Ecumenical Prayer Service 2022
To mark the occasion of Christian Unity Octave, an Ecumenical prayer service was organized in St Pius X College Chapel on 20th January 2022 at 7:15 pm. The service was presided over by Bishop John Rodrigues, in-charge of Ecumenism in the Archdiocese of Bombay, Rev. Christdoss, CNI Pastor of St Mark Church (Vikhroli) and Grace Church (Sion Koliwada), as well as Pastor Thomas of the CNI St Stephen Church, Bandra. The Pastors were accompanied by their wives who also took part in the service, ably conducted by Fr. Gilbert de Lima.
The text of the prayer service was jointly prepared and published by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity Commission and the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches. The theme being- “We saw the star in the east and we came to worship Him.” The hymns, scripture texts and the reflections revolved around the theme of the star and how God uses the star in the form of people and situations to bring us back to him. This prayer service is also a star that has brought the churches together in unity and solidarity. Suggestions were also made on how this Christian unity can be fostered and promoted by engaging in community projects, sharing resources and expertise and most of all having regular meetings to build friendship and dialogue. One of the messages given during the service was that Fear and Anxiety had become more dangerous than the coronavirus itself but God in his mercy has given the message, “Do Not Be Afraid” 365 times in the bible to strengthen and uplift us from our miseries. Another reflection shared was that Christ is with us always even to the end of time. Today, many people are searching for meaning in life and perhaps the only star that some people may see will be the witness of our life to show them the way to Christ. It was indeed a pleasant sight to see the congregation praying together for the unity of all Christians.
Br Joyous Koreth
2nd Year Theology
Following is the link of the Ecumenical Prayer Service 2022 that was held in St Pius X College Chapel on 20th January 2022
