The Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs Committee of the diocese hosted a Vespers service at Queen of All Saints Church, Fort Greene, on Wednesday evening, May 7.

Linda Busetti Photos 

AN ECUMENICAL VESPERS SERVICE was held at Queen of All Saints Church, Fort Greene, on the evening of May 7, hosted by the diocesan Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs Committee. Clergy from Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopal and Armenian churches came together to pray for Christian unity. Father James Gardiner, S.A., director of the Graymoor Spiritual Life Center, far left, offered a reflection on ecumenism as part of the service.

Bishop DiMarzio

Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio presided and was joined by clergy members including Auxiliary Bishop Octavio Cisneros; Father James Gardiner, S.A. director of the Graymoor Spiritual Life Center; Msgr. Andrew Vaccari, administrator of Queen of All Saints; Rev. N.J. L’Heureux of the Queens Federation of Churches; Rev. Harriet Wieber of Salem Lutheran Church, Bay Ridge; Very Rev. Haigazoun Najarian of the Armenian Church; Rev. David Benke of the Missouri Synod of Lutheran Churches; and The Rev. Edwin T. Chase IV of St. Matthew and St. Luke Episcopal Church, Brooklyn.

Msgr. Massie

Msgr. Guy Massie, committee chairperson, led the congregation in hymns and the chanting of Psalms 126 and 127 and the Canticle of Mary.

After a reading from 1 Corinthians 2: 9-10, Father Gardiner offered a reflection on ecumenism.

“Benedict XVI did give the ecumenical talk just a little more than two weeks ago,” he said referring to an ecumenical service at St. Joseph’s Church in the Yorkville section of Manhattan during the pope’s recent visit.

Father Gardiner said Bishop Dennis Sullivan had said at that service, “something that I’ve been waiting to hear for a long time: ‘Much, of course, remains to be done especially in our parishes and congregations, where ecumenical prayer, theological discussions, and the united pursuit of justice, charity and peace need to be promoted and encouraged across denominational boundaries with unlimited trust in the providence of our Loving God.’”

For many people, Father Gardiner said, ecumenism is “either ‘under the radar’ because it’s considered a frill at best or irrelevant at worst or ‘off the screen’ entirely because it’s considered a fait accompli…”

Father Gardiner, SA

Father Gardiner suggested that praying for unity is the main way to promote ecumenism. He noted this year is the centenary of what is now known as the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

In conclusion, he pointed out that, “the very same conditions and circumstances that gave rise over 100 years ago to the modern ecumenical movement exist all over again today; 100 years ago it was the encounter with other world religions overseas; today it’s the very same encounter with other world religions except the encounter is not overseas, it’s right here at home.”

Father Gardiner was certainly speaking about Brooklyn and Queens. “It’s my contention that conditions are ripe for an incredible rebirth of ecumenism; so let’s not limit our praying for Christian unity to once or twice a year; instead let’s ‘pray without ceasing’ ‘that all may be one…that the world may believe’.”

Among those who came to pray for Christian unity were Carol Sampson and Karl Arthur members of the Bible study group at Queen of All Saints parish. Sampson was very happy to have the opportunity to pray with other Christians. She and Arthur were pleased also to have the chance to meet Bishop DiMarzio.

Marie Lourdes Andre, a parishioner at Queen of All Saints for 25 years, is a member of the Rosary Society, a Eucharistic minister and member of the Bible study. She had come to offer thanks for a favor that God granted her that day. Andre was beaming as she collected hymnals from the pews after the prayer service.