The meeting, held in Leanyfalu, Hungary, gathered representatives of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences (CCEE) and the Conference of European Churches (CEC). The four-day meeting ended today.
The Ecumenical Charter, a brief document outlining guidelines to promote collaboration between the Churches and Christian communities in Europe, was signed in April 2001 by the CCEE and CEC presidents, and sent to all the Churches and episcopal conferences to be studied and implemented locally.
The charter highlights the need to «overcome divisions still existing among us in order to proclaim the Gospel message more credibly to people.»
The gathering in Hungary heard reports from Eastern European countries on the signs of hope and the difficulties in the present ecumenical endeavor.
Some 40 delegates attended the meeting, representing the Churches and episcopal conferences of 16 Eastern European countries.
The text of the Ecumenical Charter in English may be read in RFT format at www.ccee.ch/english/fields/ecumenical.htm.
