Sharing from Cardinal Kurt Koch
on behalf of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity
Esteemed Members of the Joint Working Group,
It is a joy to address you today as we gather here in the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity for the second plenary session of the current 11th mandate of the JWG. I am grateful for your presence and for this opportunity to share some reflections on the Catholic Church’s ecumenical engagement, particularly in light of the new pontificate, the Jubilee Year 2025, and the challenges and opportunities that lie before us.
1. The Ecumenical Engagement of Pope Leo XIV
Since his election on 8 May 2025, Pope Leo XIV has made Christian unity a clear and visible priority of his ministry. His pontificate stands in continuity with the ecumenical commitment of his predecessors: Pope Paul VI’s historic visit to the World Council of Churches in Geneva in 1969, Saint John Paul II’s affirmation in 1984 in the WCC headquarters that Catholic engagement in the ecumenical movement is “irreversible,” and Pope Francis’s 2018 ecumenical pilgrimage to Geneva and the Bossey Ecumenical Institute under the theme Walking, Praying, Working Together.
At his inaugural Mass, Pope Leo proclaimed: “Love and unity: these are the two dimensions of the mission entrusted to Peter by Jesus.” From the very outset, he has emphasized dialogue and reconciliation. Meeting with leaders from Christian Churches and other religions on 19 May, he declared that one of his priorities as Bishop of Rome is to seek the re-establishment of full and visible communion among all who confess faith in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Quoting his episcopal motto, In illo uno unum, taken from Saint Augustine, he reminded us: “Although we are many, in the One — that is Christ — we are one.”
That same day, Pope Leo welcomed Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to the Vatican. Their encounter was described as “a renewed embrace” between two ancient Churches still journeying toward unity. On that occasion, the Pope expressed his desire to travel to Turkey in November 2025 to commemorate with the Patriarch and other Christian leaders the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea.
In July, Pope Leo received an Orthodox–Catholic Ecumenical Pilgrimage from the United States, his home country, at Castel Gandolfo. Reflecting on the Nicene Creed, he invited Orthodox and Catholic to witness to hope through their shared faith. He also noted with joy that, by providence, both calendars coincided this year, allowing all Christians to proclaim together the Easter acclamation: “Christ is risen! He is truly risen!”
In his recent message to the Ecumenical Week in Stockholm, Pope Leo once again underlined the importance of visible unity, rooted in theological dialogue, common prayer, and shared witness in service of humanity. He called all Christians to become “artisans of reconciliation” in a divided world, echoing the legacy of the Council of Nicaea and the 1925 Life and Work Conference promoted by Archbishop Nathan Söderblom, with its enduring motto: “Service unites.”
2. The Jubilee Year 2025 and Ecumenism
It is providential that this plenary of the JWG takes place in Rome during the Jubilee Year 2025. A jubilee, rooted in biblical tradition, is a time of renewal, liberation, and reconciliation. Celebrated under the theme Pilgrims of Hope, it speaks directly to the ecumenical movement, which is itself a pilgrimage sustained by hope and by the conviction that unity is God’s will for the Church.
In this Jubilee context, the Nicene Creed, proclaimed 1,700 years ago, stands as a providential sign. It is a confession of faith held in common by most Christian traditions, reminding us that even amidst divisions, our foundation in Christ remains unshaken.
This Jubilee also highlights the “ecumenism of martyrs.” Today, Christians of different confessions suffer persecution and, in many places, shed their blood together for the name of Christ. Their sacrifice transcends denominational boundaries and becomes a seed of unity.
In this spirit, on 14 September 2025, an ecumenical commemoration of the new martyrs and witnesses of the faith of the 21st century will be held at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. Presided over by Pope Leo XIV and organized by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, it will gather representatives of many Churches and ecclesial communities. This celebration will give visible expression to the conviction that the Church is already one in the blood of her martyrs.
The Jubilee Year thus offers all Christians the opportunity to renew their commitment to unity, to rediscover the joy of walking side by side, and to witness together to the Gospel in our fractured world.
3. Current Challenges for the DPCU in Ecumenical Relations
Despite much progress, important challenges remain.
First, ecclesiological differences—particularly regarding primacy and synodality—continue to require careful dialogue. The Dicastery’s 2024 study document The Bishop of Rome: Primacy and Synodality in Ecumenical Dialogues offers one step forward, showing that the papal ministry can be understood not as an obstacle but as a service to unity.
Second, the fragmentation of Christian witness in an increasingly secular and divided world diminishes the credibility of the Gospel. Christians must join in defending human dignity, justice, peace, and care for creation, for division weakens our mission.
Third, the rise of new independent Christian communities presents a further challenge. Many of these groups are vibrant in faith but lack established ecumenical relations with Rome or the WCC. Creating avenues of dialogue with these communities, while continuing to accompany our longstanding partners, is an urgent task.
Fourth, the healing of historical wounds remains unfinished. Past conflicts and prejudices still weigh heavily on our relationships. Healing these memories through dialogue, prayer, and common witness requires humility and courage.
Finally, the integration of ecumenism into the life of the whole Church is vital. Ecumenical dialogue is not only the responsibility of experts but must be embraced by bishops, clergy, religious, and lay faithful in their daily ministry and life.
These challenges are theological, pastoral, cultural, and spiritual. Meeting them requires perseverance, creativity, and above all fidelity to Christ’s prayer: “That they may all be one” (Jn 17:21).
4. Expectations for the JWG’s Work in this Mandate
As the JWG carries forward its mandate, I would like to highlight three directions for its work:
- Remain outward-facing. As Pope Francis reminded us at the JWG’s 50th anniversary ten years ago (2015), the Group should serve as a think-tank, attentive to real pastoral and cultural challenges, and able to propose collaborative steps that draw Christians together in service of the Gospel.
- Nurture theological clarity. True ecumenical dialogue demands careful theological reflection, undertaken in an atmosphere of synodal discernment guided by the Holy Spirit. The JWG can help foster mutual understanding on key issues as proposed for the three study groups of this mandate: Group 1: Understandings of Salvation and the Challenge of Religious Indifference; Group 2: Collective Reconciliation: Processes and Tools in Global Contexts; Group 3: Confronting Violence and Discrimination Based on Religious Affiliation.
- Embody reconciled diversity. Christian unity does not mean uniformity. Rather, it is communion in which legitimate differences enrich the whole Body of Christ. On the other side differences does not mean unlimited pluralism. The JWG should foster a spirit where differences are respected and transformed into gifts, and where this vision of reconciled diversity is made visible through confession of the same faith, joint prayer, common witness, and coordinated responses to global challenges.
Conclusion
Dear brothers and sisters,
Through its history, the work of the JWG has been both demanding and inspiring for the entire ecumenical movement. By remaining outward-looking, deepening theological clarity, and embodying reconciled diversity, it can continue to serve as a vital bridge between the Catholic Church and the World Council of Churches. May the Holy Spirit guide your efforts and lead us ever closer to full and visible unity in Christ.
Thank you.