From personal experience I have found ecumenical contacts an enhancement of my own ministry as bishop. Some of these activities include various forms of dialogue and shared prayer, the annual LARC (Lutheran, Anglican, Roman Catholic) Conference and overnight retreat with religious leaders, shared legislative concerns through the Interfaith Center for Public Policy, interfaith cooperation against capital punishment and mutual concern for those living in poverty and the homeless. I am thrilled that many of our parishes have parish ecumenical representatives (PERS) and that many of our priests are involved in ecumenical activity both on the local and state level. Monsignor Raymond Barton of Saint Nicholas parish in Virginia Beach serves as the Vicar for Ecumenism for our diocese.

As I reflect on the Jubilee Year 2000, as our Holy Year, I am conscious of the need for our Catholic people to become actively involved in the promotion of Christian unity. In early January I read the excellent book by Archbishop John Quinn, the retired Archbishop of San Francisco, entitled The Reform of the Papacy. The first chapter of the book is an examination of the recent encyclical by Pope John Paul II entitled "Ut Unum Sint" ("That They All May Be One"). This important message of the Pope unfortunately received only the passing attention of the people of the Church, including myself. Thankfully, Archbishop Quinn makes ecumenism come alive through the words of our Holy Father.

The Pope himself legitimizes the notion of reforming and changing the papal office. He links the reform of the papacy with the search for Christian unity. For John Paul II, the division among Christians is the enemy of the gospel and the gospel has become a source of division (Ut unum sint, #98). Because of this division, the Church cannot adequately fulfill its mission in the world. The Pope asks, "How could believers refuse to do everything possible, with God’s help, to break down the walls of division and distrust, to overcome obstacles and prejudice which thwart the proclamation of the gospel?" (Ut unum sint, #2). Disunity is not only destructive, but above all it is clearly contrary to the will of Christ "that they all may be one" (John 17:11).

The unity of Christians is at the heart of the Church’s mission. For Pope John Paul II, promoting Christian unity is not just some sort of appendix which is additional to the Church’s traditional ministry. Rather, ecumenism is an organic part of the Church’s life and work. Consequently, unity among Christians must pervade all that the Church is and all that it does (Ut unum sint, #9 and #20).

The question arises, how do we take on the pursuit of Christian unity? Pope John Paul II points to honest reflection on past differences, prayer, the purification of memories, mutual forgiveness and conversion (Ut unum sint, #2). He speaks of the poverty and humility of the Cross as a means of reconciliation. Christian unity cannot be achieved without exacting a price. Seeking after it requires a willingness to sacrifice. We cannot ask Orthodox and Protestant churches to implement changes to facilitate unity while we as Roman Catholics remain unchanged on every level.

It is here that Archbishop Quinn identifies areas in need of change within the Catholic Church: namely, collegiality (the collaborative use of authority), participation of the laity, decentralization and a greater openness to diversity. This requires dialogue in the search for unity. Dialogue is not conflict, proving yourself right and the other person wrong. Dialogue is peaceful, hopeful and respectful. Its tone is earnest, humble, friendly and searching (Ut unum sint, #29). We can never achieve unity by coercion, argument or ultimatums.

For Pope John Paul II, we already have real but imperfect communion among ourselves as Christians (Ut unum sint, #96). We as the Catholic Church must take the initiative and not wait for other church communions to take the first step. We must be willing to acknowledge any sinful structures "which have contributed to division and the reinforcing of division" (Ut unum sint, #34).

I particularly applaud the recognition of the need and importance of diversity. Unity will not mean the end of diversity because we must "re-establish together full unity in legitimate diversity" (Ut unum sint, #57). Diversity recognizes the special giftedness of the other and the special contribution that the other makes to the life of the Church. Diversity is not to be grudgingly tolerated. Diversity greatly strengthens the life and mission of the Church; it enhances the Church’s splendor and greatly contributes to the fulfillment of the Church’s mission (Ut unum sint, #50). Rigid and pervasive uniformity is the enemy of being Catholic. As much as there are efforts to suppress diversity, so much do those efforts diminish the Church’s splendor and demean its mission.

We must remember that the origin of the word "jubilee" comes from the sounding of the shofar, the ram’s horn, awakening us to the need for repentance. In this Jubilee Year 2000 let us repent of our prejudices against other Christian churches. Let us ask for forgiveness for the times we hindered the work of ecumenism or were indifferent to the search for unity. Let us finally put aside our excuses for placing ecumenism last on the list of our parish agendas. And let us make every effort to come together as Christians so that Christ’s prayer can be fulfilled and Christ’s will can be obeyed – that we all may be one.