What are these bonds of unity? Above all, charity “binds everything together in perfect harmony.” But the unity of the pilgrim Church is also assured by visible bonds of communion:

• profession of one faith received from the Apostles;


• common celebration of divine worship, especially the sacraments;


• apostolic succession through the sacrament of Holy Orders, maintaining the fraternal concord of God’s family.

• deep scriptural and theological grounding in the Christian understanding of the human person


• practical insights for ministry, pastoral care, and community life


• engaging questions for small group discussion and personal reflection

• un ancrage scripturaire et théologique profond dans la conception chrétienne de la personne humaine,


• des idées pratiques pour le ministère, la pastorale et la vie communautaire,


• des questions engageantes pour les échanges en petits groupes et la réflexion personnelle.

The Spirit asks us to listen to the questions, concerns, and hopes of every Church, people, and nation. And to listen to the world, to the challenges and changes that it sets before us. Let us not soundproof our hearts; let us not remain barricaded in our certainties. So often our certainties can make us closed. Let us listen to one another (Homily at the Mass Opening the Synodal Path, October 10, 2021).

• Anti-abortion organizations should no longer be accorded charitable status;


• The Income Tax Act should be amended to provide a definition of a charity which would remove the privileged status of “advancement of religion” as a charitable purpose.

• the development and reception of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine on Justification (https://slmedia.org/blog/jddj-milestone-challenge), and


• the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, a member of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) (https://slmedia.org/blog/jddj-milestone-challenge).

• In addition to visiting and participating in events held within Catholic venues, WYD pilgrims were invited to visit significant Protestant and Orthodox churches and other houses of worship (synagogues, mosques, temples) in Lisbon and throughout the country, to “observe” how each religious denomination has its own history, content, ritual, and societal outreach.


• With fellow Christians, WYD pilgrims were invited also to participate in prayers, lectures, and bible studies offered by Anglican, Protestant, Orthodox Church leaders, and ecumenical communities (such as Taizé and Chemin Neuf), and to “look for signs of unity” (of faith, sacrament, and mission) between these Christian communities.


• On the interfaith side, organizers highlighted that “leaders of other faiths will be present at various events of the WYD Lisbon 2023 presided over by the Pope,” and indeed Pope Francis met with a number of ecumenical and interreligious leaders at significant events held throughout the week.


• Groups from various religious backgrounds participated in a Youth Festival program that featured “music and singing as a universal language that facilitates encounters between religions, cultures and peoples.”

The beauty of anti-racism is that you don't have to pretend to be free of racism to be an anti-racist. Anti-racism is the commitment to fight racism wherever you find it, including in yourself. And it's the only way forward.