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The theme for the 2021 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (January 18 to January 25) is “Abide in my Love. You shall Bear Much Fruit.”
This theme finds its origin in John’s gospel (cf. John 15:5-9). In Jesus’ time, important people often shared what was important to them in a farewell discourse. In chapters 14-17 of John’s gospel, Christ’s farewell discourse shows that unity is important to Him.
Christ’s prayer for unity
In John 17: 20-21, Jesus prays for unity among his followers by praying, “I pray also for those who will believe in me so they may all be one as you, Father, are in me and I in you so that the world may know that you have sent me.”
In 1 Corinthians 1:12-13, angry over disunity in the Corinthian Church, St. Paul wrote, “Each of you say, ‘I belong to Paul’ or ‘I belong to Apollos’ or ‘I belong to Kephas’ or ‘I belong to Christ.’ Is Christ divided?”
In Ephesians 4:4-6, St. Paul pleads for unity in these words, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all.”
As the new evangelization reminds us, unity is needed within the Catholic Church because of polarization, lack of witness, and other reasons.
Ecumenism reaching toward unity
Ecumenism, however, focuses upon movements intended to achieve greater cooperation and unity between Christian churches.
Recent popes have warned that lack of unity between churches hurts the holy cause of proclaiming the gospel and witnessing to Christ.
They have urged unity between the Catholic Church and other churches.
The council fathers endorsed Vatican II’s Decree on Ecumenism, Unitatis Redintegratio, with a vote of 2,137 in favor, 11 against. When we cooperate with other Christians to express Christ’s charity towards the poor and the most vulnerable, we are also carrying out a service for broader ecumenical dialogue and the embodiment of Jesus’ prayer “so that they may all be one” (John 17:21).
Pope Francis has stressed that Christians must talk and act together if they want to have an impact globally.
In May 2020 on the 25th anniversary of Pope St. John Paul II’s encyclical on Christian unity, Ut Unum Sint, Pope Francis insisted that Christians must be grateful for the progress made towards unity.
He reaffirmed the Church’s “irrevocable” commitment to work for unity among the world’s roughly 2.3 billion Christians.
Pope Francis added, “I too share the healthy impatience of those who sometimes think that we can and should do more.”
Different levels of ecumenism
On one level, Christian churches work for unity in doctrine.
Theologians contribute an important part to this level. Often on this level, they focus on differences which separate Christian churches.
Another level of ecumenism involves sharing what we Catholics have in common with other Christian churches.
These include belief in Christ’s divinity, prayer, love of neighbor, helping the poor, and much more.
This level enables Christians of goodwill to cooperate in areas in which they agree such as food pantries, praying together, sometimes pro-life issues, and more.
On this level, Christian churches can also work together ecumenically to counteract atheistic secular values.
Today we swim and risk drowning in dangerous currents of many secular values.
Working toward Christian unity
I served my first year of priesthood at St. William in Janesville.
At that time, most west side churches participated in ecumenism.
We met as clergy, but clergy and laity also participated in living room dialogues.
Such sharing resulted in the Rock County Jail Chaplaincy group and other blessings.
After a year at St. William, I served at Beloit Catholic High for 20 years.
My brief but deep involvement with ecumenism in Janesville enabled me to teach a course on ecumenism to Beloit Catholic High students.
Because I taught high school, I was free to participate with the Jail Chaplaincy Group on Good Friday and Christmas Eve prayer services.
After the services, I helped at St. Paul’s Easter Masses and Good Friday services.
When I retired, I enjoyed participating in Masses at the Oregon Correctional Center.
When I became pastor of Immaculate Conception, Barneveld, we cooperated ecumenically on numerous projects with two other churches.
These projects included food pantries, working and praying for peace, cooperating with the local high school to keep church night sacred, and more.
After I retired, I treasure the plaque of appreciation I received from Barneveld Lutheran Church.
The fullness of Truth
I believe the Catholic Church has the fullness of Truth.
The Decree on Ecumenism calls us to pray for and work for unity with other Christian churches.
When we cooperate with other Christians and express Christ’s charity towards the poor and most vulnerable, we are also carrying out a service for broader ecumenical dialogue and the embodiment of Jesus’ prayer “May they all be one as you, Father, are in me and I in you so that the world may know that you have sent me.”
Fr. Donald Lange is a pastor emeritus in the Diocese of Madison.