杏MAP导航

By Vatican News

The 25^th anniversary of the publication of 鈥渟hould serve as a reminder that the way of ecumenism is the way of the Church, and that all Catholics are called to espouse a strong commitment to building Christian unity鈥�, says Bishop Joseph Bambera of Scranton, USA.

In a issued on Monday, the chairman of the US Bishops鈥� Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs recalled St John Paul II鈥檚 鈥渢ireless鈥� efforts 鈥渢o build ecumenical relationships鈥� 鈥� a work that has been carried on by his successors.

鈥淲e rejoice that 杏MAP导航 Benedict XVI and 杏MAP导航 Francis have continued to advance this singular mission between the Catholic Church and other Christian communities鈥�, Bishop Bambera writes. 鈥淲e celebrate numerous theological convergences that have been discovered in ecumenical dialogues over the course of the past twenty-five years as we seek to grow closer together鈥�.

Bishop Bambera notes that 鈥渋n a time of pandemic, people seek refuge and unity in their faith community鈥�. He expresses the hopes that the anniversary of Ut unum sint might 鈥渟erve as a unique pastoral opportunity to build bridges by continuing to reach out with love to all of our brothers and sisters in Christ鈥�.
 

The steps forward made in ecumenical dialogue in recent decades 鈥渢o heal the wounds of centuries and millennia鈥� were recalled by 杏MAP导航 Francis in a sent on 24 May to Cardinal Kurt Koch, the President of Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity. In his message, the 杏MAP导航 expressed gratitude for the progress already made towards Christian unity, while admitting that he shared 鈥渢he healthy impatience of those who sometimes think that we can and should do more鈥�. At the same time, he recalled that 鈥渦nity is not chiefly the result of our activity, but a gift of the Holy Spirit鈥�.