Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity [Day 1]

Feast of the Chair of St. Peter [Traditional Roman Calendar]

And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Matthew 16:18

The Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity has as its beginning a feast honoring the authority of the Pope, the Rock on which our Lord built His church. Or it did in the old Calendar; in the new Calendar, the feast has moved to February 22, and we lose the symbolic value of seeking unity first of all under the authority of Peter, chosen by Christ to shepherd His people.

So amid the varied prayers for unity ascending to heaven this day, the prayer of this blog is for the unity of God's holy Church across the ages and a return to the wisdom and beauty of earlier days. Our Church is one Church, not a "pre-Conciliar Church" and a "post-Conciliar Church", but one Church, founded by Christ our Lord to serve Him in faith, hope and charity until the end of time. When we undo the work of past generations, we may unravel more of the fabric of the Faith than we understand. But Christ can heal all wounds. Through His Holy Spirit may we find again many of the good things which we have foolishly set aside.

Hymn: Faith of our Fathers

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ANTIPHON: That they all may be one, as Thou, Father, in me and I in Thee; that they also may be one in Us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me.

V. I say unto thee, thou art Peter;

R. And upon this rock I will build my Church.

For the return of the "other sheep" to the One Fold of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Let us pray. Blessed Lord Jesus Christ, who saidst unto Thine apostles, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you;" regard not our sins, but the faith of Thy Church, and grant unto her that peace and unity which is according to Thy will, Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God, now and ever.

O gracious Father, we humbly beseech thee for Thy holy Catholic Church; that Thou wouldst be pleased to fill it with all truth, in all peace. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it it in error, direct it; where in anything it is amiss, reform it. Where it is right, establish it; where it is in want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of Him who died and rose again, and ever liveth to make intercession for us, Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord.

O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Saviour, The Prince of Peace; Give us grace seriously to lay to heart the great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions. Take away all hatred and prejudice, and whatsoever else may hinder us from godly union and concord: that as there is but one Body and one Spirit, and one hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may be all of one heart and of one soul, united in one holy bond of truth and peace, of faith and charity, and may with one mind and one mouth glorify Thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord.