Called to Hope – Key Players in Dialogue

In March 2025, I took part in the ‘Called to Hope’ Congress in Castel Gandolfo, on the hills above Rome: ‘In these times of division and great challenges, as Christians we are called to bear witness together to the hope of the Gospel and to be agents of dialogue and unity, working for peace and fraternity’.
Here are a few articles I wrote about this wonderful meeting:
The urgency of Christian unity
At the opening of the congress, a question was shared: why should we still be concerned about Christian unity today? Are there not other priorities? A range of answers was given: unity is more essential than ever
Dialogue as a way of life
Four theologians from different Churches shared what dialogue means to them: dialogue of life, of the heart, of prayer, but also on doctrine. Forms of dialogue that are not to be opposed, but to be articulated with each other.
In Rome, at the sites of the martyrs.
The second day of the Congress consisted of a pilgrimage in the footsteps of the first Christians who gave their lives for the Gospel: Paul, Lawrence, Zeno and his ten thousand companions.
The significance of the year 2025 for unity
The year 2025 is rich in ecumenical events: the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, which expressed the Christian faith; Easter, celebrated on the same date by all the Churches; the 100th anniversary of the first Conference on Life and Work; and the 60th anniversary of the lifting of excommunications between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches.
Trust and hope
A meditation that I gave during this congress. Hope is an ‘anchor for the soul, firm and secure’ (Heb 6:19) that ties us securely to the love of God.
Prayer of Margaret Karram
The president of the Focolari movement delivered a prayer for peace and reconciliation during an ecumenical celebration in the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls.