The chairman of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines Episcopal Commission on Ecumenical Affairs said concerted effort needed to achieve unity.
(CBCP NEWS / MANILA BULLETIN)
Cotabato Archbishop Angelito Lampon said this in his message for the observance of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
He said while unity is a gift from God, it is also a "task and responsibility that we have to work hard in order to achieve."
He said this can be done by “our coming together, respecting each other's beliefs and rejoicing in our diversity."
“We are already making a huge statement to the world that unity is possible not only among Christians but also for humanity,” Lampon said in a CBCP News post.
Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Charles John Brown, meantime, lauded the efforts to observe the annual celebration “to pray together, to beseech, to entreat the Lord for the gift of unity" amid the pandemic.
He explained this year’s theme highlights the need for people to come together because “with Him all things are possible, without Him nothing is possible”.
“Ecumenism is a gift from God, a gift that becomes possible through prayer,” Brown said.
This week of prayer kicked off on Monday via online due to the prevailing coronavirus pandemic.
The theme for the celebration was taken from the Gospel of St. John: “Abide in my love… you shall bear much fruit”.