All ecumenism is local: Christian unity begins at the grass roots

Published: 2008-01-25

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- In Rome, like in any other diocese, the search for Christian unity is fueled by the prayers and friendships of neighbors and their local pastors. Each year the bishop of the Diocese of Rome -- the pope -- hosts other Christian leaders at a Jan. 25 prayer service marking the end of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. But the faithful of his diocese have a full schedule leading up to the final night. Father Marco Gnavi, director of the Rome diocesan office for ecumenical affairs, said, "Rome is a unique diocese ecumenically, first of all because of the presence of the pope, but also because of the variety of Christian communities represented and because of the numbers of centers and movements that focus on unity." One of those is the Centro Pro Unione, a dialogue and study center operated by the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, the group that gave birth to the week of Christian prayer 100 years ago in Garrison, N.Y. Father James Puglisi, director of the center and minister general of the order, said the week of prayer began as a local observance, and its celebration naturally depends on local circumstances, including how many different Christian communities are present in a given city and how well their members get along during the year. The grass roots "is where the unity of the church is being built up through concrete pastoral initiatives that promote collaboration, respect for one another and recognition of one another as brothers and sisters in Christ," he said.

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