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How Do Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and the Right to Life March Fit In? January 17th, 2020
Three Examples of Oblate Ecumenism during the Jan. 18-25, 2020 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
How Do Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and the Right to Life March Fit In?
by Harry Winter, O.M.I.
Oblate School of Theology, San Antonio, TX
Oblate School of Theology’s commitment to Christian Unity continues to grow. On Jan. 24, at 7 pm, the Sankofa Institute (for African American Pastoral Leadership) will lead a Christian Unity Service. The guest preacher will be Dr. Jerry W. Dailey, from Macedonia Baptist Church, San Antonio, TX.
White Earth, MN
Although there will be no explicit actions for ecumenism in our six parishes of White Earth during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, due to the temporary absence of the Protestant minister who works with the Oblates, there continues to be great ecumenical activity. During last November, the Ojibwa community in Waubun held an autumn feast and fun day. United Church of Christ Pastor Anna Larson and Fr. John Cox, O.M.I. offered craft activities for the children.
When the Oblate national administration met at White Earth from Sept. 16-19, 2019, they saw that some of our main programs providing assistance (educational, social welfare, drug rehabilitation, employment opportunities and job training) require input from all the Christian Churches on the reservation. No one Church has the resources alone. Read the full article at OMIUSA.org.
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity – January 18–25, 2018 January 18th, 2018
“Your Right Hand, O Lord, Glorious in Power.” (Exodus 15:6)
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (WPCU) has a history of over 100 years, in which Christians around the world have taken part in an octave of prayer for visible Christian unity. By annually observing the WPCU, Christians move toward the fulfillment of Jesus’ prayer at the Last Supper “that they all may be one.” (cf. John 17:21)
The theme for the 2018 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, “Your Right Hand, O Lord, Glorious in Power,” is taken from the book of Exodus 15:6 and the biblical text is Exodus 15:1-21. The resources for this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity have been prepared by the churches of the Caribbean by an ecumenical team of women and men under the leadership of His Grace Kenneth Richards, Catholic Archbishop of Kingston, the Antilles Episcopal Conference, together with Mr. Gerard Granado, General Secretary of the Caribbean Conference of Churches (CCC).
- Download full 2018 international resource
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Find additional materials at the World Council of Churches and the Graymoor Ecumenical and Interreligious Institute websites.
Cardinal Urges Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Participants to Live a Unique Statement May 8th, 2017
By Fr. Harry Winter, OMI
As Antonio Ponce, OMI, and I took part in the 2017 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, held in Minneapolis May 1-4, we listened to a first ever message from a cardinal to the participants of this event (started in 1969 and held annually). Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, asked us to examine and live together the short and vital 5-page statement “Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World, Recommendations for Conduct.”
One reason the document is so extraordinary is that it was approved by three very different groups: the World Council of Churches, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and the World Evangelical Alliance. Another reason is that it begins by affirming, “Mission belongs to the very being of the church,” and then bonds social justice, ecumenism and interreligious dialogue.
Although approved in late January, 2011, we are all puzzled and disturbed that this statement remains virtually unknown. The 400 participants in the Week of Prayer have resolved to make it publicized.
Most Rev. Denis J. Madden, retired Auxiliary Bishop, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore and Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Participants of the National Workshop on Christian Unity 2017
Faithful Budget Released March 22nd, 2012
WASHINGTON, DC — Today on Capitol Hill, prominent Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders unveiled a Faithful Budget document, which encourages the Obama Administration and Congress to maintain a robust commitment to domestic and international poverty assistance programs.
The document has been submitted to all Members of Congress and the Administration. Faith communities will make follow up visits to Congress. The Annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days conference this coming weekend is titled Is THIS the Fast I Seek? Economy, Livelihood and Our National Priorities. Participants will visit their Congressional representatives on Monday and will take the Faithful budget document with them as a blueprint.
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