“Together for Europe - Its history so far…"
Our journey so far has been made up of significant meetings and moments of fellowship.
1999
The first powerful meeting between Catholic and Protestant/ Evangelical communities took place in the Ottmaring Ecumenical Centre near Augsburg on the same day, 31 October 1999, as the historical signing in Augsburg of the "Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification."
The hope was to begin a journey of fellowship and communion together.
Among those taking part were representatives of the German Lutheran/ Evangelical groups linked to the "Leaders' Meeting" (CdR): Helmut Nicklas (YMCA Munich), Gerhard Pross (YMCA Esslingen) and Friedrich Aschoff (Renewal in the Spirit in the Evangelical/Lutheran Church) and the founders of the Focolare Movement and the Sant’Egidio Community, Chiara Lubich and Andrea Riccardi.
A first step - At the March 2000 Leaders’ Meeting (CdR), in Rothenburg, the two talks given by the Lutheran Evangelical-Lutheran bishop,
- Prof. Ulrick Wilckens "The division of Christians as the cause of Atheism" and
- Chiara Lubich "Mutual love as the way to unity",
led to an event of reconciliation: an act of repentance and reciprocal forgiveness for the divisions of the past. To seek forgiveness and each time to forgive is the essential premise for communion.
from left to right: |
On December 8th, in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Matthew, the leaders make a pact of mutual love in accordance with the Gospel and this became the basis of the journey that was to develop afterwards.
That afternoon, in the Catholic Cathedral, in the presence of thousands of members of the different Movements and Communities of various Churches, the Leaders share their experience during a celebration called: “How else, if not together?”
- A pact of mutual love:
(from left to right): Friedrich Aschoff, Frances Ruppert, Helmut Nicklas
- 8.12.2001 in the Cathedral of Munich (Germany)
- Chiara Lubich
It was agreed to offer a contribution to the spiritual unity of Europe by holding a large day meeting of dialogue with members of movements and communities of different churches.
2003
The members of the steering committee meet in Berlin, on the 1st of June, on the occasion of the Ecumenical Kirchentag. The meeting “Together for Europe” in Stuttgart is scheduled for the 8thof May 2004.
2004
The "Together for Europe" Meeting took place in Stuttgart (Germany) on May 8, 2004 with approximately 9,000 participants, among them 50 bishops from various churches and many politicians.
Around 100,000 people followed the meeting thanks to satellite link-ups with meetings taking place contemporaneously in 135 European cities.
The proceedings of the Meeting were published in English, Italian and German.
On the 8th of May 2004, members of more than 170 Christian Movements and Communities make a pact of mutual love according what is written in John’s Gospel: «I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another» (John 13,34).
The second meeting will take place on 12 May 2007 in Stuttgart and it will be preceded by a congress for leaders (10-11 May, 2007).
The common objective is to contribute to increasing the Christian soul of Europe by making visible the network of fraternity among movements and their commitment to spiritual and social renewal.
