Vatican City, 16 June 2014 (VIS) –
The awareness that the objective of unity may seem distant, but is
always the aim of the path of ecumenism and common concern for the
ills of humanity, especially human trafficking, were some of the key
themes in the Holy Father's encounter with His Grace Justin Welby,
archbishop of Canterbury, in the Vatican this morning.
“The Lord’s question – 'What were
you arguing about on the way?' – might also apply to us. When Jesus
put this question to his disciples they were silent; they were
ashamed, for they had been arguing about who was the greatest among
them. We too feel ashamed when we ponder the distance between the
Lord’s call and our meagre response. Beneath his merciful gaze, we
cannot claim that our division is anything less than a scandal and an
obstacle to our proclaiming the Gospel of salvation to the world. Our
vision is often blurred by the cumulative burden of our divisions and
our will is not always free of that human ambition which can
accompany even our desire to preach the Gospel as the Lord
commanded”.
Despite these difficulties, “The Holy
Spirit gives us the strength not to grow disheartened and invites us
to trust fully in the power of His works. As disciples who strive to
follow the Lord, we realise that the faith has come to us through
many witnesses. We are indebted to great saints, teachers and
communities; they have handed down the faith over the ages and they
bear witness to our common roots”.
The bishop of Rome went on to remark
that yesterday, on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, the
archbishop of Canterbury celebrated Vespers in the Church of San
Gregorio al Celio, “from which Pope Gregory the Great sent forth
Augustine and his monastic companions to evangelise the peoples of
England, thus inaugurating a history of faith and holiness which in
turn enriched many other European peoples. This glorious history has
profoundly shaped institutions and ecclesial traditions which we
share and which serve as a solid basis for our fraternal relations”.
“On this basis, then, let us look
with confidence to the future. The Anglican-Roman Catholic
International Commission and the International Anglican-Roman
Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission represent especially
significant forums for examining, in a constructive spirit, older and
newer challenges to our ecumenical engagement. He also emphasised
their shared “horror in the face of the scourge of human
trafficking and forms of modern-day slavery” and thanked Archbishop
Welby “for the leadership you have shown in opposing these
intolerable crimes against human dignity”.
“In attempting to respond to this
urgent need, notable collaborative efforts have been initiated on the
ecumenical level and in cooperation with civil authorities and
international organisations. Many charitable initiatives have been
undertaken by our communities, and they are operating with generosity
and courage in various parts of the world. I think in particular of
the action network against the trafficking in women set up by a
number of women’s religious institutes”. He concluded, “Let us
persevere in our commitment to combat new forms of enslavement, in
the hope that we can help provide relief to victims and oppose this
deplorable trade. I thank God that, as disciples sent to heal a
wounded world, we stand together, with perseverance and
determination, in opposing this grave evil”.
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