Pope John Paul II’s Encyclical Letter "Ut unum sint" and Its Praiseworthy Contribution to the Cause of Christian Unity

Abstract

A careful examination of the text of Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Ut unum sint allows us to see, first of all, the fact that His Holiness was closely acquainted with the ecclesiological doctrine of the Second Vatican Council, in which he, in fact, played an active part, including by drafting some synodal documents, such as the decree on ecumenism Unitatis redintegratio. Moreover, in his ecumenical approach, Pope John Paul II aptly advocated for the participation of the Catholic Church in the work of the Ecumenical Council of Churches and for the restoration of the unity of Christians, hence his full ecumenical commitment to engage in ecumenical dialogue with all the Churches, and particularly with the Eastern Church, which he suggestively called “sister Church”. In fact, both his pastoral-practical activity of ecumenical commitment, as well as his encyclicals, abundantly confirm that the Supreme Pontiff has indeed made a praiseworthy contribution to the cause of Christian unity, which the Founder of the Church himself wanted (cf. John 17:21), and which must remain an example for us Christians of today and tomorrow.