Pope sends greetings to World Council of Churches, stresses joint action to help the poor
October 30, 2013
In a message to the 10th general assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC), Pope Francis expressed the hope that the meeting will “help to consolidate the commitment of all Christ's followers to intensified prayer and co-operation in the service of the Gospel and the integral good of our human family.”
The WCC meets in general assembly only once every 7 years. This year’s meeting, which begins October 30, is taking place in Busan, South Korea. The Catholic Church is not a member of the organization, but the Vatican regularly sends representatives to important WCC assemblies as observers. The Pope’s greeting was conveyed in a message to Cardinal Kurt Koch, the president of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity.
In his message the Pontiff said that Christians should unite to promote important causes including the recognition of human dignity, the promotion of “the mission of the family as the fundamental building-block of society,” the defense of religious freedom, and service to the poor. He emphasized the Christian duty to serve those in need and “those who find themselves in the existential peripheries of our societies.”
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Further information:
- Tenth General Assembly of the World Council of Churches (VIS)
- Pope Francis to WCC: Show solidarity to the most vulnerable (Vatican Radio)
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