IN THEORY:Will there be fallout from pope's proclamation?

Pope Benedict XVI recently approved a document asserting that the Roman Catholic Church provides the true path to salvation and that other Christian religions are either defective or not true churches. Some religious leaders complained this will hurt ecumenical relations between the Vatican and other religions despite the pope's insistence that he remains committed to ecumenical dialogue. Do you think this document will hurt relations between the Catholic Church and other religions?

In a spirit of faith-filled hope, I do not think the document, "Responses to Some Questions Regarding Certain Aspects of the Doctrine on the Church," will hurt relations between the Catholic Church and other religions.

The precisely worded document reflects and reaffirms Roman Catholic ecclesiology and the Church's self-understanding of its relationship to other Christian churches as enunciated by the Second Vatican Council and more recently by Popes Paul VI and John Paul II.

Moreover, the document is the most recent invitation to dialogue.

In my role as the ecumenical officer in the diocese of Orange for many years, it became very clear that honest, theological dialogue between Christians presupposed and required theological clarity and defined positions if the dialogue was to be fruitful.

Ecumenical conversation is encouraged when all the participants clearly state the viewpoint of their respective faith community regarding the issue, whether it be ordained priesthood or the sacraments.

Contrary to some reactions, I believe that the Vatican document indicates the seriousness with which the Catholic Church views ecumenical dialogue.

Perhaps not accidentally, the theme of the 2008 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is "Pray without ceasing," repeating St. Paul's exhortation to the Thessalonians.

Paul's plea is addressed to all — Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox — that we might one day realize the unity for which Christ prayed.

MSGR. LAWRENCE J. BAIRD

Would you really expect Pope Benedict to take any other stance? Of course the head of the Catholic Church is going to declare his approach the only real approach to God.

Joseph Campbell, the great mythologist, told of how a group of Buddhist monks met with a group of Catholic monks for a conference. The conference was scheduled for a week, but the heads of both organizations could only meet for a few days before they left, unable to stand each other's presence. The rest of the monks found common ground and completed the conference.