6 August 2026
It has been a few weeks since I have returned from the Centro Pro Unione in Rome and their summer study course, and I continue to reflect on my four weeks in the Eternal City. It was an immense privilege to attend the lectures, museums, liturgies, and various holy and cultural sites, and I enjoyed meeting many new colleagues from around the world as we studied ecumenism and interreligious dialogue together.
Most of my colleagues were Roman Catholic, but there was also a small contingent of Anglicans, as well as Protestants, including Evangelicals. The Centro Pro Unione is a ministry of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, and it is located on the Piazza Navona. The hall in which the lectures took place was also the library where the Anglican and Orthodox observers of the Second Vatican Council met regularly for dialogue and deliberations.
Prior to arriving in Rome, the Director of the Centro Pro Unione, Father James Loughran, sent us an extensive reading list. Each day we gathered for a liturgy of ecumenical Morning Prayer, followed by three one-hour lectures on ecumenical and interfaith topics. These lectures included the history of ecumenism, the study of pertinent Vatican II documents, and the various relations between the Roman Catholic Church and other denominations. Of particular interest to me were the lectures regarding the Anglican and Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC).
These lectures occurred during the morning, and for the afternoons the Centro arranged study visits to various sites throughout the city of Rome. One special treat was to visit the excavations below St. Peter’s Basilica, and to learn about the archaeological work at St. Peter’s tomb. The Centro also arranged for us to visit the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity and the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue. Two afternoons were also dedicated to visiting local Jewish and Muslim communities in Rome. This included a tour of the Jewish Ghetto of Rome, as well as the Synagogue of Rome and Museum, and a class meeting with the Imam of the Islamic Center and Mosque. The mosque of Rome is the largest mosque in Europe.
The faculty for our summer study course were excellent; they have spent their entire careers dedicated to ecumenical research and dialogue. In addition to the history and theology of ecumenism, they also shared personal stories regarding their work that illuminated why certain ecumenical events resulted as they did. It was also fascinating to be in Rome during the illicit SSPX ordinations, and to hear the conversations of our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters. The SSPX has always disapproved of the ecumenical work that blossomed due to Vatican II, and yet these particular Roman Catholics from around the world, studying at the Centro, had a passion for ecumenism.
In addition to the study time, these weeks were enriched by multiple extra visits into churches, museums, shops, and more. We stayed in the area between the Pantheon and Piazza Navona which made it convenient to walk everywhere. Theological conversations from the course spilled into gatherings at cafes and restaurants, and even to visits of the works of Caravaggio in the nearby churches!
Yet, amidst all of this wonderful study, I should mention the current ecumenical winter that is occurring between the various churches. What began as great hope decades ago is now less hopeful. Various issues have made ecumenical talks between churches more difficult, especially regarding the ordination of women and issues of human sexuality.
That being stated, one truth has remained close to me since returning to Honolulu. We know that eventually the Church shall be one, and we know that all Christians shall be a single Body united in Jesus Christ. Why do we know this to be certain? Because Jesus Christ prayed to the Father through the Holy Spirit that we might be One, and again the Father through the Spirit always grants the prayers of the Son. As Jesus Christ prayed that we may be one, we can be certain that in God’s time, all Christians shall be one. When we work for ecumenism, we participate faithfully in the deep desire of the Triune God that we shall all be one. We embrace God’s truth for the future of Christianity.
Father Paul Lillie +
