Pope asks ecumenists to look at progress made toward Christian unity

Published: 2004-11-15

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Christians must not despair at their lack of unity, but must rejoice at how much closer they are to one another and must renew their commitment to continuing the ecumenical journey, Pope John Paul II said. "True ecumenism does not exist without interior conversion and the purification of memories, without a holiness of life in conformity with the Gospel and, especially, without intense and constant prayer," the pope said Nov. 13 during an ecumenical evening prayer service. The vespers service marked the end of a three-day Vatican-sponsored meeting celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council's Decree on Ecumenism. The Nov. 11-13 meeting brought together 260 experts: the heads of the ecumenical committees of national bishops' conferences; representatives of the official dialogues between the Catholic Church and other Christian communities; and 27 "fraternal delegates" officially representing the other churches.

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