The Catholic Archbishop of Glasgow, Mario Conti, has issued a
pastoral letter to mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity which
takes place next week, 18-25 January.
The letter was read out in
parishes of the archdiocese at the weekend (8-9 January).
The Archbishop recalled Pope Benedict's visit to Glasgow and his
specific encouragement to follow a path to greater unity.
He urged
Catholics throughout the archdiocese to commit to the task of seeking
unity
"We have, therefore, already embarked upon this journey. The pathway
is one of initial mutual respect and friendship; it makes progress
through a sharing and service of the community; it proceeds through a
seeking of the truth which we already hold in common; and it gains
strength through prayer in common, which cannot be simply committed to
one week in the year" wrote the Archbishop.
He thanked the priests, deacons, religious and people, "who are
already striving in your parishes and in places of encounter with others
to foster that unity".
Referring to the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1982 in which he
challenged Scottish Catholics to "walk hand in hand" with their fellow
Christians, the Archbishop concluded: "Finally, I recall that following
those words of Pope John Paul II at Bellahouston, there was a
significant qualitative change in our relationships in this very city
and elsewhere, manifested when after 28 years another Pope came among
us. I have every confidence that this visit also will have its impact
on our relationships, and will further the journey towards that full
organic unity, that communion, for which Christ prayed."
SIC: Ekklesia/UK