Search for unity at the heart of our Christian faith
(Vatican Radio) The annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity begins on Friday, focusing
on a theme taken from a verse of the prophet Micah "What does the Lord requires of
us?" 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 their country – the Dalits
or outcasts, as that community is often called.
Swiss Cardinal Kurt Koch
heads the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. Philippa Hitchen talked
to him about this Week of Prayer and about recent signs of reconciliation between
the Polish Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches…..
Listen:
"This week
was prepared by groups in India, and in view of many injustices and problems to resolve
there, it is a very big challenge. But for us, the biggest challenge is to find unity
between churches and ecclesial communities, that’s our duty……
But many people
today see the idea of Christian unity as an illusion? Yes, 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.
Where do you see the most important
signs of hope? I see 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 – that’s was evident in Edinburgh
in 1910 and since then mission and ecumenism always go together. So today it’s important
to deepen this relationship between ecumenism and new evangelisation.
Pope
Benedict spoke recently of the reconciliation between Poland’s Catholic Church and
the Russian Orthodox Patriarchate - how significant is that? In the past there
were many problems between Russia and Poland so to find reconciliation of a high level
between Catholic Church in Poland and the Patriarchate in Moscow is a beautiful and
important sign for ecumenism. To find reconciliation between enemies is a very important
challenge for all peoples – the first step towards Eucharistic communion is reconciliation
of the past."