Dear Joint CEC-CCEE Working Group for the Charta Oecumenica,

Dear Conference of European Churches (CEC),

Dear Council of European Bishops' Conferences (CCEE),

The international movement We Are Church, founded in Rome in 1996, is committed to the renewal of the Roman Catholic Church on the basis of the Second Vatican Council and the theological spirit developed from it.

Last September we joined your call for the revision of the Charta Oecumenica, a document of fundamental importance for the European Churches, and we sent you two documents containing numerous amendments to the new draft that you made public.

We had been eagerly awaiting the presentation of the revised Charta Oecumenica on 26-27 April 2025 in Vilnius, Lithuania, and we are very sorry that the event had to be postponed due to the death of Pope Francis.

While waiting for you to announce the new date for the presentation, we take the liberty, in sibling spirit, to ask that this be a public event, open to believers of all Churches, and not by invitation only.

We remember well that in 2021, on the 20th anniversary of the Charta Oecumenica, a fourth European Ecumenical Assembly was announced for 2026, the 25th anniversary of the Charta Oecumenica.

We were very surprised that this convocation was no longer mentioned, and that the revised version of the Charta Oecumenica no longer refers to the European Ecumenical Assemblies. Why?

We believe that the three European Ecumenical Assemblies in Basel, Graz and Sibiu have played a very important role in raising ecumenical awareness in our Churches, and we are convinced that more “ecumenism of the people” is needed: an ecumenism too focused on Church leaders is insufficient.

For this reason we ask that the presentation of the new Charta Oecumenica be an ecumenical celebration, to which you warmly invite all members of our European Churches.

And we call for a return to the planning of an upcoming European Ecumenical Assembly: 18 years after the last one, with the challenges and divisions tearing Europe apart, we feel it urgent to reconvene the believers of our Churches, to deepen the faith that unites us and to continue the ecumenical process of justice, peace and integrity of creation as an evangelical vocation at the service of Europe and the world.

A greeting of peace,

Colm Holmes, Chair We Are Church International
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Dr Martha Heizer, Vice-Chair We Are Church International
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

International Coordinating team: Valerie Stroud (England & Wales), Mary Morrissey (Ireland), Jean-Pierre Schmitz (France), Ashik Naz Khokhar (Pakistan), Christiane Bascou (France), Martin Schockenhoff (Germany), Kathleen Gibbons Schuck (USA), Gemma Lamarra (Scotland), Elza Ferrario (Italy), Virginia Saldanha (India)

We Are Church International congratulate Pope Leo XlV on his inauguration as successor to Pope Francis on 18 May 2025! We share Pope Leo’s message for our world of peace and justice for those living in poverty and suffering in wars, as well as care for our environment.

We Are Church welcomes the fact that Pope Leo immediately promised to continue the synodal reform process initiated by Pope Francis on the basis of the Second Vatican Council. The 2023 and 2024 World Synods have made it very clear how great the need for reform within the Church is in order to make our faith community credible and missionary again. This includes, among other things:

· Shared Decision Taking at all levels: Parish, Diocese and Synod

· Equality for Women, LGBTQ+ and Married people in ordained ministries

· Zero tolerance for sexual abuse in the appointment of bishops

· Respect unity in diversity in different cultures

We very much hope that with Pope Leo and with the support of the Roman Curia and the cardinals who elected him by a large majority, it will now be possible to tackle these globally discussed issues in a synodal manner at all levels. Expectations for concrete results by the 2028 global church assembly are high.

In the current global political climate, we welcome Pope Leo's commitment to freedom of the press. This should then also apply to theology and a liberal rethinking of traditional theological doctrine so that theology does not lose touch with the world.

We are Church International and its national members worldwide are willing to support Pope Leo XlV in prayer and in action on this path.

Press contacts:

Colm Holmes,
Chair We are Church International
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone: +353 86606 3636

Dr Martha Heizer,
Vice-Chair We are Church International
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Phone: +43 650 4168500

International Coordinating team:

Valerie Stroud (England & Wales), Mary Morrissey (Ireland), Jean-Pierre Schmitz (France), Ashik Naz Khokhar (Pakistan), Christiane Bascou (France), Martin Schockenhoff (Germany), Kathleen Gibbons Schuck (USA), Gemma Lamarra (Scotland), Elza Ferrario (Italy), Virginia Saldanha (India)

An Indigenous Reflection on Pope Leo XIV

We welcome the wonderful news of our new Pope Leo XIV and look forward to continuing the synodal journey under his leadership and guidance. Please join us in prayer for him as he begins his new journey in leading our Church forward.

Prayer for Pope Leo XIV

Faithful God, You guide us on the path of life
and your goodness is our constant companion.

Be with Pope Leo XIV, in his service of the Church.
Fill him with the power of your Spirit,
the peace of your presence
and the compassion of Christ.

May he walk with you,
in his wisdom and humility,
and lead us, together with all God's people,
to embody your love for the world.

Amen

Geneva, 9 May 2025

"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace." (Numbers 6:24-26).

Your Holiness Pope Leo XIV,

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

On behalf of the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the global fellowship of churches we represent, we wish to convey our heartfelt greetings and congratulations to you and the whole Roman Catholic Church at your election as the new Bishop of Rome, the Pope Leo XIV.

This moment marks not only a new chapter in the leadership of the Catholic Church but also a renewed opportunity for deepening the bonds of ecumenical friendship and cooperation. We recognize with gratitude the enduring legacy of Pope Francis, who through the synodal way championed a vision of the Church as a community of listening and dialogue, walking together in the Spirit. His commitment to opening the Church to the voices of the marginalized and fostering a culture of encounter has inspired Christians across traditions.

In the homily you shared after your election you focused on being a missionary church, synodality, peace, and building bridges, these resonate extremely well with the World Council of Churches. These directions are precisely what the world needs now in these times of turbulence, wars, violence, climate, economic and gender injustices. The world needs justice, peace, reconciliation and unity.

The WCC cherishes the enduring ecumenical contributions of the Catholic Church, which have continually advanced the cause of Christian unity and enriched the global Christian witness. This shared pilgrimage reflects and affirms the vision of the WCC Pilgrimage of Justice, Reconciliation, and Unity, where Christians from diverse traditions walk together, listening to the Spirit and to one another, learning from these shared experiences, and growing together into deeper communion in Christ.

As the Catholic Church continues to harvest the spiritual, theological, and pastoral fruits of the synodal way-deepening the culture of discernment and dialogue-we pray that you as the new Pope will further this rich heritage. We trust you will nurture a Church attuned to the voice of the Spirit and committed to building bridges that transcend confessional and cultural boundaries. Your words in your first speech were a very encouraging expression of exactly this will. The WCC stands ready to continue walking alongside with you as with our Catholic sisters and brothers in this pilgrimage, confident that the Holy Spirit will guide and sustain our shared vocation toward unity in the love of Christ.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you as the newly elected Pope Leo XIV as you assume this vital ministry for the life of the Roman Catholic Church, the broader Christian community, and the world.

We look forward to meeting with you in the near future as we have met with previous Popes.

In the Risen Christ,

Bishop Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm
Moderator
World Council of Churches central committee

Rev Prof Dr Jerry Pillay
General Secretary
World Council of Churches