CHRISTIAN UNITY PR36

JESUS WANTED ALL HIS DISCIPLES TO BE UNITED VISIBLY (JOHN 17).

SIN AND CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE DIVIDED THE CHRISTIAN FAMILY.

UNITY IS NOT UNIFORMITY. CATHOLICS ARE CALLED TO PROMOTE ECUMENISM.

ECUMENISM – modern movement to overcome needless Christian divisions

ONLY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HAS ALL THE MEANS OF SALVATION.

CATHOLICS SHOULD LOVE AND RESPECT NON-CATHOLIC CHRISTIANS.

CATHOLICS SHOULD NOT PROSELYTIZE EASTERN ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS.

CATHOLICS SHOULD LIVE HOLY LIVES THAT ATTRACT OTHER CHRISTIANS. ALL

CHRISTIANS SHOULD COOPERATE IN EFFORTS TO HELP HUMANITY.

WE ARE ALLOWED TO TALK WITH AND PRAY WITH OTHER CHRISTIANS.

SUPERFICIAL HARMONY AND IMPRUDENT ZEAL CAN HINDER TRUE

ECUMENISM. GOD REQUIRES EVERY HUMAN BEING TO SEEK RELIGIOUS

TRUTH.

GOD REQUIRES EVERY HUMAN BEING TO INFORM HIS CONSCIENCE PROPERLY.

A PERSON MUST BE ALLOWED TO FOLLOW HIS CONSCIENCE EVEN WHEN WRONG.

CONSCIENCE – best judgment about what should be done in a situation

NO HUMAN POWER SHOULD FORCE A RELIGIOUS NOTION ON ANOTHER

PERSON. NO ONE SHOULD BE FORCED TO BECOME A CATHOLIC.

ONE SHOULD PUT OFF BECOMING CATHOLIC WITHOUT THE RIGHT MOTIVE.

THE ONLY WORTHY MOTIVE IS THE CONVICTION THAT GOD REQUIRES IT.

CONVERSION IS A GIFT FROM GOD AND NOT ONLY JOINING AN ORGANIZATION.

CATHOLICS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE COMMUNION IN PROTESTANT

CHURCHES.

MEMBERS OF A FEW NON-CATHOLIC GROUPS MAY TAKE CATHOLIC COMMUNION.

THESE GROUPS HOLD TO CENTRAL CATHOLIC TRADITIONS ABOUT THE EUCHARIST.

THE SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL EVEN CALLS THEM CHURCHES.

THEY INCLUDE ORTHODOX, OLD CATHOLIC, AND POLISH NATIONAL CHURCHES.

TO GET CATHOLIC COMMUNION, ANY OF THEIR MEMBERS MUST ASK FOR IT.

TO GET CATHOLIC COMMUNION, THEY MUST ALSO HAVE THE RIGHT DISPOSITION.