Friars Celebrate Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Around the World

Each year Christians gather worldwide to share Fr. Paul Wattson’s vision of “At-One-Ment” from January 18-25 in observance and celebration of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (WPCU). This year’s theme was “Do you believe?” It was based on John 11:17-27, in which Jesus tells Martha that her brother Lazarus will rise again. The WPCU was made even more special for the Friars of the Atonement because Graymoor has been designated a pilgrimage site for the Jubilee Year by the New York Archdiocese. Below is an overview of how the Friars celebrated the week.

United States
On the Holy Mountain, Christians gathered for many At-One-Ment events. On January 19, Mass was celebrated in Our Lady of the Atonement Chapel with V. Rev. Emil Tomaskovic, SA presiding and Fr. Jim Gardiner, SA, the homilist. Each subsequent day offered opportunities for prayer, meditation, and ecumenical dialogue at Graymoor and surrounding parishes, including Our Lady of Loretto Catholic Church in Cold Spring and St. Philip’s Church in the Highlands.

Friars and Sisters of the Atonement gather with Rev. Amanda Brayton Eiman (middle) and a member of St. Philip’s Church in the Highlands following Monday’s prayer service.

Beyond the Hudson Valley, extending east of Graymoor, in Plainview, New York, Fr. Jim Puglisi, SA, led a Taize Prayer Service at St. Pius X Roman Catholic Church on February 2 (postponed due to inclement weather). Participating churches included parishes in Long Island, New York: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Episcopal Church of St. Margaret, and St. Mary’s Syro-Malabar Church.

Photographs Courtesy of St. Pius X Roman Catholic Church

Another highlight of the WPCU was an ecumenical service at the InterChurch Center in New York City on Wednesday, January 22, organized by the Ecumenical and Interreligious Institute (GEII).
Fr. Emil co-presided with guests from the Protestant, Orthodox, and Pentecostal communities. The Rev. Dr. Cheryl Dudley, Regional Executive Minister of the American Baptist Churches of Metro New York, served as preacher. Dr. Aaron Hollander, newly named Executive Director of GEII, commented on the success of this year’s ecumenical service: “The four co-presiders brought their shared witness and solidarity in committing to live and think and pray together.” Joining Fr. Emil were Fr. Jim Puglisi, SA; Fr. Tim MacDonald, SA; Fr. Jim Gardiner, SA; and Fr. Elias Mallon, SA.

Pictured above (left to right): Dr. Aaron Hollander, Minister General Fr. Emil Tomaskovic, SA, Fr. Jim Puglisi, SA, Fr. Tim MacDonald, SA, Fr. Jim Gardiner, SA, and Fr. Elias Mallon, SA.

And in Maryland on January 24, a special Christian Unity Service took place at Sacred Heart RC Church in Chestertown. The following excerpt was written by Linda Dyekman, a former special gifts officer at Graymoor.

“The evening opened with lovey soups and Chilies for dinner, provided by local merchants of the area and Sacred Heart Volunteers. After enjoying the repast and the great deserts, the group proceeded to the Church for the Christian Unity Service. The materials used were provided by the Graymoor Ecumenical and Interreligious Institute (GEII) and the World Council of Churches. Fr. Paul Wattson, SA, Servant of God and Apostle of Christian Unity prayer cards were available to all. The service was Co-Sponsored by St. Clement’s Episcopal Church and Sacred Heart Parish. Pastor Mark Hansen and The Rev. Jones Kakatla, Pastor presided. The music, directed by Debra Dragone, reflected the meaning of the evening. As the pictures from the evening indicate, the Our Lady of Atonement Statue presented to Reverend Jones Kakatla was gratefully appreciated as were the little gifts from Graymoor for the participants.

The clergy who participated included:

• Bishop Leon Frison, Living Water Greater Highway Church of Christ, Chestertown, MD
• Rev. Jones Kukatla, Pastor Sacred Heart
• Mark Hansen, PhD, Lay Pastor of St. Clements Episcopal Church, Massey, MD & Ecumenical Officer, Episcopal Diocese of Easton, MD
• Deacon John L. Davis of Sacred Heart
• Fr. David Raju guest at Sacred Heart

Committee Members, Ed Gordan, Sean O’Connor, Barbara Kelly, Mary Jo Frohlich, Debra Gassner Dragone, Mark Hansen and Linda Dyekman representing Graymoor were all in attendance.

