Prayer for unity `requires action'

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity would be nothing more than an outpouring of hot air if action did not accompany it, the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin has said.

In an address at Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, yesterday the Most Rev Walton Empey said there were many people "right here in our own land, to go no further, who are lukewarm and downright hostile to the whole concept of church unity".

In the South, he said, "there are many who would love to give the impression that all is light and joy in the ecumenical sense. Yet from time to time sharp issues arise that gave evidence that this is not so and that there is a long way to travel on the road to unity."

Indifference, not hostility, was possibly the worst enemy of ecumenism, he said. Among the lukewarm were the people who say "Ah well, it's good to be nice and friendly to one another. Isn't that enough? Aren't we all right as we are?" This reminded him of the "Please Do Not Disturb" notices on hotel-room doors.

Others thought it was good for community relations and gave a good image. "Again and again I have heard such phrases as `it shows those people up in the North how well we get on down here'," he said. If the search for unity was based on such ideas then the future would be bleak indeed.

The desire for unity was not based on human speculation. Jesus prayed that all might be one. "It was His prayer on the night before He died on Calvary and it was repeated in this century by his great servant Pope John XXIII, who said over and over again as he lay dying, `ut unum sint', that they may be one."

Referring to those who used say of the early church, look at how the Christians love one another, he had to ask if that was being said of us today. With many profound truths in common surely we should be able to love one another with a love that consumed suspicion and distrust, he said.

It was only when people reached across the religious divide with a firm hand of friendship "and come to know one another, listen to one another, respect one another that we will come to love one another", he said.

An inaugural service for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity took place at the Church of the Assumption, Booterstown, Co Dublin, yesterday. The Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Desmond Connell, welcomed the large attendance and expressed regret if his recent remarks concerning the Eucharist had caused upset, as this had never been intended.

The Rev David Nesbitt, President of the Irish Council of Churches, said he was pleased at the progress made by the ICC since its foundation. Over the years there had been great growth of interest and understanding. The old hostilities of 40 years ago had been put away and there was now greater church consciousness.

Valuable progress and achievements had been made and these deserved wider attention than they had received. In the past two or three years there had been inquiries from other churches which wanted associate membership.

Some people were saying that there was nothing new happening in ecumenism, but in fact they had come a "long way.".

Referring to the recent controversy over the Eucharist, Mr Nesbitt said he had read the articles and letters in The Irish Times and had found them interesting, hopeful and encouraging.

The readings were by Dr Connell; Archbishop Empey; Ms Rachel Bewley-Bateman, Society of Friends; Deacon Christian Gheorghiou, Greek Orthodox Church; the Rev Desmond Bain, secretary of the Dublin District Synod of the Methodist Church; and Pastor Fritz-Gert Mayer, Lutheran Church.