This piece from the summer - and I did blog about Kasper's comments - explains the distinction, in the mind of the post-VCII Catholic, between evangelization and ecumenism.

There's some defense of Kasper, as well, completely unnecessary:

For Kasper, ecumenism is not founded on the desire to convert others to Catholicism.

Ecumenism and evangelization are not the same, and we must make that distinction.

While evangelization may certainly accompany ecumenism and even guide and follow it, evangelization is not coextensive with ecumenism, and the Cardinal is clear on this.

The basis of evangelization is desire to convert others–conversion to Christ, conversion to his Church, conversion to God.

The basis of ecumenism, however, is something else.

Ecumenism has as its basis the desire for unity and as its practice the removal of obstacles to that unity. It seeks not to convert those who are already converted to Christ.

Ecumenism seeks to understand, not to convert.

About the author: I considered Michael's now-defunct blog to be, um, "enlightened." He's off getting smarter presently.

And working at a real job, too, probably.

tags technorati : evangelization ecumenism cardinal kasper