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Catholic World News News Feature

Prayer will overcome ecumenical obstacles, Pope says January 17, 2007

Pope Benedict XVI devoted his weekly audience on January 17 to the theme of ecumenism, noting that the next day-- Thursday, January 18-- will mark the beginning of the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

Speaking to about 6,000 people in the Paul VI auditorium, the Holy Father said that fervent prayer will bring all Christians closer together. “The closer we draw to Christ, converting ourselves to his love, the closer we also draw to one another,” he said.

Joint participation in charitable work also advances the cause of Christian unity, the Pope continued, because “all relief that Christians together bring to their fellows, however small, also contributes to making their communion more visible."

Acknowledging that the path to full reunion of the Christian faithful “remains long and difficult,” the Pope urged the faithful to take encouragement from the progress of recent years. He reported that he has been consistently impressed, in his meetings with leaders of other Christian bodies, “how deeply felt the desire for unity is.”

Pope Benedict added the observation that in some countries, including Italy, January 17 is a day set aside by Church leaders for Christian-Jewish dialogue. He encouraged prayers “that Christians and Jews respect each other, appreciate each other, and work together for peace and justice in the world.”