This article was published in a newsletter distributed in the parish of:
St Joseph's Catholic Church, Kingston Road, New Malden
Sunday Bulletin for the week commencing 23 January 2011
In 1910 Pope Saint Pius X changed this Novena of Prayer to the current date. At that time, the feast of the Chair of St Peter was celebrated on 18th January - so that the period ran from this significant Feast to that of the conversion of St Paul on 25th January. These eight days were known as the Octave of Prayer for the reunion of Christendom with the Holy See. From these distinctive Catholic, indeed Papal, initiatives grew the present Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (18th-25th January) is an annual opportunity to reflect on our common Baptism which binds all Christians as one, though yet divided, and to pray for unity among the Christian denominations. In our own right, as catholics, we help to promote and facilitate shared initiatives such as the Ecumenical Winter Night Shelter (which starts this year in the Kingston-upon-Thames Deanery on Monday 24th January 2011), as well as Street Pastors. This is in addition to the regular services offered by Kingston Churches' Action on Homelessness, Malden Care, and other longer standing united ventures in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.
