churches on Continental Europe has developed in the last years. 

On Sunday a lecture on the challenges and possibilities for Anglicans and Old Catholics in a secularised European culture and society is foreseen. 
Berne, 6th July 2006 

Maja Weyermann
Information and Communications Officer of the International Old Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Union of Utrecht

Archbishop Vercammen visits the the Convention of the Episcopal Church in the USA

 
On the occasion of the 75th Anniversary of the Bonn Agreement between the Old Catholic and Anglican churches, the Archbishop of Utrecht, at the invitation of the Presiding Bishop of ECUSA, visited the Convention. He was given the honour to be the first non-Anglican to lead the Eucharist for the gathering. 

With great attentiveness Archbishop Vercammen followed the election of the Rt. Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori as Presiding Bishop and congratulated her on her new office in the name of the Union of Utrecht.

 Towards the press he expressed his thoughts that the election of a woman to this high office should no longer come as a surprise as the important decision with regards to women in the Episcopate had already been made thirty years before, when ECUSA introduced this possibility. He thought that one had now elected the person who had the best qualifications and abilities for this task. Archbishop Vercammen followed the discussion of the so-called ‚Windsor Report’ with great interest. He was impressed by the seriousness of the delegates as they came to their decision to stand by the consecration of the homosexual Gene Robinson as bishop and yet to remain in unity with the other Anglican churches. 


Berne, 3rd July 2006


Maja Weyermann
Information and Communications Officer of the International Old Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Union of Utrecht

Delegation of the International Old Catholic Bishops’ Conference (IBC) visit the Archbishop of Canterbury

Archbishop Dr. Joris Vercammen (President of the IBC) and Bishop Fritz-René Müller (Secretary of the IBC) spent from 13th to 14th October on a visit to Dr. Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury. They had requested a talk, on behalf of the Old Catholic Bishops’ Conference, to address above all two important issues of relevance to the relations between both churches.

The first part of their talks covered the co-operation between Anglicans and Old Catholics in Europe. In particular the question of overlapping jurisdictions of the two churches, which are in full communion with one another, on continental Europe was discussed. In some places two or more bishops, who are in full communion with one another, are responsible for the same area. This poses for both churches an ecclesiological problem which is to be addressed through further reflection together. The Archbishop of Canterbury has agreed to encourage the Anglican Bishops responsible for the European Diocese to draw in their fellow Old Catholic bishops in their considerations about the future shape of the ‘Diocese in Europe’. To this end it is proposed that a working party of bishops of both denominations soon be established. 

The second area of the discussions covered the possibility of co-operation between non-Roman Catholic bishops who have close relations to the See of Canterbury but are not part of the Anglican Church. On this point the two church leaders came to agreement that at the next Lambeth Conference, probably in 2008, they would organise a meeting of these bishops; Anglican bishops of extra provincial dioceses could also be drawn into this meeting. At such a meeting it is proposed to explore whether moves to deepen relations between each other would be generally welcome. 

The talks took place in a friendly and constructive atmosphere and have prepared the way for the common future of both churches. 
Amersfoort and Bern, October 2005

Maja Weyermann
Information and Communications Officer of the International Old Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Union of Utrecht

Election of Archbishop Vercammen onto the Central Committee of the WCC

Archbishop Dr. Joris Vercammen, attending the 9th Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Porto Alegre, Brazil, as the delegate of the Dutch Old Catholic Church, was elected, on 22nd. February, onto the Central Committee of the WCC. The Central Committee serves as the main decision-making body of the Council between assemblies.

Archbishop Vercammen will be representing the Old Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht. His predecessor was Bishop em. Hans Gerny (Old Catholic Church of Switzerland).  
Berne, 1st March, 2006

Maja Weyermann
Officer for Information and Communication
International Old Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Union of Utrecht

The Old Catholic Churches intensify contact with the Iglesia Filippina Independiente (IFI)

The hundreth anniversary of the Philippine Independent Church gave the opportunity to strengthen contacts between the two churches. These renewed links have now been intensified through a visit of the Archbishop of Utrecht Dr. Joris Vercammen to the General Synod of the Philippinian Church. In his sermon during the opening service and in his lecture to the House of Bishops he emphasised the things that both churches have in common and the importance of learning from one another. He also highlighted the significance of the intercommunion agreement made between the two churches forty years ago and underlined the readiness but also the necessity of giving more weight to this church communion in the future and to finding a way to intensifying cooperation.

Archbishop Vercammen emphasised that a first step had been made through the lecture series of Dr. Harald Rein. At the same time Dr. Rein was giving a second set of lectures in the Philippinian Church. Such theological exchange should be followed up in a variety of ways. There are now plans that every year Old Catholic lecturers could hold guest lectures in their area of expertise in the various theological colleges of the Philippinian Church. Similarly theologians from the IFI will be invited to Europe, in order to deepen their understanding of Old Catholic theology. A further idea relates to the establishing of a commission in which theologians of the Old Catholic, Philippinian Independent and Anglican Churches could address questions of ecclsiology and models of unity as well as the problem of overlapping jurisdictions. The practical implementation of these plans still need to be worked out.

Archbishop Vercammen also congratulated the new Supreme Bishop Archbishop of the Philippine Independent Church, the Most Revd Godofredo David on his election and expressed his joy at the openness of the talks which had been possible during his visit to the Philippines. He wished the Most Revd David much strength for his new ministry, the exercise of which will undoubtedly not be easy in the context of the difficult social and economic situation of the Philippines.
Mai 2005

Maja Weyermann
Officer for Information and Communication
International Old Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Union of Utrecht

Best wishes for Pope Benedict XVI

Dr. Joris Vercammen, Archbishop of Utrecht and President of the International Old Catholic Bishops’ Conference congratulated, on behalf of the Old Catholic bishops, Pope Benedict XVI on his election. He wrote that the Petrine ministry will now be fulfilled by a very valued priest and theologian and expressed his hope that the pope can exercise his new office in such a way that he can offer all Christians inspiration and a sense of direction. 

With regards to ecumenical dialogue, Archbishop Vercammen expressed his confidence that Pope Benedict XVI will give his support so that the witness of Christians in the world becomes even more evident and, above all, more credible. He also pointed out the wish expressed by Benedict XVI that the Roman Catholic and Old Catholic Churches may grow more in the unity to which they are called. 

Furthermore he assured the new Pope of the good wishes of the Old Catholic bishops and hoped that the grace of Jesus Christ will be with him in his difficult and important task. 

Archbishop Vercammen was invited to the installation celebrations of Pope Benedict XVI. He represented the Union of Utrecht at the Inauguration on Sunday 24th April in Rome.
Berne, 27th April 2005

Maja Weyermann
Officer for Information and Communication
International Old Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Union of Utrecht

The Old Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht on the death of Pope John Paul II.

The President of the International Old Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Dr. Joris Vercammen, Archbishop of Utrecht, offered his condolences on the death of Pope John Paul II in a letter to Cardinal Ratzinger. Writing on behalf of the whole Union of Utrecht, the Archbishop stated that many years may be needed to evaluate the important and significant role John Paul II has played both within Christianity and the world community. 

Archbishop Vercammen is sure that Pope John Paul II will be remembered as the great Pope who was able to influence relations between West and Eastern Europe in such a way that the oppressive systems of the Cold War became redundant and as the one who helped Europe recover its unity. 

In his letter, Archbishop Vercammen also paid tribute to the achievements of the Pope in stimulating ecumenical relations: ‘As well as the Orthodox, the Protestant and the Anglican church families, also our small community of Churches profited from his awareness that the unity of Christians is one of the most important conditions for the convincing proclamation of the Gospel in our modern world.’ 

A further legacy of the departed Pope which will be long remembered is the steps he took in reconciliation with Jews and Muslims. In the words of the Archbishop: ‘His open mind overcame walls of prejudice and opened ways of collaboration between the great religious traditions.’
Utrecht and Berne, 3rd April 2005 

Maja Weyermann
Officer for Information and Communication
International Old Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Union of Utrecht