Pope asks Catholics to participate in events for Christian unity week

Published: 2005-01-17

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope John Paul II asked Catholics around the world to participate in ecumenical events and prayer services during the Jan. 18-25 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The theme for the 2005 celebration was "Christ, the One Foundation of the Church." During his Jan. 16 Angelus address, Pope John Paul said, "I invite every community to organize significant gestures of ecumenical encounter and dialogue and to implore from God the gift of the full unity of Christ's disciples." The pope entrusted his prayers for Christian unity to the Blessed Virgin Mary and prayed that she would help Christians form "one heart and one soul and help all people grow in solidarity to build a world of peace." Anticipating the week of prayer, Pope John Paul met Jan. 15 with a delegation representing Finnish Catholics, the Finnish Orthodox Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.

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