Search for unity at the heart of our Christian faith

January 17, 2013: ‘For us, the biggest challenge is to find unity between churches and ecclesial communities, that’s our duty, said Cardinal Kurt Koch, President of the Pontifical Council for promoting Christian unity. He was speaking to Vatican Radio on Thursday about the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which will begin on Friday. This year the focus is on a theme taken from a verse of the prophet Micah "What does the Lord requires of us?"

Asked about why many people today see the idea of Christian unity as an illusion, the Cardinal said ‘that’s the mind of post modernism and relativism that many people don’t want unity. They want pluralism and relativism and tolerance is very important for people today. But for the bible and Christian tradition, unity – one faith – is very important. Christian faith without the search for unity is not Christian faith, added Cardinal Koch.

This annual initiative, which is marked by countries around the world at different times of the year, provides an opportunity for local churches to step up contacts, to share in worship and to promote joint initiatives between Christians of different denominations.
This year the Student Christian Movement of India has prepared daily reflections and prayers for the week, with a very practical focus on the need for justice and solidarity with the poorest of the poor in the country.

When asked about where does he see the most important signs of hope, Cardinal Koch said that he sees ‘many groups deepening the spiritual roots of ecumenism, communities of prayer praying that ‘all may be one so the world may believe” For the credibility of the Gospel it’s very important to find unity because the many divisions are a very great obstacle to the credibility of churches. So today it’s important to deepen this relationship between ecumenism and new evangelization.