THE public responses by the other Christian churches to One Bread One Body, the joint teaching document on the Eucharist by the Catholic bishops of Ireland and Britain, have been varied and interesting.

The thoughtful and considered critique by Bishop Richard Clarke of Meath and Kildare on both radio and in The Irish Times has been stimulating. Commenting in The Irish Times, Bishop John Neill of Cashel and Ossory found the document ecumenical in tone but ambiguous, outdated and unconvincing. On the other hand, his Down and Dromore colleague, Bishop Harold Miller, while making it clear the Church of Ireland had a different perspective, told BBCNI's Sunday Sequence that he admired the willingness of the Catholic Church to state its position with clarity.

The Presbyterian Church in Ireland has delayed comment until its Inter-church Relations Board has studied the document. The Methodist Church in Ireland, through the convenor of its Faith and Order Committee, Ms Gillian Kingston, expressed "desperate disappointment" and felt the Catholic Church was being "too absolutist" about Communion.

In contrast, the Church of England's Council for Christian Unity warmly welcomed the document, noting that the frequency with which it quotes from the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission to express Catholic eucharistic faith is striking and "offers a powerful testimony to the agreement between our churches on eucharistic doctrine".

As one involved in the preparation of the document from the beginning, I welcome the responses of the other churches, including those which were highly critical, for I believe they were spoken with honesty and conviction. And candour is important when seeking to understand each other.

One Bread One Body is primarily a teaching document. It is, first of all, a call to Catholics to a deeper sacramental awareness, in particular about the importance of Mass and the Eucharist. In other words, it seeks to help Catholics come to a greater understanding of the central mystery of our faith.

Secondly, we see One Bread One Body as a contribution to ecumenical discussion. We wanted to express what the Catholic Church believes clearly and in a positive, helpful way to other Christians, while at the same time paying full and proper respect to their beliefs.

It is vital that our churches strive for a deeper understanding of what we each believe about the Eucharist, the most precious gift of Christ to his Church. It is essential that we know where we agree and where we differ.

This very point was powerfully made in its response to One Bread One Body by the Church of Scotland, the mother church of the Presbyterian family: "We welcome this document as a means of communicating a difficult doctrine in ordinary language. This doctrine is often misunderstood both within and outside the Roman Catholic Church. That is not to say that we agree with the Roman Catholic Church, but we cannot travel together along the ecumenical road to more visible Christian unity unless we both understand where we are coming from".

In relations between the Christian churches, centuries of asserting one's own tradition over against the weaknesses and failings of others have, thank God, been replaced by decades where respect for and love of one's own tradition is seen as totally compatible with a respect for the richness of the traditions of others. That formed the background and the spirit in which One Bread One Body was produced.

In the context of these twin attitudes of respect, we have outlined norms for the people of these islands - norms for sacramental sharing which flow from the 1993 Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism, issued by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. These norms are an integral part, but only a part, of the whole document. I must stress that they can only be understood in the context of the teaching on the Eucharist from which they flow.

One Bread One Body emphasises very much the progress of international dialogues in seeking common areas of belief in the sacraments, and in the Eucharist in particular. It does not minimise differences but strives to face them honestly, but I hope not hurtfully. I would refer particularly to the unresolved issues surrounding the questions of Orders and Authority.

These differences and the resultant divisions are not confined to our own island or to these islands. They are universal. What is said of "imperfect" in the sense of "incomplete" communion between the churches is as true worldwide as it is in these islands.

From these historical theological divisions arise differences in worship and in practice. The norms outlined in this document are a result of these historical divisions, not the cause of them. The fundamental principle underlying our norms is that "the Eucharist is properly the sacrament of those who are in full communion with the Church". The sacraments are personal, but not private. Along with the "I believe" there must also be the "We believe".

We should rejoice at "the growing understanding and deepening communion between us". At the same time, no far-reaching progress is possible unless we respect the sincerely-held convictions of each other and recognise that serious matters still divide us.

One inference drawn by several media commentators, especially in the South, which I found offensive, is that those who do not favour general sacramental sharing are, ipso facto, anti-ecumenical. It is my personal experience that some of the people most committed to ecumenism are those who observe the sacramental norms of their own church and respect those of other churches.

Two related criticisms of the document have been made in the media. One is about the timing of its publication. It was implied or asserted that the document should not have been published at this time because it would be "politically divisive" when delicate negotiations are in progress in the North. The other criticism, articulated by The Irish Times religious affairs correspondent, is that the document should not have been issued at all because "it will not advance relations between the churches one whit".

As regards the timing, when would be a good time? This is a document of three bishops' conferences which concerns issues transcending any particular country or region; these issues have worldwide dimensions. The document has been in preparation for over two years and its publication date of September 30th was decided upon by the three conferences as far back as last May.

Having lived and ministered all my life in the North and been involved for many years in the ecumenical movement, perhaps I am in a position to respond particularly to the second criticism.

If we are to learn anything from the peace process in the context of this document it is that the more we strive to understand and to cope with sincerely-held differences the greater will be our contribution to reconciliation. Genuine pluralism is not about melting-down genuine convictions. It is about sharing and discussing them honestly and openly with others in a spirit of genuine dialogue. One of the real benefits of the peace process is a growing respect for and acceptance of each other's identity and the potential to be enriched by the improved mutual understanding which we now experience. Authentic ecumenical dialogue should surely do the same. It is my hope that, far from "widening the gap between religions" (pace your columnist Medb Ruane), One Bread One Body will, in fact, contribute to mutual understanding.

The desire that such understanding should grow and bear fruit is well expressed in paragraph 121 of the document: "We hope that common study of these difficult questions may lead to a deeper understanding of the nature of the Church, and bring nearer the day when we can come together united in faith at one Eucharist. Let us walk together towards that day when we can truly say together one great "Amen" to the whole mystery of the Eucharist, to the Body of Christ given for us and the Blood of the Lord poured out for us."

Bishop Anthony Farquhar, Auxiliary Bishop of Down and Connor and Chairman of the Catholic Church's Ecumenical Commission, represented the Irish Bishops' Conference on the group which drafted One Bread One Body on behalf of the three bishops' conferences of Ireland and Britain