Commemorating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, we would like to know what influence it had upon the Catholic Church. We found that the Church has been working on developing a closer relationship between the Catholic and the Lutheran side. The Second Vatican Council and all the following efforts of the Holy See have affected the process significantly. The establishment of a mixed Lutheran-Catholic committee led to several joint documents highlightig various historical facts and theological aspects of certain questions. In the meantime, the attitude toward Martin Luther has changed as well. Luther was long considered an infamous person. Nowadays the situation has changed. The most recent Popes had significant influence on a positive ecumenical dialogue which represents a symbol of hope for visible unity in the future.
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