CARDINAL CASSIDY: WE MUST WORK TO RE-ESTABLISH UNITY

VATICAN CITY, AUG 5, 2000 (VIS) - This evening in the Basilica of St. John Lateran, Cardinal Edward Idris Cassidy, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, presided at a prayer vigil held in response to a call from Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.

Representatives from the Greek-Orthodox, Coptic, Romanian, Anglican, Lutheran and Scottish (Presbyterian) Churches participated in the ceremony, as did faithful from the diocesan community of Rome and pilgrims.

In his address Cardinal Cassidy, who presided the event in the Pope's name, said: "We are gathered here in the Cathedral Basilica of St. John Lateran to respond this evening to the appeal that the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, His Holiness Bartholomew I, has addressed to all those who believe in Christ and fight the good fight for Him, wherever they may be on earth, to celebrate the 24 hours of August 6 - Feast of the Transfiguration - with liturgical services and other possible acts (of worship) in order to give glory to the eternal God 'born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law'."

"The Feast of the Transfiguration, celebrated by the Catholic and Orthodox Churches on the same day, not only calls us to reflect on the essential elements of faith in Christ during this Jubilee year, but at the same time it reminds us that such faith is the common heritage of all those who look to Christ as their only Lord and Savior."

Cardinal Cassidy indicated that the ecumenical events of the opening of the Holy Door at the Basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls on January 18 and the commemoration of the witnesses to the faith on May 7, "encourage us, during the Jubilee year, to reflect upon that which we as Christians have in common. These events solicit us to understand also the urgency of the task of re-establishing the unity of all Christ's disciples, in response to the prayer that Jesus Himself raised to the Father."

"In this celebration, in our prayer this evening, we must renew our commitment to work towards that most noble end of re-establishing our unity."

The president of the Council for promoting Christian Unity concluded by quoting some of the words John Paul II had addressed to Teoctist, Orthodox Patriarch of Romania in May 1999, and invited those present to make them their own: "Who will be able to inspire the men and women of today to believe in Him if we continue to tear the seamless tunic of the Church, if we do not succeed in obtaining from God the miracle of unity, in working to remove the obstacles which bar its full manifestation? Who will pardon us this lack of witness? I have sought unity with all of my strength, and I will continue to expend myself right to the very end for this to be among the priority concerns of Churches and of those who govern them through apostolic ministry."

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