Sean O'Malley Urges Unity Among Christians at Catholic-Orthodox Conference

Sean O'Malley, the retired archbishop of Boston, called for unity among Christians at a joint Catholic-Orthodox conference on July 13-15. The event, hosted by the Orientale Lumen Foundation at the St. John Paul II National Shrine, aimed to heal the nearly 1,000-year schism between the churches.

What happened at the conference?

Cardinal O'Malley encouraged Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christians to pray together for reunification. He was joined by Archbishop Flavio Pace, secretary of the Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, and Metropolitan Tikhon Mollard, primate of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA). The clergy and laity in attendance focused on ecumenism and ways to build closer bonds between the two churches.

Why does unity matter for Sean O'Malley?

Cardinal O'Malley emphasized that unity is crucial for the proclamation of the Gospel. He recalled his early work with the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin in the 1970s, where he saw the disunity of Christianity as a scandal to new converts in Papua New Guinea. He noted that the people of Papua New Guinea correctly recognized the disunity as a weakness in the ability of Christians to proclaim the Gospel with coherence and authority.

What comes next?

Cardinal O'Malley urged the Catholic and Orthodox churches to consider joint pastoral letters or statements on issues of mutual agreement, such as world hunger, euthanasia, and abortion. He also encouraged a stronger bond between the two churches, citing the shared saints and devotions between Catholics and Orthodox Christians. The cardinal expressed joy that many Orthodox churches send representatives to meetings held by the Vatican and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and that the Catholic Church also sent representatives to the Orthodox Council of Crete in 2016.

What's next for Sean O'Malley?

Cardinal O'Malley's call for unity among Christians is a significant step towards healing the nearly 1,000-year schism between the Catholic and Orthodox churches. His emphasis on joint prayer and pastoral letters or statements highlights the importance of cooperation and mutual understanding between the two churches. As the retired archbishop of Boston, Sean O'Malley continues to play a key role in promoting unity among Christians.

The conference, hosted by the Orientale Lumen Foundation, brought together Roman Catholic, Eastern Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox bishops, as well as laity and clergy focused on ecumenism. The event aimed to promote unity and understanding between the two churches, with a focus on prayer and cooperation.

Cardinal O'Malley's speech emphasized the importance of praying together for unity. He noted that the Holy Spirit will "illuminate the way" toward East-West communion, and that unity will ultimately be achieved as a gift to the faithful granted by Christ. He encouraged the Catholic and Orthodox churches to work together to achieve this goal.

The conference also featured daily vespers, where the Catholic and Orthodox clergy prayed together in the form used in Eastern churches. This joint prayer was a significant step towards building closer bonds between the two churches.

Cardinal O'Malley's call for unity among Christians is a significant step towards healing the nearly 1,000-year schism between the Catholic and Orthodox churches. His emphasis on joint prayer and pastoral letters or statements highlights the importance of cooperation and mutual understanding between the two churches.

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