(March 15, 2010) Pope Benedict XVI visited a Lutheran church in Rome on Sunday where
he emphasized ways in which Catholics and other Christians bear common witness to
Christ. In the German-language service at Christuskirche, in which both the Pope
and Lutheran pastor Jens-Martin Kruse gave homilies, the Pontiff affirmed, "We hear
many laments about the fact that there are no new developments in ecumenism, but we
must say, and we can say it with much gratitude, that there have already been elements
of unity." He however cautioned against being content and resting "with the successes
of the ecumenism of recent years." He noted that still "we cannot drink of the same
chalice and we cannot be together around the altar." "This should make us sad because
it is a sinful situation, but unity cannot be created by men," the Pope said. He
urged all to entrust themselves to the Lord, who alone can give them unity. The Lutheran
community of Rome has some 350 members. In 1983 Pope John Paul II visited the church
on the occasion of the 5th centenary of the birth Protestantism, Martin Luther. Pope
Benedict’s Sunday visit was to commemorate last year’s 10th anniversary of the signing
of the joint declaration on justification between the two churches.