The Good News Keeps On Coming!

Bulgarian Orthodox Leader Affirms Desire for Unity
10/23/2009

VATICAN CITY (Zenit.org) - At the end of Wednesday's general audience, Bishop Tichon, head of the diocese for Central and Western Europe of the Patriarchate of Bulgaria, stated to the Pope, "We must find unity as soon as possible and finally celebrate together," L'Osservatore Romano reported. "People don't understand our divisions and our discussions," the bishop stated. He affirmed that he will "not spare any efforts" to work for the quick restoration of "communion between Catholics and Orthodox."

Full article at Catholic.org

The Good News Keeps On Coming!

Amen, and again I say Amen!

You have to read this article! If you pray for Church unity, if you long to see fallen away Catholics come Home, if you have friends and family members who were raised in other faith traditions and that grieves you. . . you have to read this article!

Here's a teaser:

Pope Benedict’s ‘Impelling Duty’ is to rebuild the full and visible unity of this Church. It will be forged through orthodoxy (right teaching) and orthopraxy (right practice) but it will be lived within a legitimate diversity of expression within the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. What happened last week is just the beginning.

Full article by Deacon Keith Fournier on 10/24/09 found at Catholic.org

Amen, and again I say Amen!

Never Lose Hope for Reconciliation and Conversion

I have two hours every week with our Eucharistic Lord. It requires getting up at 2:30 in the morning and drinking coffee until I am finally able to keep my eyes open. Then, I spend the hours of 3 to 5 A.M. at the Adoration chapel.

I pray for the same thing every week. Sometimes, there are additional petitions. But always, I pray for the conversion and reconciliation of a certain set of dear ones.

On Thursday evening (tonight), I always wonder why I do it. I have doubts that my prayers are making any difference.

This afternoon, I received an email from Dr. Robert Moynihan at Inside the Vatican. No, I don't know him personally. I'm simply on the mailing list.

Anyway, today's article posed the question: What has Kirill, Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, done since his election, and what are the prospects for a meeting with Pope Benedict XVI?

Maybe you don't know church history. The rift between these two branches came nearly 1,000 years ago (in 1054).

But the article points out that Pope Benedict XVI believes and has said that he held “firm hope” of uniting the two Churches.

Okay, if the Holy Father can pray for that union - and pray with expectation - then I can get up again in the middle of the night and pray for a handful of people who are dear to me.

Tonight, I will pray the same prayers again, but I will also add Pope Benedict and Patriarch Kirill's petition to my list. What a wonderful day of reconciliation that would be!

Never Lose Hope for Reconciliation and Conversion