From the Very Beginning Our
Brotherhood
Has Been Passionate for Unity
by Br. Joe Donovan
One Saturday morning, we
brothers were celebrating the end of
another blessed semester at Rutgers
University with breakfast at a favorite
diner near New Brunswick. Not long after
we sat down a group of about fifteen
African-American men began to arrive.
They greeted each other with warm, manly
affection and took up the tables in the
center of the diner. When their meals
arrived they stood up, held hands, and
prayed a blessing. It was a very
compelling witness of Christian
brotherhood and unity.
Toward the end of their meal I
approached them and introduced myself.
Instantly I was welcomed into that same
bond of unity with the same brotherly
embrace they showed to one another.
They even invited all of us to attend
their men’s fellowship at First Baptist
Lincoln Gardens. When some of us showed up
the following Monday, there too we were
welcomed unconditionally as brothers in
Christ. It was a startling example of what
Jesus intended when he prayed on the night
before he died: “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, that they
also may be in us, that the world may
believe that you sent me” (Jn 17:20-21).
Later, St. Paul would exhort the Ephesian
Christians to “make every effort to keep
the unity of the Spirit through the bond
of peace” (Eph 4:3), yet through the
succeeding centuries the Church has found
itself struggling to “keep the unity of
the Spirit.” This year we recall the 500th
anniversary of the Reformation, the
challenge to the Church led by Martin
Luther to reform some of its corrupt
practices which he felt gave a
counter-witness to the grace of faith
offered by Jesus. On this anniversary we
thought it fitting to highlight how our
community has responded to the division.
From our foundation, we Brothers have made
repairing unity among our Christian
brothers and sisters a central part of our
evangelistic mission. Our Ideal states:
“As Catholics we know we belong to an even
larger body of Christian brothers and
sisters and are committed to the spread of
the Kingdom.” Jesus makes Christian unity
a condition by which the world can come to
faith—“that the world may believe that you
sent me”—therefore we believe that
fostering Christian unity is an
indispensable part of proclaiming the
Gospel.
These ecumenical endeavors have taken many
forms. In the “Bible-belt” of Tallahassee,
Br. Jude Lasota spearheaded efforts to
meet regularly with several local
Protestant pastors. This effort gained
their respect to the point of being
welcomed into the pastor’s fellowship. He
was even invited to preach at some of
their churches!
Amongst the Orthodox, whom Catholics share
so much in common, we Brothers have built
many friendships with both celibate and
married clergy, and have found moments
when we can invite each other to minister
to our respective congregations.
This work for unity, however, is most
clearly demonstrated in our campus
missions. We try to use every opportunity
to work together with our Christian
sisters and brothers to proclaim Christ
and to witness together, in unity, to his
love and power. From service projects to
prayer events and monthly gatherings of
Christian chaplains, we take Jesus’ desire
seriously.
For example, eight years ago the Catholic
Student Association at Northeastern
University began teaming with InterVarsity
Christian Fellowship and the Baptist
Student Union to host a Christian response
to the school’s annual Sex Week. This was
a moment when we could together proclaim a
clear message about God’s design for human
sexuality to the students. At Rutgers
University, Christian chaplains meet
together monthly to witness about God’s
work in our outreaches and to pray for
each other. On many of the campuses the
student groups join together for moments
of prayer: whether it be times of
intercession, the Stations of the Cross on
Good Friday, or praise and worship nights.
But aside from these programs, one
enduring fruit is the friendships which
have emerged from our collaborations, both
amongst the chaplains and amongst the
students we serve.
Our prayer is that all Christians make
time and find ways to respond to this
dying wish of the Lord Jesus. Maybe it
will happen with a chance encounter at a
diner, but however it happens, may it bear
the fruit of unity for which Jesus prayed.
[This article is from the Spring 2017 Brotherhood
of Hope
Newsletter.] |
