Pope calls for a serious commitment to ecumenism

At the end of the general audience this Wednesday Pope Benedict called for prayer for the success of the current plenary session of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic and the Orthodox Church, underway in Vienna. This session is discussing the "role of the bishop of Rome in the universal Church, with particular reference to the first millennium of Christian history”.

Pope Benedict said "obedience to the Lord Jesus, and consideration of the great challenges that present themselves to Christianity, force us to engage seriously in the cause of restoration of full communion between the Churches. "

As is tradition, in his first general audience since his return from the United Kingdom, he dedicated most of his reflections to the highlights of the apostolic voyage, which took place September 16^th to 19^th last. In a packed and overcast St Peter’s Square the Pope told pilgrims that this journey marked a ‘new phase’ in relations between the Holy See and Great Britain.

“I wish to send my affectionate greetings to all those I met and those who contributed to the visit through the media during four days”. He said the trip to Britain, was "an official visit and at the same time a pilgrimage to the heart of history and of today”, during which he "spoke to the hearts of people in the UK and they spoke to his”, proving "that Christian heritage is still strong and still alive” in the nation.

He then went on to retrace the highlights of the four day trip, beginning in Edinburgh, were he was warmly welcomed by Queen Elizabeth. “Later that day, I celebrated Mass in Glasgow in the presence of many bishops, priests, religious and a great concourse of the faithful against the backdrop of a beautiful sunset at Bellahouston Park”.

Next, his arrival in London, where on Friday 17^th he visited St Mary’s University College and spoke of Catholic education, pointing out "the importance of faith in the education of mature and responsible citizens”. His recommendation to young people "not to pursue limited objectives, contenting themselves with easy options, but to aim for something greater."

The Pope also met in the college grounds with representatives of other religions. There he repeated the "unavoidable necessity of honest conversations, which require the principle of reciprocity in order to be fruitful" and the search for the sacred as a common commitment.

“Later, I had the honour of calling upon His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury who has come on several occasions to meet me in Rome. Our meeting at Lambeth Palace, in the presence of the Bishops of the Church of the England, was very cordial and fraternal”.

The Pope also stressed the “unprecedented opportunity” that he was given “to address both Houses of Parliament gathered in Westminster Hall on the importance of a fruitful dialogue between religion and reason”; the celebration of Mass in Westminster Cathedral, “with a liturgy evocative of the best of the English musical tradition in the celebration of the Roman rite”: as well as his visit, on Saturday afternoon, with the elderly residents of the Poor Clare’s residential home St Peter’s.

“There I also had the chance to thank and encourage those charged with the safeguarding of children in Britain”.

But the "the culmination of the visit" was the beatification of John Henry Newman, "an illustrious son of England." The Vigil for the beatification itself in Hyde park on Saturday evening left a profound impression on the Pope: “That evening I participated at a beautiful vigil of deep prayerfulness and stillness at Hyde Park with tens of thousands of the faithful”.

And finally Sunday, “a moment of deep personal satisfaction, as the Church celebrated the blessedness of a great Englishman, whose life and writings I have admired for many years and who has come to be appreciated by countless people far beyond the shores of his native land”.

He concluded that “Blessed John Henry Newman’s clear-minded search to know and express the truth in charity, at whatever cost to his own personal comfort, status and even friendships, is a wonderful testimony of a pure desire to know and love God in the communion of the Church. His is surely an example that can inspire us all”. Listen: