Scottish cardinal urges fresh thinking on question of church unity

Published: 2004-05-25

EDINBURGH, Scotland (CNS) -- Speaking to Presbyterian leaders, a Scottish cardinal has called for fresh thinking on the question of church unity. Cardinal Keith O'Brien of St. Andrews and Edinburgh told the Church of Scotland's General Assembly in Edinburgh May 21 that Catholics and Presbyterians should follow Jesus' example of washing the feet of his disciples. "There is communion with the body of Christ when Jesus takes bread and wine and says: 'This is my body; this is my blood; do this in memory of me.' However there is also a deep communion when Jesus kneels before his disciples and washes their feet. This moment of tenderness is a moment of communion. In touching their bodies, Jesus recognizes that each one is a temple of God, a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit," the cardinal said. "I believe that we have the mission to wash one another's feet as a reminder to us that we are God's own creation, temples of his living Spirit. As members of Christ's body, we yearn to be in communion. We love each other. If we are to be truly in communion with each other, we should celebrate our differences and the richness they bring and be prepared to serve each other and allow ourselves to be served," he said.

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