What is the difference among the terms ecumenical, interfaith, and Interreligious relations?
The Catholic Church promotes ecumenical relations and prayer with other Christians, interfaith relations alongside other Christians with the Abrahamic faiths (Jews and Muslims), and interreligious relations with other religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism.
Our office collaborates with other Christians through the following:
- Promotion of a speaker series on topics timely to the Ecumenical/Interreligious movement.
- Participation in the North State Ecumenical Commission (NSEC) Christian churches on behalf of their Judicatory head - the NSEC plans the Annual Week of Prayer Service during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (January 18-25) of each year.
- Promotion of understanding and cooperation with the Eastern Orthodox Church. On alternative years celebrate a Vespers Service with Catholics and Orthodox on June 29, Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul and on November 30, Feast of St. Andrew.
- Attend "City Pastors" quarterly lunches to promote understanding and fellowship.
- Promotion of Catholic and Evangelical and Pentecostal dialogue and understanding.
Our office collaborates with the Jewish community through the following:
Ongoing dialogues with the Jewish community, especially a Catholic-Jewish Dialogue, and promotion of numerous dialogues on various topics
Our office collaborates with the Muslim community through the following:
- Accepting the invitation to attend the Annual Interfaith Iftar, which includes the breaking of The Ramadan fast, the observation of maghrib prayer, a festive dinner and program, in the Muslim month of Ramadan
- Ongoing dialogues with the Muslim community, and promotion of numerous local dialogues.
Our office collaborates with other religions through the following:
- Participation in the Interfaith Service Bureau which provides Catholic Christian, Eastern Orthodox Christian, Protestant Christian, Jewish and Muslim and other faiths to dialogue;
- Ongoing relationship building with the Buddhist and Sikh communities.
The Office for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs supports these and many other groups in the Diocese of Sacramento. Please contact our office for further details on how you can get involved.
The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these (non-Christian) religions.The Church, therefore, exhorts her children, that through dialogue and collaboration with the followers of other religions, carried out with prudence and love and in witness to the Christian faith and life, they recognize, preserve and promote the good things, spiritual and moral, as well as the socio-cultural values found among these people.
– Declaration of the Second Vatican Council on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions, Nostra Aetate