Week of Prayer 2005 Helps to Secure WCC-RCC Unity

By Pauline J. Chang, Christian Post Reporter Friday, October 15, 2004

According to the World Council of Churches (WCC), the preparation for next year¡¯s edition of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity has led to unprecedented collaboration between the world¡¯s largest ecumenical body and the 1-billion-member Roman Catholic Church (RCC).

The 2005 week of prayer resources have not only been ¡°jointly prepared but also published jointly by the WCC Faith and Order commission and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.¡±

The WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia said the development is a ¡°small step in the direction of Christian unity,¡± and added that the joint publication will hopefully bring forth the ¡°birth of a new era of collaboration" between the two bodies.

The 2005 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity has been scheduled for January 18-25 for Northern countries and at the week of Pentecost for Southern countries.

The full text of the materials for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2005, which was prepared by members of the theological committee of the Ecumenical Council of Churches in Slovakia, is available at: http://wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/faith/wop2005contents.html

The WCC is the world¡¯s largest ecumenical body, with more than 342 entities in some 120 nations around the world. While the Roman Catholic Church is not a member of the WCC, the two entities have been meeting annually for greater unity and fellowship.