Holy Father invites people to join 'invisble monastery' of prayer for Christian unity

Vatican City, Jan 28, 2008 / 12:57 pm

On Saturday at the Roman basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls, the Pope presided at the celebration of the second Vespers for the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. The ceremony focused on this year's theme of praying unceasingly for Christian unity.

In his homily, the Holy Father referred to the conversion of St. Paul, emphasizing that the saint's “knowledge that only divine grace could have achieved such a conversion, never abandoned him.”

“At the conclusion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, we are more aware than ever of how much the work of recreating unity, which requires all our energy and commitment, is in any case infinitely beyond our capacities. ... It is not in our power to decide when and how this unity will be fully achieved. Only God can do so.”

Benedict XVI recalled the theme of this year's Week of Prayer – “pray without ceasing” - indicates that this “invitation addressed by St. Paul to the Thessalonians retains all its validity. Faced with the weakness and sin that prevent the full communion of Christians” the exhortations of the Apostle “have retained all their pertinence and this is especially true for the command to ‘pray without ceasing’”.

“What would become of the ecumenical movement without individual and joint prayer ‘that they may all be one, as you Father are in me and I am in you?’ Where can we find that ‘extra drive’ of faith, charity and hope of which our search for unity has such need today? Our desire for unity should not be confined to sporadic occasions but should become an integral part of our whole life of prayer. ... There is, then, no form of genuine ecumenism that does not have its roots in prayer.”

Benedict XVI also spoke of the religious and monastic communities which have “invited and assisted their members ‘to pray continually’ for the unity of Christians.”  He mentioned Sr. Maria Gabriella dell'Unita as one of the outstanding figures who prayed for this goal during the last century.

“Ecumenism has great need, today as yesterday, of the great ‘invisible monastery’... of that immense community of Christians of all traditions who, without noise or fuss, pray and offer their lives that unity may be achieved.”

Pope reminded those in attendance that the year dedicated to St. Paul will be inaugurated in the basilica, on June 28. “May his tireless fervor to build the Body of Christ in unity help us to pray ceaselessly for the full unity of all Christians.”