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Show United in Faith Contributed by Father Gennaro Verdi St. Pius X Catholic Church The work of St. Pius X Church is principally a spiritual and religious work: to serve the needs of the community of believers identified with St. Pius X Church and to help where it can in the total community in which it is located. Ordinarily, the word 'church' brings to mind a building set apart for worship services, but it is more than that; church is the people of God united in the one faith and trying to live that faith as best they know how for the honor and glory of God and in service to their fellow-men. The Lord Jesus taught: Where two or 1 three are gathered in my name, there I am in their midst. (Matt. 18, 20) In spite of what others would have us believe, today , the Church is very much alive. Just one example of this Church vitality is the wonderful progress being made among established churches to break down walls of separation perhaps unsuspectingly erected er-ected between them due to ignorance and misunderstanding of each other's beliefs. The world-wide Ecumenical Movement among many of the established Churches is a valiant effort to adhere in a new light to the Lord's teaching: "This is how all will know you for my disciples; your love for one another." (John 13, 35). In this spirit of Christian love, the people of God have begun among themselves to deemphasize differences, seeking rather the beliefs that unite them while preserving their own identity. To reach the goal of the Ecumenical Movement is a gigantic task, but it takes only one firm hopeful step to begin a long journey. Please God, that while on that journey, much misunderstanding and ignorance ig-norance and petty accusations will be dissolved by mature and intelligent understanding under-standing of each other's Faith. Under God, we are free to worship according to the dictates of a true and intelligently informed inform-ed conscience, ever to seek out God's will for us. 'That all may be one as you, Father, are in me, and I in you" (John 17, 21) is the hopeful and desired goal; while on the way to that goal, the love of God for one another unencumbered with unwholesome ' misunderstandings, will in effect make us one to no small degree. The Poisonous slogan, 'God is dead," originated and concocted by the misguided thinking of the psuedo-intellectual, himself long since dead and buried, has caused some people sadly to alienate themselves from God. Nonetheless, the vigor and vitality of the faithfully believing community commun-ity throughout the world is proof of God's promise made through his Son. Jesus Christ. "And know that I am with you alwavs, until the end of the world." (Matt. 28. 20). Hopefully, the Ecumenical spirit now permeating the people of God will draw us closer together in the Spirit of God for the honor and glory of God and the good of all mankind. |