By Jerome Keane

The first Ecumenical Mass to be celebrated in Athens was offered Sunday evening at 6 o’clock by the congregations of First Christian Church and St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.

The pastors of the two churches, Dr. Harley E. Patterson and Father M. Jariath Burke, joined in the liturgy of the Mass. Dr. Patterson read the Epistle and delivered the sermon. They joined in the blessing of the congregation at the end of the Mass.

Copies of the prayers and responses for the entire ecumenical service were provided for the congregation. Hymns were chosen from the First Christian Church hymnal.

The offering was omitted at this service to encourage the widest possible denominational attendance.

The ladies of both churches joined in planning a social hour held after the Mass in the First Christian Church Fellowship Hall.

The congregation of First Christian Church has been sharing their church facilities with St. Joseph’s since the Catholic Church building roof was declared unsafe several weeks ago. At the time the church board unanimously approved going to the aid of St. Joseph’s. Father Burke termed the action a milestone in the ecumenical movement in Athens and in Georgia.

In a joint statement on the background and philosophy of ecumenism generally and here in Athens Dr. Patterson and Father Burke said:

“The fragmentation of Christianity which persists in our time is an open affront to the vision of Christ and a complete contradiction of His prayer ‘that all may be one, even as You, Father, in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe that You have sent me.’”

“As pastors of two local churches we are deeply concerned about the scandal of this division. Too long has dissension been allowed to sap the strength of our congregations and divert our attention away from the moral issues of life. The figure of a weakened and mutilated Christ has been presented to the world as its Savior, while the cries of the poor, the sick and the dying have been left unanswered.”

“The time for debate has passed. It is now time for action. Christian people must turn to each other with respect and love. We must pray together, work together, and support one another in the spirit of Christian love. We must address ourselves with a single powerful voice to the moral issues of our time. Christ will live in the world again through our united concern for all those for whom He died.”

“It is with this spirit of Christ that stood in the presence of His father Sunday evening to ask his blessing on our efforts.”