Photographs Courtesy of James Dyekman

Italy
Celebrations began at the Santuario della Spogliazione Assisi, where delegates from Christian denominations in the Umbria region gathered as one to pray, “Father of all, who is above all, works among all, and is present in all” (Eph 4:6). Throughout the week, Fr. Jan Janoszka, SA, led services at Santo Rosario e Santa Messa. Joining in celebrations were students from Ilia, representing the Georgian Orthodox. They were accompanied by their professor, Dr. Tamara Grdzelidze. Also in attendance were Anglican pastors and scholars, including Dr. Rev. Matthew Olver, Executive Director of the Living Church Foundation, and Dr. Christopher Wells, Director of Unity, Faith, and Order for the Anglican Communion. During the week, attendees engaged in developing stronger dialogue between Christians and Jews.

Reflecting on the events through daily Facebook posts, Br. Fabrizio Szymanski, SA, published, “on January 22, the Friars visited the Curia of Assisi for a celebratory meeting and gathering of Jewish-Christian friendship. The conversation and theme for the day centered upon the 2025 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and the Jubilee Year of Hope.” The event was organized by the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement and Diocesi di Foligno, with partnership from the Commission for Ecumenism and Dialogue, of which the Diocesi di Assisi-Nocera Umbra-Gualdo Tadino and the Franciscan Nuns of the Atonement are part.

Other updates from Assisi (courtesy of their Facebook page) include:

• January 23, at the Assisi Church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, the sixth day of the Week of Prayer was organized by the Frates of the TOR (Third Regular Order), the Frati Francescani dell’Atonement, and the Franciscan Nuns of the Atonement.
• January 24, the local Anglican community hosted a meeting in the church of St. Leonardo. The theme of the meeting was “We only profess one baptism.” Thank you to Br. Samuel Richard Double, SSF (Society of St. Francis), Anglican religious temporarily in charge of the care of the faithful of this Christian denomination present in Umbria territory.

Fr. Jim Loughran shared this update from the Centro Pro Unione:

“The power of Spiritual Ecumenism is alive and well in Rome. During our lecture and service organized with the Lay Centre and ecumenical friends, we welcomed guests who showed dedication to the unity of the Church and we also enjoyed a presentation by Dr. John Borelli…. The week culminated in the Vespers of the Conversion of St. Paul, with the Holy Father Pope Francis calling for visible unity with a focus on returning to a conversation about a common date for Easter between the Churches of the East and West. Throughout the week, the Centro Pro Unione hosted various Christian groups, from Georgian Orthodox Church students to Anglican pilgrims to the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey, Switzerland, and a visit from a nearly 700-year-old Brotherhood of noble laymen from the Netherlands. Our doors were open and many enjoyed our Franciscan Atonement hospitality.”

Fr. Jim Loughran, SA, (right) pictured with Professor Dr. Tamara Grdzelidze and her students from Ilia State University.

Peru
In Lima, Peru, Friars guided the WPCU through a series of events that included wisdom from Catholic, Presbyterian, Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, and Evangelical leaders. Themes included: “Creation as the Work of God”; “The Holy Spirit: Giver of Life and Joy”; and “In Anticipation of the Kingdom and the Future Life.” Fr. Daniel Callahan, SA, led prayer services at the Focolare Community, where Christian principles of united brotherhood and sisterhood are promoted through a variety of activities. Each day the Friars spread At-One-Ment throughout the many communities and neighborhoods of Lima, including: the Diocese of Lurin; YMCA and the Presbyterian Church; the Monastery of the Incarnation (Augustinian Nuns); the Methodist and Evangelical Church of Peru; and at the Friary in Lima.

Closing Prayer Service at the Monastery of the Incarnation

Day 2: Fr. Dan Callahan, SA, and Br. Alexander Espinosa (front) at the Presbyterian Church

Japan

Fr. Joseph Hiramatsu, SA shared these photos from the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and their 43rd Ecumenical Service.