January 15, 2025 at 9:24 a.m.
‘DO YOU BELIEVE?’
As we approach the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, there might not be a better time in our divided world to show our harmony with our Christian brothers and sisters.
“Every denomination today, I think, is having its struggles and in the midst of our individual struggles, we can sometimes lose sight of the mission, and the mission is to preach the Gospel,” said David Amico, diocesan director of the Office for Discipleship Formation. “One of the reasons why the whole ecumenical movement back in (1908) came to be is that they realized that we can’t preach the Gospel very effectively if we are divided ourselves, if we are giving a witness of disunity instead of striving toward unity.”
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity runs from Jan. 18-25 with the theme “Do You Believe?” (John 11:26). The Franciscan Friars and Sisters of the Atonement of Graymoor in Garrison, N.Y., which co-founded the week in in 1908, adds “this year’s theme was chosen in recognition of the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea (325), at which the words ‘I believe’ were chosen to anchor the Creed as an instrument of universal Christian unity.”
WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY
Every year, Christian communities and churches join together to pray for the visible unity of the Church, faithfully abiding by the will of Christ, who prayed “that all may be one” (John 17:21), during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The Week of Prayer is commemorated from Jan. 18-25. The Franciscan Friars and Sisters of the Atonement of Graymoor in Garrison, N.Y., invite all Christians to participate in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which was co-founded at Graymoor in 1908 and continues today to realign the hearts of Christians toward mutual recognition and spiritual transformation.
‘DO YOU BELIEVE?’
(John 11:26)
The theme for the 2025 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity was approved by the Catholic Church’s Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity and the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches, in collaboration with the ecumenical monastic community of Bose in Italy.
The entire passage chosen for reflection is John 11:17-27, where Jesus arrives in Bethany and raises Lazarus from the dead. A part of that story is the encounter between Jesus and Martha, at the end of which Martha confesses faith in Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God. This year’s theme was chosen in recognition of the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea (325), at which the words “I believe” were chosen to anchor the Creed as an instrument of universal Christian unity.
Source: Graymoor Ecumenical and Interreligious Institute (geii.org)
In the Diocese of Albany, there will be an ecumenical celebration at the Pastoral Center on Jan. 22, at 12:15 p.m., where Bishop Jeremiah Williamson, the Episcopal bishop of the Diocese of Albany, will preach and Peter Crasto-Donnelly, the new executive director of the Capital Area Council of Churches and a member of the diocesan Commission for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, will preside.
“We tend to get self-absorbed as Catholics but the Orthodox are in schism over the Ukraine because Patriarch Bartholomew declared the Ukrainian Church independent and Moscow can’t stand that,” said Father James Kane, director of the diocesan Commission for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. “The Methodists are divided over gay marriage and the Orthodox are in schism all over the world and it has affected local relations as well.
“We all have our struggles and if we can be supportive of one another that would be helpful. One of the problems is because we are caught up in our own individual struggles, ecumenism (a movement or tendency toward worldwide Christian unity or cooperation) gets put to the back burner and I want to move it at least a burner up the stove.”
In conjunction with the week and to better understand ecumenism, the diocesan commission is reacquainting the faithful with the Second Vatican Council’s Decree on Ecumenism, which was released in 1964, through an update of “Rooted in Faith,” a diocesan guide to ecumenical and interreligious prayer and service ministry. The third edition was released on Nov. 21, 2024 on the 60th anniversary of the Vatican decree and was a joint venture by Father Kane, Amico and Karen Bond, ad-hoc “Rooted in Faith III” committee member. The latest “Rooted in Faith III” contains occasions for ecumenical and interfaith gatherings and services, Roman Missal resources for Masses and prayers for Christian Unity, and ecumenical and interfaith activities and etiquette. You can view the document at rcda.org/application/files/2917/3220/5992/Rooted_in_Faith_III_Revision.FINAL.pdf.
“I think issuing the 60th anniversary of the decree on ecumenism, (and the) revising of “Rooted in Faith,” now III, could be an impetus for our parishes to look anew at how we can foster ecumenical relationships in our own communities,” Amico said. “And many of them already do that very well (with) ecumenical food pantries and other kinds of services. It could serve as an impetus to say, ‘How can we witness together to Jesus, to the Gospel together, amidst all the struggles that we are having.’ ”
Father Kane agreed.
“Interfaith is becoming more important as the ‘nones’ — N-O-N-E-S — tend to outnumber the believers,” he said, “and the believers particularly the Jews, Muslims and Christians feel that they need to bear witness together to God and to the things of God and to the way we treat other people.”
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