Pope greets Finnish ecumenical delegation

January 17, 2013 - Despite those who say that full and visible unity of the Church is no longer a worthwhile goal, we are invited not to give up our ecumenical effort, in fidelity to what the Lord Jesus prayed for to the Father, that “all may be one’”. Pope Francis made this exhortation on Friday to a 10-member ecumenical delegation from Finland, that is on an annual visit to Rome on the occasion of the feast of the Nordic nation’s patron, St. Henry of Uppsala, Jan 19. Speaking to the group on the eve of the start of the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, the Pope noted that ecumenism and relations among Christians is going through significant changes, primarily in the context of today’s society and culture where reference to God and the transcendent is becoming less present, something which is not just in Europe. Precisely for this reason our witness needs to focus on the centre of our faith, on the proclamation of God’s love manifested in Christ His Son. This, he added, calls for the promotion of spiritual ecumenism, involving a conversion of heart and holiness of life together with private and public prayers.