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Skriven 2006-01-28 16:21:44 av Marc Lewis (1:396/45)
Ärende: Vatican Information Service - Press Release
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                The following press release is Copyrighted by the
                          Vatican Information Service.
                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                               VIS-Press releases

TIRELESSLY IMPLORE THE GIFT OF UNITY AND PEACE

VATICAN CITY, JAN 26, 2006 (VIS) - Yesterday evening in the basilica of St.
Paul's Outside-the-Walls, Benedict XVI presided at the second Vespers of the
Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. The ceremony marked the end of the Week of
Prayer for Christian Unity, the theme of which was: "Where two or three are
gathered in my name, I am there among them."

In his homily, the Pope affirmed that "the aspiration of all Christian
communities and of each individual faithful to unity, and the strength to
achieve it, are gifts of the Holy Spirit, and go hand in hand with an ever more
profound and radical faithfulness to the Gospel. We realize that conversion of
heart lies at the base of ecumenical commitment."

Recalling the title of his first Encyclical, "Deus caritas est," the Holy
Father stated: "God is Love. Upon this firm rock the entire faith of the Church
rests. ... Fixing our gaze on this truth, the peak of divine revelation,
divisions, while maintaining their painful magnitude, appear surmountable and
do not discourage us."

"True love," he went on, "does not cancel legitimate differences, but
harmonizes them into a higher unity, one that is not imposed from outside, but
that from within gives form, so to say, to the whole."

Benedict XVI then indicated that "the longed-for achievement of unity depends,
in the first instance, upon the will of God, Whose design and generosity
surpass man's understanding, even exceeding his requests and expectations. By
relying on divine goodness, we intensify our common prayer for unity, which is
a necessary and highly effective instrument."

"Unity is our shared mission; it is the condition necessary for the light of
Christ to spread more effectively all over the world, that men and women may be
converted and saved."

After highlighting the fact that much still remains to be done, Benedict XVI
concluded by saying: "Let us not lose faith, rather let us resume the journey
with greater energy. Christ goes before us and accompanies us. We rely upon His
unfailing presence; from Him we implore, humbly and tirelessly, the precious
gift of unity and peace."
HML/CHRISTIAN UNITY/ST. PAUL OUTSIDE-THE-WALLS VIS 060126 (370)

SUMMARY

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