WCC NEWS - Ecumenical spirit moves Bossey students at mass with Pope Francis

For students from the World Council of Churches's (WCC) Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, attending a Sunday mass at which Pope Francis presided in the Basilica of St Peter, Vatican during the week of Christian unity forged a special memory about bringing churches together. Students from the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey with Pope Francis during their visit to Rome Photo: Vatican Media 01 February 2024 For many students, it was the end of their ecumenical studies at the Bossey Institute outside Geneva, which draws students worldwide. Rev. Jackie Makena Mutuma, a master's student from the Methodist Church in Kenya, blogged after the week-long visit, "The ecumenical pilgrimage also led us to a profound realisation – that every Christian is an integral part of the mission of God (Missio Dei). "The collaboration between the WCC and the Roman Catholic Church underscored the shared responsibility of all Christians in fulfilling the mission to spread the message of love, compassion, and justice." She saw it as recognising the Bossey students' common purpose and serving as a "unifying force, bridging gaps that may have existed due to historical or theological differences." Vatican Media Structure of Roman Catholic Church The 19-26 January visit to Rome and the Vatican for Bossey students, many of whom were completing their course, is viewed as an opportunity to understand the structure and nature of the Roman Catholic Church. It enables them to appreciate the Catholic Church's commitment to realising its visible unity. Dimitrie Dalidis from the Romanian Orthodox Church said he was especially impressed by the moments of prayer during the visit. "It was a special opportunity to attend the solemn Sunday Mass His Holiness Pope Francis presided over. Being passionate about church music, I enjoyed listening to the authentic Gregorian chant in St. Peter's Basilica during those moments." Dalidis said it was an intensive study visit, which he greatly enjoyed.  "I learned more about the role and contribution of the Roman Catholic Church in the ecumenical dialogue, primarily through the Dicastery for the Promotion of Christian Unity," said the Romanian student. Rev. Ingrid Norén Nilsson, from the Church of Sweden and also a master's student at Bossey, said that the Pontifical Sunday mass is celebrated as the Sunday of the Word of God when everyone is invited to rediscover the Gospel in their lives. "Since it is celebrated in the week of prayer for Christian unity, it gives it an even deeper perspective: an invitation to all to share in the Gospel, that which we have in common, and to sense the call to a deepened, full unity that the same Word invites us to," said Nilsson. She said that thanks to the generous hospitality of the Vatican, the Bossey group was seated in the middle of St Peter's Basilica, close to the high altar.  "To be united in prayer, so near to the altar, in the celebration of the Eucharist, where we were united around the same real presence of Christ in our midst, although in imperfect communion, which made the reception purely spiritual for many of us, was for me an incredible moment of grace," said Nilsson. "We were living in the already present and yet not there longing and tension for unity, which is not only ours but also our Lord's."  Our trip to Rome Apply Now for the 2024 Interfaith Summer Course at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey The Ecumenical Institute Bossey Tour the Bossey Ecumenical Institute online—with 360-degree views See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland