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IN THE CHURCH
June 11, 2019 | The Valley Catholic
Walking Together, Christians Experience Unity in Diversity, Pope Says
By Carol Glatz
Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY -- People need to
walk together in harmony to build
a more fraternal world, Pope Francis
said, reflecting upon his recent trip to
Romania.
The May 31-June 2 trip showed the
important need “to walk together,
both for Christians” when it comes
to faith and charity, and for residents
of a nation, when it comes to civic
engagement, he said June 5 during
his weekly general audience in St.
Peter’s Square.
As is customary, Pope Francis re-
viewed his trip to the predominantly
Orthodox East European nation dur-
ing his first general audience after
the trip.
Yet he also used the audience to re-
mind people to take part in the “One
Minute for Peace” initiative June 8.
The day marks the fifth anniversary
of the pope’s historic gathering at
the Vatican with Israeli President
Pope Francis poses with pilgrims from
Honduras during his general audience in
St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican June 5,
2019. (CNS photo/Paul Haring) Pope Francis kisses a baby during his
general audience in St. Peter’s Square
at the Vatican June 5, 2019. (CNS photo/
Paul Haring)
Shimon Peres, Palestinian President
Ma h moud Abbas a nd Or t hodox
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of
Constantinople, and their “invocation
for peace.”
Every year since that meeting
in 2014, the International Forum of
Catholic Action has promoted “One
Minute for Peace” every June 8 at 1
p.m. The pope said people of faith are
invited to pray for and people with no religious belief are invited to reflect on
“a more fraternal world.”
In his main audience talk review-
ing his trip to Romania, the pope
noted his encounter with Romanian
Orthodox Patriarch Daniel and the
Permanent Synod of the Romanian
Orthodox Church, where he reiterated
“the desire of the Catholic Church to
walk together in reconciled memory
and toward full unity.”
“This important ecumenical di-
mension of the trip culminated in
the solemn prayer of the Our Father,”
showing that “unity does not elimi-
nate legitimate diversity.”
The Lord’s Prayer represents the
“common heritage of all baptized. No
one can say ‘my Father’ and ‘your Fa-
ther.’ No, ‘our Father,’” he said.
The pope recalled the many mo-
ments of prayer and celebration with
the minority Catholic communities,
including the beatification of seven
bishop-martyrs of the Eastern-rite
Romanian Catholic Church, who died
during a fierce anti-religious cam-
paign waged under the communist
regime in Romania.
The martyred bishops gave witness
to “the freedom and mercy that come
from the Gospel,” the pope said at the
general audience.
The pope also highlighted his visit
with the Roma community in Blaj, say-
ing he wanted to greet them and renew
his appeal “against all discrimination
and for the respect of people of every
ethnicity, language and religion.”
Pope says he’s Strengthened,
Encouraged by Talks with Benedict XVI
ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT
FROM ROMANIA (CNS) -- Pope Fran-
cis said that he continues to visit retired
Pope Benedict XVI, 92, who is like a
grandfather who continues to encour-
age him and give him strength. “I take
his hand and let him speak. He speaks
little, at his own pace, but with the same
profoundness as always. Benedict’s
problem are his knees, not his mind.
He has a great lucidity,” the pope told
journalists June 2 on his return flight
from Romania. The pope spent about
35 minutes with reporters on the
short flight, answering five questions.
When asked about his relationship
with this predecessor, the pope said
his conversations with Pope Benedict
make him stronger and he compared
the knowledge he receives from his
predecessor as the sap “from the roots
that help me to go forward. “When I
hear him speak, I become strong,” he
explained. “I feel this tradition of the
church. The tradition of the church is
not a museum. No, tradition is like the
roots that give you the sap in order to
grow. You won’t become the root; you
will grow and bear fruit and the seed
will be root for others.”
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