The Dominican presence in the Nordic Countries
Ecumenical Charter
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As its name implies, the Catholic Church has a universal mission of bringing the Good News of salvation to the four corners of the earth. It is from this basis that the Dominican Order derives its raison d'être as an Order of Preachers. Accordingly, Dominican preaching cannot be dissociated from the living tradition of the Church. Nor can it ignore the magisterium of the Catholic Church as the legitimate interpreter of this living tradition.
The very essence of the Dominican preaching is to express the living message of the Gospel. It does so even when these truths are not in consonance with what is professed by surrounding religions, traditions and cultures. Freedom of religion, as it is understood by the magisterium of the Catholic Church, is a right which should be guaranteed to everyone. It also denotes the possibility to hear preaching delivered in the name of the Catholic Church for any who wish it
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Respect for local religions, traditions and cultures, even when they are not Christian, requires striving to comprehend their spirit and value their achievements. This is also an essential element in the teaching of the Church. Accordingly, efforts toward empathy should be exercised a fortiori and primarily in regard to our separated Christian brothers and sisters. Indeed, the Dominican friars at present in the Nordic countries are deeply conscious of the task accomplished by the Lutheran reform, as well as by the Orthodox Church in Finland, in shaping national identities.
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The ecumenical commitment of the Dominican preaching in Dacia is not limited to a detached attitude of respect. The Christians of the Lutheran tradition often evince a desire to enter into a vibrant dialogue with the Catholic tradition. In the ambit of the Nordic countries, Lutheran entities are seeing their traditional social and governmental status being increasingly questioned. With the spread of new means of communication and under the pressure of rapidly growing immigration, religious styles and conviction that were unknown until a short time ago, have erupted onto the scene. Non-Christian religions, "free" churches, ancient Eastern Christian religions as well as new forms of anti-Christian militancy have emerged in societies that up until the present had been closely conditioned by State ideology. For the traditional Churches, this situation has resulted in inner frictions among often mutually incompatible stances on doctrinal and moral issues. In this context, giving voice to a Catholic viewpoint is a gesture that, even when not solicited, is at least warmly welcomed, as providing pivotal elements of reflection and points of comparison. In responding eagerly to the more or less explicit invitations made to them, the Dominican friars see these as so many real opportunities to be faithful to their identity as Catholics while fully engaging in a fraternal dialogue with non-Catholic Christians.
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Dominican centres in the Nordic countries. Image: Screengrab from YLE.
The aim of such encounters is certainly not to surreptitiously win back the Nordic territories to their former Catholic faith. One must recall that the countries of Northern Europe have been spared the internal wars of religion between Catholics and Protestants that shaped the enduring mentalities of the people in the South of Europe. Consequently, at first sight Catholic preaching is not perceived as a challenge to the historical rights of Lutheranism. In actual fact, the very idea of "winning back" these countries to the Catholic faith sounds anachronistic in the present context of the Nordic societies. Moreover such an objective would be antithetical to the truly Catholic understanding of the ecumenical task as it was developed by the Second Vatican Council. Rather, Catholics and non-Catholic Christians are called to work side by side toward the reestablishment of their visible unity in the faith and the sacraments through an ever more profound discovery of their respective identities. Certainly the truth of convictions should never be sacrificed, but an apostolate with the aim of "winning souls" for the Catholic Church would endanger the arduous course toward visible unity. To God alone belongs the power to bring to fulfilment the steps, large or small, easy or difficult, that the Dominican friars accomplish day by day.
In this framework the spiritual and intellectual ministry offered to faithful Catholics residing in the Nordic countries, the theological dialogue with other Christian traditions, the fellowship of non-Catholic Christians in view of common evangelical tasks, are some of the areas where Dominican preaching is needed and keenly awaited. In addition, the arrival and settlement of a significant number of Catholics who are wholly unacquainted with the Lutheran faith tradition, has entrusted a new task to the Dominican friars: that of serving as religious and cultural mediators between these new populations and the institutions which are hallmarks of traditional Nordic societies. Last, but certainly not least, Dominican preaching becomes actualized through sincere and unambiguous community life that is our long tradition. In a world ever more forcibly drifting towards individualism, the common life is, for all Christians, a living witness of the supernatural brotherhood/sisterhood which lies at the very core of Christ's teaching.
Even though the Dominican friars refuse to engage in proselytizing activities, they cannot prevent individuals with diverse Christian backgrounds from seeking to embrace the Catholic faith. In such circumstances, pertaining to the intimate and sovereign freedom of persons concerned, the friars cannot evade a request for spiritual accompaniment. In the very same manner, the brethren do not shirk their pastoral responsibility toward the other categories of Catholic faithful in the Nordic countries. It is clear, though, that such an accompaniment requires the friars to demonstrate the greatest respect for the Christian traditions which originally served as a nurturing spiritual environment for these new Catholics.
Thus understood, Dominican preaching in the nations shaped by Lutheran or Orthodox traditions, far from constituting an obstacle to the progress of international ecumenical dialogue, can legitimately hope to contribute to its success. Such preaching animates the mere words and notions exploited by experts with the content of a unique experience; i.e. the daily meeting of the divided disciples of Christ in the friendship and hope inspired by their common Master.
In this framework the spiritual and intellectual ministry offered to faithful Catholics residing in the Nordic countries, the theological dialogue with other Christian traditions, the fellowship of non-Catholic Christians in view of common evangelical tasks, are some of the areas where Dominican preaching is needed and keenly awaited. In addition, the arrival and settlement of a significant number of Catholics who are wholly unacquainted with the Lutheran faith tradition, has entrusted a new task to the Dominican friars: that of serving as religious and cultural mediators between these new populations and the institutions which are hallmarks of traditional Nordic societies. Last, but certainly not least, Dominican preaching becomes actualized through sincere and unambiguous community life that is our long tradition. In a world ever more forcibly drifting towards individualism, the common life is, for all Christians, a living witness of the supernatural brotherhood/sisterhood which lies at the very core of Christ's teaching.
Even though the Dominican friars refuse to engage in proselytizing activities, they cannot prevent individuals with diverse Christian backgrounds from seeking to embrace the Catholic faith. In such circumstances, pertaining to the intimate and sovereign freedom of persons concerned, the friars cannot evade a request for spiritual accompaniment. In the very same manner, the brethren do not shirk their pastoral responsibility toward the other categories of Catholic faithful in the Nordic countries. It is clear, though, that such an accompaniment requires the friars to demonstrate the greatest respect for the Christian traditions which originally served as a nurturing spiritual environment for these new Catholics.
Thus understood, Dominican preaching in the nations shaped by Lutheran or Orthodox traditions, far from constituting an obstacle to the progress of international ecumenical dialogue, can legitimately hope to contribute to its success. Such preaching animates the mere words and notions exploited by experts with the content of a unique experience; i.e. the daily meeting of the divided disciples of Christ in the friendship and hope inspired by their common Master.
