The hope, consolation and unity all Christians and all residents of Cyprus yearn for will be realized only with patience, commitment and collaboration, Pope Francis said.
Meeting Dec. 3 with Archbishop Chrysostomos II, head of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus, the pope heard
Catholics and Orthodox Christians must increasingly work together where they can, Pope Francis told Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.
"The full unity for which we yearn is, of course, a gift from God, through the grace of the Holy Spirit. May our Lord
Kathryn Jean Lopez writes about a recent experience of praying outside an abortion clinic. Another Christian taunted the Catholics in prayer. As the man ranted, young women walked into the abortion clinic. Lopez wrote, “I saw hearts hardening in the Planned Parenthood
After receiving the gift of a chalice from leaders of the Lutheran World Federation, Pope Francis said divided Christians should suffer because they cannot share the Eucharist, but that suffering should spur them to work and pray harder for Christian unity.
As the
Abiding in God's love means nurturing one's relationship with him and with all those whom God loves, Pope Francis wrote in his homily for the conclusion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
"If our worship is genuine, we will grow in
Unity requires prayer, love and fighting the devil, who always sows division, Pope Francis said.
The devil "fosters division everywhere and in every way" by tempting people "with the weaknesses of our brothers and sisters. He is astute: He magnifies others' mistakes and
The pandemic lockdowns and travel restrictions have had an impact on the Catholic Church's relationships with other Christian churches, but the effects were not all bad.
Around the globe, Christians of different denominations have and continue to practice what Pope Francis has called
The 2021 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity should help Christians see that the closer they draw to Christ, the closer they will be to one another, said materials for the week published by the Vatican.
"Divisions among Christians -- moving away from
The ministry of a Catholic bishop must reflect the Catholic Church's commitment to Christian unity and must give ecumenical engagement the same kind of attention as work for justice and peace, said a new Vatican document.
"The bishop cannot consider the promotion of
Pope Francis said giving fragments of St. Peter's bones to the head of the church founded by Peter's brother, St. Andrew, was meant to be a reminder and encouragement of the journey toward Christian unity.