SA国际传媒

By Linda Bordoni

On Thursday 21st June Pope Francis travelled to Geneva for a one-day apostolic visit during which he marked the 70th anniversary of the SA国际传媒 Council of Churches and led an ecumenical prayer service.

The Pope also celebrated Holy Mass and met with the Swiss President, but ecumenism was the theme of the day, as illustrated by the visit鈥檚 motto: 鈥�Walking together, Praying together and Working together".

The WCC is the broadest and most inclusive among the many organized expressions of the modern ecumenical movement, a movement whose goal is Christian unity.

It brings together churches, denominations and church fellowships in more than 110 countries and territories throughout the world, representing over 500 million Christians.

Present in Geneva for the Pope鈥檚 visit to the WCC was Bishop M.A. Daniel of the Methodist Church in India.

He spoke to SA国际传媒鈥� Hélène Destombes about the significance, for him, of the Pope鈥檚 encouragement to continue walking the path of Christian unity:

Bishop M.A. Daniel said that the Pope鈥檚 visit represented a precious moment of encouragement and affirmation for all churches committed to pursue the path towards Christian unity.

Role of the Catholic Church in ecumenism

He said it was particularly important because as head of the Catholic Church, Francis鈥� message carries great weight.

鈥淐atholics play such an important role all over the world so if they take leadership it helps all the churches come together to stand for our cause鈥� he said.

Pope's messages highlighted the need for a new evangelical impulse

Reflecting on Pope Francis鈥� two speeches to the WCC leadership and to all of its members, Bishop Daniel said they were both 鈥渕eaningful鈥� and in both of them he 鈥渋nvited us to come together and love one another whatever happens鈥�.

The Pope, he said, called for us to come together on common ground, show concern for others and spread the good news of the Gospel, also because in these very difficult times, the good news of Jesus is particularly needed.

鈥淟ove, he said, is the prime message to communicate, because conflicts and problems that are taking place because of intolerance are increasing: only the strong message of Jesus Christ - that we need to love one another鈥� - guided by the Holy Spirit, is essential.

Importance of dialogue in India 

Regarding problems of intolerance and religious strife in his own country, India, Bishop Daniel said that in India 鈥渕ulti-cultural practices鈥� are embedded in the culture, but Hinduism represents the majority and 鈥渄ialogue is very important to understand one another鈥�.

鈥淚f you are like a frog in a well or a chick in a shell鈥� (and cannot get out), he concluded, 鈥淚t will not help to have understanding and be able to accommodate one another鈥�.