Kitchen Catechism: Eye on The Pope
A Church of Communion - Of Holiness - of Unity
Pope John Paul II called for a Church of ‘communion’ based on a “close relationship between the Church’s holiness and her unity,” when addressing two U.S. bishops in Rome. He described it as a ‘spirituality’ "...we must foster at the dawn of this new millennium, if we wish to be faithful to God's plan and respond to the world's deepest yearnings," "Like her holiness, the Church's unity is an unfailing gift of God and a constant summons to an ever more perfect communion in faith, hope and love.”
In this connection, The Holy Father addressed "a word of acknowledgment and praise for the dedication and faithful work carried out by so many committed priests in the United States, especially those engaged in meeting the daily challenges and demands associated with parish ministry."
"As the spiritual values which unite priests, these should be the basis for the renewal of the priestly ministry and the promotion of unity in the apostolate, so that under the guidance of its priests the community of disciples may truly be of one heart and one mind."
He asked the bishops "to ensure that the seminaries form mature and balanced personalities, men capable of establishing sound human and pastoral relationships, knowledgeable in theology, solid in the spiritual life, and in love with the Church."