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s2smodern

On March 12, an ecumenical meeting was held at the Center for Reflection and University Meeting (CREU - the university center of the Jesuits in Oporto, Portugal), attended by representatives of three Christian churches: Bishop Sifredo Teixeira (Portuguese Methodist Church ), D. Armando Esteves (Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Porto) and D. Jorge Pina Cabral (Bishop of the Lusitanian Church - Anglican Communion). We also count on the help of António Manuel Silva (Historian of the Anglican Institute of Theological Studies), to contextualize the emergence of these Christian confessions and their presence in Portugal, and with the moderation of Catarina Sá Couto (Youth Secretariat of the Lusitanian Church) together with António Rosa (Animator of CREU).

This meeting falls within the framework of the Lenten Spiritual Plan – PEQ (the Portuguese acronym) - which this year has as its general theme for all the initiatives of each Tuesday: Uniting and not separating.

In the beginning, the different Churches had the opportunity to present their doctrine, their positions and their structures, in a relaxed atmosphere of informal conversation. In this space, the moderators were able to talk to the bishops about some issues that might arise, such as the fact that all present churches proclaim themselves Catholic or the position in which the Roman Catholic Church was after the Luther Reformation. In this regard, said Jorge Pina Cabral: "It was the action of the Spirit that brought us here today and that allowed us to be sitting here talking."

There was also room for questions of greater relevance in today's society, in which churches may have influence, such as the experience of sexuality, the role of women and laity, or care for creation. Here the different Churches had the opportunity to show the foundations of the positions on these subjects, giving to realize that there is much (but much) more in common than different.

"Respect for creation leads us to rethink how we live all our relationships," reiterated D. Armando Esteves.

In the end, the young people had a small space for questions, to which the bishops responded with all clarity and openness, and the meeting ended in an atmosphere of peace and unity. "I speak in unity (not in uniqueness), because the term unity presupposes the grace of diversity," summed up Bishop Sifredo Teixeira.

The meeting was attended by more than 200 university students, something that greatly surprised the three guests.

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s2smodern