EIGHT DAYS' PRAYER FOR SPECIAL INTENTIONS FURTHERING THE RESTORATION OF THE UNITY OF CHRISTENDOM IN THE ONE TRUE CHURCH IN COMMUNION WITH THE SEE OF PETER
War will not interfere with World-wide Prayer next week for Christian Unity
The Holy Father will this year once again inaugurate the Church Unity Octave next Sunday by offering his own Mass for the prescribed intentions.
In addition Cardinal Tisser ant from the Vatican has specially recommended the Octave to the communions and prayers of all children.
War has not interfered with the world-wide observance, and a report from the Graymoor Community in the United States, which began the Octave forty-three years ago, shows that last year practically every country and very many kinds of Christians kept the Octave.
Though the Octave is not widely observed in Catholic churches in this country, the very remarkable progress that has been made in achieving contacts and co-operation cannot but be an answer to the prolonged and widespread prayer. This progress may be described as " the one bright outcome of the war."
In the Pope's recent Allocution there is to be found once again a characteristic example of Pius XII's special regard for our "separated brethren in the blessing " on those, who, although not members of the visible body of the Catholic Church, are near to us in their faith in God and in Jesus Christ and share with us our views with regard to the conditions of peace and its fundamental aims."
Thus participation in the Octave is undoubtedly regarded by the Holy Father as a special. co-operation with him in his prayer and work for the restoration of world peace.