From the General Prefectures of Bible Ministry and Communication and Apostolate, an invitation has been sent to Provinces and Delegations to prepare and animate two important church celebrations that occur in January.
Instituted by Pope Francis in 2019, on Sunday, January 22nd, the Catholic Church will celebrate the Sunday of the Word of God, which many Claretian communities celebrated with special solemnity in 2022. Father Henry Omonisaye, General Prefect of Bible Ministry and Communication, has invited all Claretians to join in the celebration and to deepen their preparation of the homily this year as a qualified service to the Word and People of God. At the 26th General Chapter of the Congregation, held in 2021, it was suggested to “take the preparation and realization of homilies very seriously,” inviting a deeper understanding of the suggestions made by the Pope in the exhortation Evangelii Gaudium.
Read: The Letter and Evangelii Gaudium
On the other hand, the General Prefecture of Apostolate has disseminated materials on Christian Unity, supported by the Dicastery to promote unity. The materials, developed jointly by Christians of different denominations, include an ecumenical celebration, some biblical comments, and a proposal for an octave of prayer. Many Christian communities will intensify their prayer for unity from January 18th to 25th or around Pentecost. The materials can be used at any time of the year in 2023. They emphasize the need to break down all barriers and segregation, especially within Christian communities. Thanks to God, as the Church has recently noted, more and more Christians of different denominations are working for unity and sharing concerns for human rights, justice, peace, and care for the earth.
