Unity is one of the four marks of the Church, which is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic.
This unity finds its source in Christ, who, during the Last Supper, prayed that His followers would always be united.
“I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they may also be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me.” (John 17: 20-21)
Because the baptized are sacramentally joined together in the life of the Most Blessed Trinity, the Church seeks to live that sacred unity, grounded in charity and truth, being of one mind and one heart, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles 4:32.
Actual and lasting unity in the Church is only possible when it is grounded in the truth which Christ has revealed and is lived in the love which flows from the Sacred Heart.
When we believe in all truth and live in all charity of the meaning of the Scriptures, the sacraments, the Nicene Creed, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the witness of the saints, and our Tradition, then our unity in Christ will naturally come about.
The effects of division
The world today suffers great divisions and conflicts — a destructive lack of unity, and, sadly, these tensions also thrive within the Church.
Some Catholics reject various aspects of the Church’s teachings regarding the sanctity of life, the meaning of sexuality, the truth of marriage, and the authority of the hierarchy.
In such a view, the Second Vatican Council was simply a platform to launch an endless series of changes within the Church, which essentially mimic the popular movements of our culture.
Other Catholics reject the Second Vatican Council altogether, not just the erroneous interpretations of it, viewing the changes of the last sixty years, especially those in the liturgy, as wrongful aberrations which must be suppressed.
While upholding the Church’s traditional teachings regarding personal morality, some Catholics would see little need to go outwards, to evangelize or live the social teachings of the Church in the public square.
I pray and strive for unity in our diocese, as do our priests, lay leaders, and thousands of Catholic faithful.
Both Go Make Disciples and Into the Deep are efforts to live our unity in Christ through a robust embrace of our evangelizing mission and to expand our understanding of the Church beyond the horizons of our single parishes.
A deep communion in the Lord enables us to love one another, seek the good, focus our energies outwards on the mission of Christ, and to avoid the pitfalls and divisions which consume our energy and take our eyes and hearts from the Lord and His sacred purpose.
The look of unity
What does unity in the Church require? A deep love for the Lord and His Mystical Body. A faithful adherence to all the teachings and Tradition of our Catholic Faith. Recognizing the difference between what is essential to our Faith and what is variable. Staying focused on the will of Christ in one’s own life. Practicing charitable forbearance with each other. Respecting and obeying legitimate authority within the community. Actively seeking harmony, forgiveness, and reconciliation when conflicts arise. Shunning gossip, slander, calumny, and tribalism within the parish and the diocese. Willing to see the bigger picture and put the needs of others first.
In his inaugural Mass on May 18, Pope Leo XIV called for a “united Church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world. In this, our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred and violence . . . We want to be a small leaven of unity, communion, and fraternity within the world . . . We want to say to the world with humility and joy: Look to Christ! Come closer to Him. Welcome His word that enlightens and consoles! Listen to His offer of love and become His one family. In Christ we are one.”