Mission of the Anastasis Dialogue

The Anastasis Dialogue is the latest work embraced by the small community of Holy Resurrection Monastery. It is our way of responding to a call we have discerned to throw ourselves wholeheartedly into the work of "spiritual ecumenism."

 

What is spiritual ecumenism? From the Decree on the Ecumenism, Unitatis Redintegratio (n.8):

Change of heart and holiness of life, along with public and private prayer for the unity of Christians, should be regarded as the heart and as the soul of the whole ecumenical movement, and merits the name "spiritual ecumenism."

As a monks and nuns, the communities of Holy Resurrection and Holy Theophany Monasteries are above all founded on the fundamental need for "change of heart" (metanoia) and holiness of life. This conversion must inevitably bring us closer, not only to the Person of Jesus Christ, his Father and Holy Spirit, but also to every other human being in his Body. In other words, as each of us undergoes a personal conversion we find ourselves more and more aware of the grace of our membership in the Church. This discovery is not just of some historical institution. It is an encounter with Christ in his Spirit, extended through all time and space, in an embrace that draws to Himself all things that they might be presented entire and whole to the Father.

Inevitably, then, we find that the work of healing the wound of division in the Church is not merely something ancilliary to our life and works as monastics. It is central to it. Our personal conversion is the soul of monastic life, just as a change of heart must be the soul of ecumenism. For us these two metanoias are just two ways of carrying out a single great labor of love.

This is not just our own idea. Again, in Unitatis Redintegratio, Vatican II specifically invited Catholics to encounter the patristic patrimony of the Eastern Churches through the lived tradition of monasticism.

Moreover, in the East are found the riches of those spiritual traditions which are given expression especially in monastic life. There from the glorious times of the holy Fathers, monastic spirituality flourished which, then later flowed over into the Western world, and there provided the source from which Latin monastic life took its rise and has drawn fresh vigor ever since. Catholics therefore are earnestly recommended to avail themselves of the spiritual riches of the Eastern Fathers which lift up the whole man to the contemplation of the divine.

In his his Apostolic Letter, Orientale Lumen, Pope John Paul II was even more explicit:

The strong common traits uniting the monastic experience of the East and the West make it a wonderful bridge of fellowship, where unity as it is lived shines even more brightly than may appear in the dialogue between the Churches.

In 2003 the main ecumenical body of the Catholic Church, the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, held a plenary session on "spiritual ecumenism." One of the fruits of that meeting was a little book by the Council's president, Cardinal Walter Kasper, called A Handbook of Spiritual Ecumenism. It is from that book that we have embraced the following practical program to give substance to our work under the title The Anastasis Dialogue. Following this program, our monastic community will:

* be a center of prayer and self-giving for the cause of Christian unity;

* offer hospitality and bring together Christians of various traditions in a spiritual family that extends beyond the bounds of the monastery, creating a milieu for friendship and ecumenical exchange;

* organize exchanges and visits with other monasteries so as to allow our members and theirs to become acquainted with the particularities of different traditions;

* promote joint studies, seminars, conferences and publications on the major figures of monasticism in both East and West, and on their spiritual teaching;

* witness, especially through fidelity to our Byzantine liturgical and spiritual heritage, to the possibility of a true union of East and West in which the authentic distinctiveness of both sides is respected and nurtured.

In many ways, of course, this program is simply an intensification of how we have always lived our ecumenical vocation. We hope especially that our work will build on our existing relationships, especially with the important Orientale Lumen Conferences and the Society of St. John Chrysostom.

We believe that this work may have great benefits even within our own Catholic Church as well. Eastern Catholics were for generations seen as "bridges" between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. This metaphor carries today unfortunate overtones of a spirit of proselytism. But it may be a very apt way of describing how an authentically Eastern spirit of reverence and tradition might help contemporary Catholics "bridge" the divide that many see as separating the post-Conciliar Church from aspects of its own tradition.

In other words, The Anastasis Dialogue might actually help promote the agenda enunciated in the recent motu proprio of Pope Benedict XVI. We cannot, of course be useful in the narrow sense of promoting a particular form of the Roman Rite. Our contribution could lie, however, in the wider sense of exposing Roman Catholics to an authentic tradition in which questions surrounding reverence, lay participation, musical and artistic styles etc. have been asked and answered in ways that could help show Western Christians new possibilities beyond the deadening polemics of recent decades.

It may be just such a contribution that prompted Pope John Paul II to include in Orientale Lumen this appeal:

With regard to monasticism, in consideration of its Importance in Eastern Christianity, we would like it to flourish once more in the Eastern Catholic Churches, and that support be given to all those who feel called to work for its revitalization. In fact, in the East an intrinsic link exists between liturgical prayer, spiritual tradition and the monastic life, For this reason precisely, a well - trained and motivated renewal of monastic life could mean true ecclesial fruitfulness for them as well. Nor should it be thought that this would diminish the effectiveness of the pastoral ministry which in fact will be strengthened by such a vigorous spirituality, and thus will find once more its ideal place. This hope also concerns the territories of the Eastern diaspora, where the presence of Eastern monasteries would give greater stability to the Eastern Churches in those countries, and would make a valuable contribution to the religious life of Western Christians.

We have also begun to look at how the physical location and other practical aspects of our life can be improved to support The Anastasis Dialogue and its work. Inevitably this will require an investment of not only our time, but also our very limited finances.

The following prelates have kindly agreed to support our venture by acting as patrons of our fundraising appeal:

* His Grace Bishop John Michael Botean of the Romanian Catholic Eparchy of St. George in Canton and the Monastery's hierarch

* His Eminence Francis Cardinal George, Archbishop of Chicago, and vice-president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

* His Eminence Archbishop Vsevolod of Scopelos (Ukrainian Orthodox)

* His Excellency Bishop Salvatore Cordileone, Auxilliary Bishop of San Diego (Roman Catholic)

* Most Rev. Notker Wolf, O.S.B., Abbot Primate of the Benedictine Confederation

If you share our conviction that this is important work for our monastery to undertake, please support The Anastasis Dialogue with your prayers. If you would like to make a financial contribution as well, please send checks to Holy Resurrection Monastery, PO Box 130, Newberry Springs, CA 92365, or else by credit card through the "Make a Donation" button on this website.