Apostolic Nuncio in Ghana Calls for Christian Unity at an Anglican Church

CANAA || By Damian Avevor, Ghana || 01 February 2016

The Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, Archbishop Jean-Marie Speich, has called for unity among Christians in the country and the promotion of the spirit of ecumenism that sees followers of Christ shun divisions.

He was speaking Sunday at the Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral in Accra, Ghana, where he joined a section of Anglican clergy and faithful for vespers (evening prayer) upon the invitation of the Anglican Bishop of Accra, Dr. Daniel Sylvanus Mensah Torto.

The invitation was aimed at strengthening the ecumenical relations between the Catholic Church and the Anglicans in Ghana’s capital city, Accra.

Addressing the gathering on the theme “Has Christ been divided,” Archbishop Speich said that perfect unity among brothers and sisters could only come from looking to the mind and heart of Christ.

“Amid divisiveness, St. Paul appeals to the Christians of Corinth by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to be in agreement, so that divisions will not reign among them but rather a perfect union of mind and purpose,” the Nuncio explained.

He asked the Clergy and the faithful in the fully packed Cathedral to pray to “the Lord Jesus who has made us living members of His body to keep us deeply united to Him, help us overcome our conflicts, our divisions and our self-seeking.”

Reminding them that unity was better than conflict and that God helps Christians to be united to one another by the power of love, which the Holy Spirit has poured into their hearts.

“Let us pray that God will help us on this path, on this path of unity and love, as we advance towards unity. Unity will not come about as a miracle at the very end,” he said, emphasizing that unity comes about in journeying with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

He stressed that Christ who could not be divided wants to draw Christians to Himself, to the sentiments of His heart and to completely and confidently surrender into the hands of the Father, adding that “Our divisions wound Christ’s body, they impair the witness which we are called to give him before the world.”

Making reference to the Second Vatican Council’s Decree on Ecumenism, Archbishop Speich said, “Christ the Lord founded one Church and one Church only. However, many Christian communities present themselves to people as the true inheritance of Jesus Christ, all indeed profess to be followers of the Lord but they differ in outlook and go their different ways, as if Christ were divided.”

“Such division openly contradicts the will of Christ, scandalizes the world and damages the sacred course of preaching the Gospel to every creature,” he continued, lamenting that all Christians have been damaged by these divisions.

The Nuncio recalled the encounters between the various Popes and the heads of the worldwide Anglican Communion as well as theologians saying that their works have made ecumenical dialogue to become an essential dimension of the ministry of the Bishop of Rome.

“The journey of ecumenism has allowed us to come to a deeper understanding of the Ministry of the Successor of Peter and we must be confident that it will continue to do so in future,” the Nuncio added.

Bishop Torto was grateful to the Nuncio, whom he described as a father, for joining the Anglican Communion to pray together as one Church, recalling his relationship with him as the Bishop of Accra.

Through the support of the Nuncio, Bishop Torto led a ten-man Anglican delegation to the Vatican last November during which they had audience with Pope Francis.