CHURCH UNITY

Anglicans' " Axiomatic and Fundamental " Standpoint
Eight years ago the promoters of the Church Unity Octave, Anglicans whose religious desire it is ut omnes unum sins, had the adhesion of seventy-nine of the Church of England clergy. At the time of the last Octave there were upwards of a thousand such supporters.
This year the Church Unity Octave is being observed on January 18-25, that is, from the feast of St. Peter's Chair in Rome until the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul.
The intention for which the promoters pray is frankly that of union with the Holy See. 'Their standpoint is best put in their own words, in three short statements put forward for acceptance as "axiomatic and fundamental ":
(1) The conversion of the world depends upon the Visible Unity of the Church of govt, for Our Lord prayed " That they all may be one . . . that the World may believe."
(2) Ile provided the means for the maintenance of this Unity by the appointment of a visible head of the. visible Body : "Thou art Peter, atni upon this Rook I will build my rhumb_"
B Udcry as shown what interpretation the Church true; given to this text, for none other has ever been the Church's acknowledged head upon earth save lie who sits en Peter's throne. Separation front this centre of Unity has always lent the separated into further schisms. while acknowledgment of it roma necessarily result in the healing of all divisions.
(3) Tho dogmatic decrees that concern the prellIncy of St. l'eter's successor and his infallibility in Faith and Morals. while not yepuble of being rescinded even by the Pope himself, do nevertholess admit of explanation and further definition such as would make their general acreptance by the Catholic-minded inevitable.
" The fact must be faced," the Octave's promoters say, " that the three points we have set down are first principles with Rome, and it would be useless to attempt negotiations with her, in regard to union, except on that understanding."
Catholic Co-operation
The Society of St. John Chrysostorn is associating itself warmly with this campaign of prayer for the return of the dissident bodies to the centre of unity. The Society is organising a liturgy according to the Byzantine rite, in one of the London churches, on January 25, Par.. ticulars will be announced later.