An invitation to "continue the journey of ecumenical hope" and the promise to "work harder" to "reach the day when all Christians will be united in proclaiming the evangelical message of salvation for everyone". This is the content of the message that Benedict XVI addressed to the IX General Assembly of the Ecumenical Council of the Churches that opens today in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The Assembly named "Lord, in your grace, transform the world" will be attended by over 700 official delegates from 340 Churches (protestant, Anglican and orthodox ones) plus a few thousands of guests and visitors. Although it is not officially a member of the Ecumenical Council of the Churches, a delegation of the Catholic Church, headed by card. Walter Kasper, president of the Papal Council for the Promotion of the Unity of Christians, will go to Porto Alegre. It was card. Kasper who read the Pope’s message at the opening session of the Assembly. "Reminiscent of the common baptismal faith in the Triune God wrote the Pope the Catholic Church and the Ecumenical Council of the Churches are looking for ways to cooperate more and more effectively in the task of testifying God’s divine love". The Pope recalled the 40 years’ "fruitful cooperation" that bind the Catholic Church to the Wcc (World Council of Churches). "If we go on this journey together he said we must be open to the signs of the divine Providence and to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit". The Pope concluded by reassuring of his "spiritual closeness" and "confirming that the Catholic Church intends to maintain a firm partnership with the Ecumenical Council of the Churches in its important contribution to the ecumenical movement".
