INQUIRER Global Nation

THE Council of Churches in Cebu culminated its weeklong prayer for Christian community last Feb. 9 at the San Carlos Seminary College in Mabolo, Cebu City.

With the theme “Praying without ceasing,” which was taken from the Bible (1 Thessalonians 5:17), the event was held in commemoration of the 100th year of weeklong prayer that started in the United States.

The ecumenical gathering was participated by the different religious denominations such as the Roman Catholic, United Methodist, United Church of Christ in the Philippines and Iglesia Filipina Independiente, and religious institutions like the University of San Carlos and Work of Mary (Focolare Movement).

The event was aimed to gather in one venue the different Christian churches for them to share their insights, reflections and personal experiences on how to further deepen their unity, especially in dealing with the country’s current situation and challenges that directly affect the Filipino people.

The participants unanimously said “We long for the visible oneness of the body of Christ, affirming the gifts of all, young and old, women and men, lay and ordained. We trust that God, through the Holy Spirit, shall persevere in us and give us strength in our untiring search for unity and oneness as we ‘pray without ceasing’ the same prayer of Jesus ‘that all may be one.'” /UP Masscom student Joy Eva Bohol