“The coming Jubilee Year will also coincide with a significant date for all Christians, namely, the 1700th anniversary of the celebration of the first great Ecumenical Council, that of Nicaea… The Council of Nicaea sought to preserve the Church’s unity, which was seriously threatened by the denial of the full divinity of Jesus Christ and, hence, his consubstantiality with the Father. Some 300 bishops took part, convoked at the behest of the Emperor Constantine; their first meeting took place in the Imperial Palace on 20 May 325. After various debates, by the grace of the Spirit, they unanimously approved the Creed that we still recite each Sunday at the celebration of the Eucharist. The Council Fathers chose to begin that Creed by using for the first time the expression “We believe” as a sign that all the Churches were in communion and that all Christians professed the same faith.
The Council of Nicaea was a milestone in the Church’s history. The celebration of its anniversary invites Christians to join in a hymn of praise and thanksgiving to the Blessed Trinity and, in particular, to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, “consubstantial with the Father,” who revealed to us that mystery of love. At the same time, Nicaea represents a summons to all Churches and Ecclesial Communities to persevere on the path to visible unity and in the quest of finding ways to respond fully to the prayer of Jesus “that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (Jn 17:21)
BULL OF INDICTION OF THE ORDINARY JUBILEE OF THE YEAR 2025
The quote above, from Pope Francis’ Bull of Indiction of the Jubilee Year of 2025, Spes non Confundit (Hope does not Disappoint), reminds us that, in addition to many opportunities for Grace during this Jubilee Year, there is also hope for a greater unity among all Christians. In marking 1700 years since the Council of Nicea approved the Creed, which we still recite at Mass each Sunday, we are also aware of the divisions that have led to so many different Christian denominations and the sad reality that the prayer of Jesus at the Last Supper, “that they all may be one,” remains unfulfilled.
As Pilgrims of Hope in this Jubilee Year of Hope, each of us can strive to do our part by prayer and action to foster Christian Unity. Here in our Diocese, Msgr. Raymond Kupke and Msgr. George Hundt were asked to head the committee that would plan for a Jubilee of Christian Unity. As they began their work, the committee reached out to pastors and leaders from Christian Churches throughout Passaic, Morris, and Sussex Counties and organized three gatherings (“Roundtables”) as opportunities to come together in sharing faith, prayer, and fellowship, listening and getting to know one another.
The first “Roundtable for Christian Unity” was held at Our Lady of the Valley Church in Wayne on Sunday, March 16. The second was held at St. Peter’s in Parsippany on Sunday, March 23, and the third will be at Our Lady of the Lake in Sparta on Sunday, March 30 — from 4 to 6 p.m. All are welcome, and we would be very happy to see you Sunday. I am confident that the third gathering will be similar to the first two in that it will be an opportunity to meet new friends, hear inspiring testimonies of faith, and realize that we have so much in common with our sisters and brothers who are Christians of different denominations.
If you are able to attend, I think you will be filled with Hope that, with time, prayer, and discernment, we could make significant progress toward the fulfillment of Jesus’ prayer becoming a real possibility. Although the challenges and obstacles to achieving real Christian unity are very significant, we should always keep in our minds and hearts the words of the angel Gabriel to Mary at the Annunciation (which we celebrate on March 25), “… for nothing will be impossible for God.” (Lk. 1:37)
You can get a sense of what the first Roundtable gathering was like by seeing some great pictures and reading Michael Wojcik’s excellent article by going to Beaconnj.org or clicking on this link.
The article describes the excellent presentations and testimonies that were given by:
- Jeff Markay, senior pastor of the United Methodist Church of Chatham
- Jan Figenshu, a volunteer at St. Gerard Majella Parish in Paterson with 23 years of Catholic pastoral ministry experience
- Susan R. Ironside, rector of Grace Episcopal Church in Madison
- Raymond Kupke, pastor of St. Anthony Parish in Hawthorne, historian, and diocesan archivist
As good as the article and pictures are, being there with that diverse group of dedicated and faithful Christian disciples was a true privilege. If you are reading this before March 30, you still have a chance to be part of the experience by attending the upcoming Roundtable at Our Lady of the Lake in Sparta. We are also planning the culmination of our Jubilee of Christian Unity at our Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson on Sunday, June 22 — “stay tuned for more details.”
“… that they all may be one…” (Jn. 17:21) are the words of Jesus’s prayer that call us to Christian unity. As we continue our Lenten journey, I would strongly recommend taking the time to prayerfully read the full text of “The Prayer of Jesus” in the 17th Chapter of John’s Gospel. In v. 20-21, He prays, “not only for them (his apostles, present with him at the Last Supper), but also for those who will believe in me, through their word, so that they may all be one…” Since I first became aware of and prayed with these words of Jesus, His prayer has always impressed, inspired, and challenged me, as we consider that he was praying for each of us, for all Christians, at that moment. His words should challenge us because, in so many ways, Christians are divided and separated rather than united “as one.”
Yet, this is the Jubilee Year of Hope. We are pilgrims of Hope — and “Hope does not disappoint” (Rm. 5:5). Let us continue to hope, work, listen, and pray so that we “all may be one.”
