Hello All!   
                   This Area is READ ONLY.  Do not post to this area.   
                   The following press release is Copyrighted by the   
                             Vatican Information Service.   
                   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
                                  VIS-Press releases   
      
   INVOKING THE GIFT OF FULL COMMUNION   
      
   VATICAN CITY, 19 JAN 2011 (VIS) - In his general audience, held this morning in   
   the Paul VI Hall, the Pope dedicated his catechesis to the Week of Prayer for   
   Christian Unity, which is taking place from 18 to 25 January and during which   
   "all those who believe in Christ are invited to come together in prayer, so as   
   to bear witness to the profound ties that unite them and to invoke the gift of   
   full communion".   
      
   The Holy Father remarked on "the providential fact that prayer is at the centre   
   of the journey to unity. This", he said, "reminds us once again that unity   
   cannot be a product of mere human efforts, is its above all a gift of God. ...   
   We do not 'construct' unity, God 'constructs' it, it comes from Him, from the   
   mystery of the Trinity".   
      
   Benedict recalled how the theme chosen for this year's Week of Prayer "refers   
   to the experience of the first Christian community in Jerusalem, as described   
   in the Acts of the Apostles: 'They devoted themselves to the Apostles' teaching   
   and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers'".   
      
   This quotation identifies "four characteristics defining the first Christian   
   community of Jerusalem", he said, "which still act as pillars for the life of   
   all Christian communities, and constitute the solid foundation on which to   
   continue to construct the visible unity of the Church".   
      
   Commenting on the first of these characteristics, the Pope noted that, "even   
   today, the community of believers recognises the norms of its own faith in that   
   reference to the teaching of the Apostles. All efforts to build unity among   
   Christians must, then, involve increasing faithfulness to the 'depositum fidei'   
   handed down to us by the Apostles".   
      
   The Holy Father then turned to the second element, "fraternal communion, ...   
   the most tangible expression of unity between disciples and the Lord,   
   especially for the outside world. ... The history of the ecumenical movement   
   has been marked by difficulties and doubts, but it is also a history of   
   fraternity, of co-operation and of human and spiritual sharing, which has   
   significantly altered relations among believers in the Lord Jesus. We are all   
   committed to continuing this journey".   
      
   On the subject of the third characteristic, "the breaking of bread", the Holy   
   Father noted that "communion in Christ's sacrifice is the pinnacle of our union   
   with God and, therefore, it also represents the completeness of the unity of   
   Christ's disciples, full communion". In this context he noted also how "the   
   impossibility of sharing the same Eucharist ... also gives a penitential   
   dimension to our prayers. This must be a reason for ever more generous   
   commitment on everyone's part so that, having removed the obstacles to full   
   communion, the day may come when it will be possible to gather around the table   
   of the Lord, together breaking the Eucharistic bread and drinking from the same   
   chalice.   
      
   "Finally", he added, "prayer was the fourth characteristic of the early Church   
   in Jerusalem ... Prayer also means opening ourselves to the fraternity that   
   stems from our being children of the one heavenly Father; it means being ready   
   for forgiveness and reconciliation".   
      
   "Like the first Christian community of Jerusalem, on the basis of what we   
   already share we must offer a powerful witness - well-founded spiritually and   
   well-supported by reason - of the one God Who revealed Himself and speaks to us   
   in Christ, in order to be bring a message which guides and illuminates the path   
   of modern man, who often lacks clear points of reference. It is important,   
   then, to increase our mutual love every day, striving to overcome the barriers   
   that still exist between Christians, in the knowledge that true inner unity   
   does exist among people who follow the Lord. We must collaborate as much as   
   possible, working together on outstanding questions and, above all, aware that   
   we need the Lord's help on this journey. He must still help us a lot because   
   without Him, alone, without 'abiding in Him', we can do nothing".   
   AG/VIS 20110119 (680)   
      
   SUMMARY   
      
   --- MPost/386 v1.21   
    * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS =Meridian, MS= bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)