I Believe in One God, The Father Almighty…

Jan 18

These are the opening words of the Nicene Creed that we pray at Mass every Sunday... maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible… Yes, some of the words were translated differently in 2011 when the revised Roman Missal was introduced to the English-speaking world. We now say consubstantial instead of one in being, for example. Despite the “tweaks” that have taken place over time, the Christian community has made this profession of faith since 325 AD when it was accepted and promulgated at the first Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, located in present day Turkey. This year marks the 1,700th anniversary of the Nicene Creed.

From January 18th – 25th, 2025, all the Christian communities throughout the world are invited to enter into the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. It was in January 1964 that Pope St. Paul VI and Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I of Constantinople met and embraced in Jerusalem. The significance of that embrace has faded over the past 61 years but at the time it was very significant. It was the first time in 910 years that the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church recognized each other. In the year 1054, both Churches mutually excommunicated the other. That excommunication was lifted a year after this historic embrace. For almost half of the existence of Christianity, the Great Schism had left us divided and separated. January 1964 began the healing of such a deep wound.

As we know, divisions within the Christian community continued throughout our 2,000+ history. The Reformation began on October 31, 1517 with Martin Luther’s 95 Theses. John Calvin broke from Rome in 1530. His theology strongly influenced the development of the Presbyterians, Reformed churches, and some Baptist churches. The Anglican Communion was established in 1534 when Henry VIII broke from Rome. Some of the divisions revolved around theology but I dare say most revolved around politics and power. Yet, all pray the Nicene Creed.

This past week, January 13th – 17th, our Franciscan Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe hosted a Provincial Synod in Kansas City, Missouri. The synod included lay men and women, women religious, along with our friars from throughout the country. Fr. Andrew, as the guardian of our Franciscan community on Long Beach Island, attended the meeting as did two of our parishioners, Bobbi Greene and Marie Logue. The synodal process revolves around listening, discerning, and reflecting. The goal of the synod was to help our Franciscan brotherhood set priorities as we plan for the future.

The Bishop of Lexington, Kentucky., Bishop John Stowe, OFM Conventual, was the keynote speaker. As a Franciscan brother, but from a different branch within the Franciscan Family, he knows the spirit and charism of St. Francis. In his address he noted that “in an era of change and societal polarization, the Franciscans are called to be peacemakers, to respond in a spirit of service and fraternity to the marginalized in and out of the Church. Many in the Church feel excluded and many are disillusioned … the Franciscan call is to embrace the marginalized and give them a voice, including women, LGBT persons, racial and ethnic minorities and the materially poor.”

As we enter this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, I ask that we pray for the grace to bring down the walls that divide us and empower us to build the bridges that help us come closer to embodying Jesus prayer:

“I pray not only for them, but also for those who
will believe in me through their word, so that they
may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in
you …so that they may be one, as we are one.”
[Jn 17:20-22]

Peace and All Good!

Fr. Francis Di Spigno, OFM

Pastor

ALSO:

Featured