Monday, January 22, 2007

Where and How Unity Happens


Benedict XVI is urging the faithful to long for Christian unity, nourished by prayer and charitable collaboration. The Holy Father made this appeal today while addressing the crowds gathered in St. Peter's Square following the Angelus.

Today's address falls within the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, being observed Jan. 18-25. The Pope made reference to the prayer week's theme from Mark 7:37, saying that Christ can do everything:

"He is able to infuse in Christians the ardent desire to listen to the other, to communicate with the other, and to speak with him the language of mutual love. "The Pontiff said ecumenism is "a profound dialogic experience, a mutual listening and speaking, knowing one another better. It is a task that all can undertake, especially in regard to spiritual ecumenism, based on prayer and on sharing what is possible for the time being among Christians.

" The Holy Father expressed the hope "that the longing for unity, translated into prayer and fraternal collaboration to relieve human sufferings, will spread ever more at the level of parishes and ecclesial movements and among religious institutes."

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