Pope Francis: Christian Unity is
not optional
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| A sister prays during Mass celebrated by Pope Francis during his visit to the World Council of Churches in June 2018.- AFP |
Pope Francis has appealed to Christians across the world to
pray and to work for full Christian Unity.
By Linda Bordoni
Pope Francis has reminded the faithful that
“Ecumenism is not something optional”.
Speaking during the weekly General Audience, the
Pope looked ahead to the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity that
takes place from 18 to 25 January.
He noted that the annual “Week of Prayer”, on the theme
“Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue”, kicks off with the celebration
of Vespers in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls on Friday.
“Again, this year we are called to pray so that all
Christians may once again be a single family, according to God’s will ‘so that they may all be one’” he said.
Pointing out that “ecumenism is not something optional,”
he said it aims “to develop a common and consistent witness that promotes
true justice and support for the weakest through responses that are concrete,
appropriate and effective”.
The annual “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” is a time in
which Christians are reminded of Jesus’ prayer for His disciples that “they may
be one so that the world may believe” (John 17.21).
It is an occasion for Christians of different denominations
to come together to pray for their unity and participate in special ecumenical
celebrations and prayer services.
The theme in 2019, "Justice, and only justice, you
shall pursue ..." is inspired by Deuteronomy 16:18-20.
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