AMERICA/LATIN AMERICA - Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 20 - 27 May “He makes the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak ”

Rome (Agenzia Fides) - The week 20 - 27 May is for Christians in Latin America, the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity which in the rest of the world is celebrated in January. Christians in these countries will reflect on the same theme used in January "He makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak". The week of prayer will conclude with the solemnity of Pentecost on Sunday 27 May.
In Bolivia various initiatives are being promoted. In the diocese of La Paz leaders of the main Christian Churches met a month ago to plan events. Special prayers will be said in every parish to pray for the gift of unity. The organisers say the Week is an "opportunity to ask God to open our eyes, ears and mouth to accept one another as Christians and treat one another as brothers and sisters in Baptism."
In Colombia the Catholic Bishops' Commission for Doctrine and Ecumenism worked with the leaders of other Christian Churches to produce material for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity which will focus on two goals: to pray and to work together to alleviate human sufferings. This highlights the essential bond between prayer for Christian unity and concrete action for unity and on efforts to help those in need. Initiatives will include on 24 May the 1st national meeting of ecumenical groups and Friday 25 May an Ecumenical Forum on HIV - AIDS at the offices of the Catholic Bishops' Conference.
The Catholic Church in Chile opened a “special feature” on its web site (http://www.iglesia.cl /) with material for celebrating the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity: the page offers messages, prayers for each day, the history of the Week for Unity, motivations, Bible readings, guidelines for catechists and teachers.
Argentina will held the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity from 27 May to 3 June. The following prayer services will be held: Sunday 27 May at the Reformed Evangelical Church in Buenos Aires; Monday 28 at Sacra Trinidad Armenian Congregational Evangelical Church; Tuesday 29 at Saint Nicolás of Bari Catholic parish; Wednesday 30 at the 1st Evangelical Methodist Church; Thursday 31 May the Ecumenical Council of Churches in Argentina will hold a service in San Jorge Cathedral of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch; Friday 1st June the main service will be at Buenas Noticias Evangelical Church; Saturday 2 June the service will be at the Maronite Catholic Church of San Marón. The week will close with a prayer service at the Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 21/5/2007; righe 33, parole 423)