Pope encourages Methodists and Waldensians to walk
path to full Christian unity
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| Pope Francis addresses an ecumenical event in Sweden during a 2-day visit in October 2016 to mark the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation.- AFP |
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has urged Methodist and
Waldensian Churches to continue to walk together with the Catholic Church on
the path towards full Christian unity pointing out that in a world lacerated by
violence and fear it is all the more important to live and to convey the
Christian message of welcome and fraternity.
The Pope’s words of friendship and closeness came in a
message on Monday to the annual Synod of the Italian Methodist and Waldensian
Churches taking place in Torre Pellice - near Turin - from 20 to 25 August.
Recalling recent encounters between the Churches and a
shared celebration of the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation, the Pope said
“May Jesus’ gaze brighten our relationship so that it is never just formal or
proper, but fraternal and lively.”
“The Good Shepherd – he continued – wants us to walk
together and his gaze embraces all of his disciples whom He wants to see fully
united”.
Francis also said that to walk towards full unity with the
hope that derives from the knowledge that God’s presence is stronger than evil,
is all the more important today, “in a world scarred by violence and fear, by
wounds and indifference, in which the egoism of self-affirmation to the
detriment of others overshadows the simple beauty of welcome, sharing and
loving”.
“Our Christian witness, he said, must not yield to the logic
of the world: let’s help each other to choose and live the logic of Christ.”
At the Synod some 180 representatives of the Methodist and
Waldensian Churches – both pastors and lay people in equal number – will be
deciding on Church programmes for the coming year, and will be electing their
executive and administrative bodies.
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