The words in the title are part of the late Cardinal Hume , Archbishop of Westminster’s , words of greeting to Pope John Paul II before the celebration of Mass in Wembley Stadium , London , on the Eve Of Pentecost 1982 .
Cardinal Hume said to Pope John Paul II , " One thing you have taught us is that to be Catholic is to be ecumenical ."
During his papacy Saint John Paul II left us in no doubt about his commitment to ecumenism .
Some of his words …
" I thank the Lord that he has led us to make progress along the path of unity and communion between Christians, a path difficult but so full of joy. Interconfessional dialogues at the theological level have produced positive and tangible results: this encourages us to move forward. "
" At the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church committed herself irrevocably to following the path of the ecumenical venture . "
" The Catholic Church embraces with hope the commitment to ecumenism as a duty of the Christian conscience enlightened by faith and guided by love. "
" The entire life of Christians is marked by a concern for ecumenism; and they are called to let themselves be shaped, as it were, by that concern. "
" Along the ecumenical path to unity, pride of place certainly belongs to common prayer , the prayerful union of those who gather together around Christ himself. If Christians, despite their divisions, can grow ever more united in common prayer around Christ, they will grow in the awareness of how little divides them in comparison to what unites them. "
" A valuable result of the contacts between Christians and of the theological dialogue in which they engage is the growth of communion. Both contacts and dialogue have made Christians aware of the elements of faith which they have in common. This has served to consolidate further their commitment to full unity . "
" I, John Paul, servus servorum Dei , venture to make my own the words of the Apostle Paul, whose martyrdom, together with that of the Apostle Peter, has bequeathed to this See of Rome the splendour of its witness, and I say to you, the faithful of the Catholic Church, and to you, my brothers and sisters of the other Churches and Ecclesial Communities: "Mend your ways, encourage one another, live in harmony, and the God of love and peace will be with you … The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all " ( 2 Co r 13:11,13). "
Cardinal Hume said to Pope John Paul II , " One thing you have taught us is that to be Catholic is to be ecumenical ."
During his papacy Saint John Paul II left us in no doubt about his commitment to ecumenism .
Some of his words …
" I thank the Lord that he has led us to make progress along the path of unity and communion between Christians, a path difficult but so full of joy. Interconfessional dialogues at the theological level have produced positive and tangible results: this encourages us to move forward. "
" At the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church committed herself irrevocably to following the path of the ecumenical venture . "
" The Catholic Church embraces with hope the commitment to ecumenism as a duty of the Christian conscience enlightened by faith and guided by love. "
" The entire life of Christians is marked by a concern for ecumenism; and they are called to let themselves be shaped, as it were, by that concern. "
" Along the ecumenical path to unity, pride of place certainly belongs to common prayer , the prayerful union of those who gather together around Christ himself. If Christians, despite their divisions, can grow ever more united in common prayer around Christ, they will grow in the awareness of how little divides them in comparison to what unites them. "
" A valuable result of the contacts between Christians and of the theological dialogue in which they engage is the growth of communion. Both contacts and dialogue have made Christians aware of the elements of faith which they have in common. This has served to consolidate further their commitment to full unity . "
" I, John Paul, servus servorum Dei , venture to make my own the words of the Apostle Paul, whose martyrdom, together with that of the Apostle Peter, has bequeathed to this See of Rome the splendour of its witness, and I say to you, the faithful of the Catholic Church, and to you, my brothers and sisters of the other Churches and Ecclesial Communities: "Mend your ways, encourage one another, live in harmony, and the God of love and peace will be with you … The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all " ( 2 Co r 13:11,13). "