Cardinal impresses ecumenical leaders

Cardinal Cassidy just retired after serving for 12 years as president of both the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and of the Commission for Religious Relations with Jews.

He came to the Diocese to give a talk March 29 at The College of Saint Rose (CSR) in Albany on "The Commitment of the Catholic Church to Ecumenical and Interreligious Dialogue: Why I Am Optimistic."

The Cardinal also met with many ecumenical leaders and with CSR faculty, staff and students (see separate story on page 11). Prior to his visit, The Evangelist interviewed Cardinal Cassidy from the Vatican via email (see March 22 issue).

Religious leaders of various faiths were united in their praise of Cardinal Cassidy's message. Bishop Susan Morrison of the Albany-area United Methodist Church said she "deeply appreciated being included in the events" of the Cardinal's visit -- and said her invitation "seemed appropriate, because his ministry has been one of openness to the whole Christian community."

She remarked on Cardinal Cassidy's response to one difficult question during the ecumenical breakfast. When asked whether he was disappointed about the lack of movement toward Christian unity, she said, he quoted Luke's Gospel, in which Christ tells the Apostles to "put out into deep water" for a catch.

"He doesn't tell them what they're going to get," Bishop Morrison paraphrased the Cardinal, "but He tells them to cast the net. We're not the final answer to Christian unity; God is at work."

She added: "I used that in my sermon on Sunday."

Rev. Christopher DeGiovine, CSR chaplain and dean of spiritual life, echoed Bishop Morrison's comments.

"Jesus is inviting us out into the deep water," he said. "We're not told to catch fish, just to go out into the deep water and drop nets. [Hearing] that heartened me for the work we have to do."

Father DeGiovine was Cardinal Cassidy's host during his visit, so he was able to spend more time one-on-one with him than anyone else.

"The Cardinal was a remarkable man," he said. "He was gentle; he had a wonderful sense of humor; he was open to all the questions people asked. I can't be more positive."

The chaplain noted that when reporters repeatedly asked Cardinal Cassidy why he chose to come to Albany, the Cardinal replied with good humor: "He kept saying, `I don't know why Albany has this [poor] self-image. You're doing wonderful work here.'"

That sentiment was lauded by Rev. John Miller of Albany's Evangelical Protestant Church of the United Church of Christ, who serves as director of the Capital Area Council of Churches. Rev. Miller boasted that his church, located in Albany's South End, hosted the ecumenical meal.

"We have in the Capital District a great ecumenical climate to begin with, and [Cardinal Cassidy] served to highlight that," Rev. Miller noted.

He said that the ecumenical community is "looking forward to Cardinal [Walter] Kasper," Cardinal Cassidy's replacement on the Pontifical Council, "but it will be hard to top Cardinal Cassidy. We could ask him all sorts of hard questions, and he would field them."

Rev. Miller was impressed with the Cardinal's "reaffirmation of the posture of the Church ecumenically."

Bishop David Ball, bishop emeritus of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany, called the Cardinal "terrific. He's a very wise man, and very pragmatic and practical; that's part of wisdom."

Bishop Ball felt Cardinal Cassidy's visit was a "worthwhile endeavor." He particularly praised the Cardinal for using the term "Anglican" rather than "Protestant" to describe the Episcopal Church.

"That pleased me," he told The Evangelist. "There are things that divide us, but there are more things that unite us, and I think the Cardinal was going on that assumption."

Bishop Ball said that in the future, "denominations or church lines are going to become less important. I think [Cardinal Cassidy] represented a very wise and good presentation of where we are, and not only among Christians."

One tough question Cardinal Cassidy fielded at the breakfast was on strife in the Middle East. The Cardinal was said to lament the loss of at least a partial settlement.

Interfaith Alliance co-director Ed Bloch applauded Cardinal Cassidy's honesty. "It was absolutely wonderful," he said. "I loved his directness and his bringing all his wisdom to bear. He didn't ignore the gravity of some of the questions asked; things like the Middle East were his beat. I was so impressed with his integrity. I appreciated his message."

Mr. Bloch's fellow co-director, Deb Riitano of St. Vincent de Paul parish in Albany, noted that during the Cardinal's visit, "there was warmth, outreach, harmony, peace, education -- I don't know what else you would want. There wasn't a bad feeling or a bad spirit anywhere. His presence made a difference to many, many people."

Cardinal Cassidy "said a lot of things that struck me," she added. "There was something very genuine about him. He said this was God's work, and that's why you continue it. The Cardinal left us with great hope for dialogue, and I don't think he's looking at it through rose-colored glasses."

The ecumenical Troy Area United Ministries (TAUM) was represented at the breakfast by director Rev. Donna Elia. She told The Evangelist that Cardinal Cassidy admitted ecumenical relations can be challenging.

"He did a very thoughtful job of speaking," she said. "He presented some of the difficulties of ecumenism. He uplifted the challenges, but he [also] spoke to many of the areas in which progress has been made."

Rev. Elia and Ms. Riitano both praised CSR and the many organizations that sponsored Cardinal Cassidy's visit.

"This area is rich in interfaith dialogue," Rev. Elia stated. "People felt challenged to continue that journey."

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