Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - “Dear friends, I pray that the new mixed work group may build on the basis of the praiseworthy work already accomplished and open the way for ever more intense cooperation so that the Lord's prayer ‘that all may be one" may be better realised in our day.” This was the wish the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI expressed in his address to members of the mixed working group of the Catholic Church and the World Council of Churches, received in audience in the morning of 25 January, who were meeting in Rome to launch “a new stage” in their activity. Recalling that “The World Council of Churches and the Catholic Church have established fruitful ecumenical relations which date to the time of the Second Vatican Council” and led in 1965, to the creation of a Mixed Working Group, Benedict XVI underlined the opportunity offered by the centenary of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity to “render thanks to almighty God for the fruits of the ecumenical movement, in which we can discern the presence of the Holy Spirit which helps all Christ's followers to grow in unity of faith, hope and charity”. The Pope recalled that to pray for unity “an effective means of imploring for the grace of unity” (Unitatis redintegratio, n. 8), and that when Christians pray together “the goal of unity appears closer” (Ut unum sint, n. 22).
Benedict XVI concluded: “Today then we think back with gratitude at the work of so many individuals who over years have sought to diffuse the practice of spiritual ecumenism through shared prayer, conversion of heart and growth in communion. We give thanks also for ecumenical dialogues which bore abundant fruit in the last century. Reception of those fruits is in itself an important step in the process of promoting unity among Christians and the mixed Word Group is particular suited to studying and encouraging this process”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 28/1/2008; righe 22, parole 334)
