Dear Friends,
I am often asked:
- Why are you working for Christian Unity, or
- Why is the Catholic Church working for Christian Unity, or
- Why are we spending time working to understand our non-Christian neighbors?
I
am working for Christian Unity because I have been called by God. In
seeking to discern God's will,I became convinced, unexpectedly, that God
has called and continues to call me to this ministry.
The
Catholic Church is working for Christian Unity because at the Last
Supper Jesus explicitly called his disciples to be one. [Jn 17:21]. This
call is echoed in the epistles of St. Paul. We pray for unity in our
Eucharistic Prayers at Mass.
The Decree on Ecumenism of the
Second Vatican Council and a host of later church documents point the
way to Christian Unity. We are urged to grow in love for our fellow
Christians. Thus we are called to follow Christ more deeply. I would say
that we are called to spiritual growth—and we must admit that all of
us, Catholics, Protestants and Orthodox can resist this divine grace.
The lowering of barriers between Christians in the last 100 years has had a profound impact. We now are free:
- To spend more time working together for the poor
- To come to a deeper appreciation of the spiritual gifts of one another
- To combine our resources to share the Gospel with non-believers more effectively. The original inspiration of the ecumenical movement came from missionaries.
The Declaration Nostra Aetate of the Vatican
Council called Catholics to interreligious understanding. Here the goal
is deeper mutual respect. We seek the common good together. We also seek
to build a civil society rooted in religious freedom.
Let me
welcome you to the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious
Affairs.Our website has resources that can answer many of your
questions.
Peace,
John Crossin, OSFS