To All Clergy, Religious, and Faithful in Christ,
Beloved Brethren,
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who prayed that “they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me” (John 17:21).
The prayer of Christ for the unity of His followers remains an everlasting summons to the conscience of the Church. Throughout history, divisions have arisen—sometimes through sin, sometimes through misunderstanding, and at times through the frailty of human pride. Yet the will of Christ remains unchanged—that His disciples should live in concord of faith, charity of heart, and communion of spirit. The unity of believers is not a matter of preference but of obedience to the very command of the Saviour.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:4–5). The Church, though diverse in expression, language, and culture, is called to a unity grounded in truth and sanctified by love. Unity is not uniformity; it does not erase distinction or heritage. Rather, it harmonises them, as many voices form one hymn of praise to the same God.
Yet unity cannot flourish where pride reigns or where charity has grown cold. Division often begins not in doctrine but in disposition—in the refusal to listen, forgive, or understand. The sin of schism is not merely an institutional fracture; it is a wound inflicted upon the Body of Christ, whose Head is one and indivisible. The faithful must therefore guard their hearts from the subtle temptation to set themselves above others, for it is written, “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar” (1 John 4:20). Where love is absent, unity is impossible.
We call upon all Christians to labour earnestly for reconciliation within the household of faith. This effort demands humility, prayer, and the courage to face uncomfortable truths. It requires patience with those who differ, and a willingness to learn from the holiness and wisdom that the Holy Spirit has bestowed upon every branch of Christ’s people. The work of unity begins not in councils or conferences, but in the conversion of the heart. When believers pray together, serve the poor together, and forgive one another, the divisions of men begin to yield to the mercy of God.
Unity also demands fidelity. The Church’s oneness cannot be built upon compromise with falsehood or indifference to revealed truth. The faith once delivered unto the saints must remain intact and unaltered. Thus, the path to unity is the path of truth and holiness, not accommodation. The unity Christ desires is that of shared faith, shared love, and shared obedience to the will of God.
Let no Christian imagine that division is inevitable or that reconciliation is hopeless. The same Spirit that descended at Pentecost still moves among the faithful, softening hearts and healing wounds. As it is written, “The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). That peace is both the fruit and the foundation of unity.
We exhort every parish, congregation, and family to pray daily for the unity of the Church. Let clergy preach with charity, believers speak with patience, and all act with humility. Let us reject envy, rivalry, and disdain, for they are the instruments of the adversary. Instead, let us be builders of peace, bearers of grace, and witnesses to the love that binds heaven and earth.
May the Lord, Who is Himself our peace, draw His scattered flock into one fold, one faith, and one hope in His glory. May His Spirit reconcile hearts, purify motives, and perfect His people in charity, that the world may behold in the Church the visible sign of divine unity.
Given this day under my hand and seal, at Nashville, Tennessee, this 15th day of October, in the Year of Our Lord 2025.
+ Mar Mattai