By Justin McLellan, Catholic News Service • Posted October 17, 2024

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis called on divided Christians to overcome their doctrinal differences and walk together in love, expressing hope especially for greater unity between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches.

Speaking during his general audience in St. Peter’s Square Oct. 16, the pope acknowledged historical differences among Christian communities, but he stressed that the path forward lies in reconciliation.

“Among Christians, there are so many differences,” he said, “but the important thing is that these differences are reconciled in the love of walking together.”

As part of his ongoing catechesis on the Holy Spirit, Pope Francis spoke about the historic split between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, known as the Great Schism of 1054.

One issue that led to the division was the Catholic Church’s addition of the Latin term “filioque” — meaning “and from the Son” — to the Nicene Creed, which signaled that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son. This theological disagreement, along with other cultural and political factors, contributed to the long-standing rift between the two branches of Christianity.

Yet Pope Francis expressed hope that the issue would become “one of the main reconciled differences” between the churches since the dialogue between them has meant their disagreement “has lost the harshness of the past and today allows hope for full mutual acceptance.”

Even while differences remain, he said, “we can value the most important prerogative for us that is proclaimed in the article of the creed, namely that the Holy Spirit is the ‘giver of life,’ that is, life-giving.”

At the moment of humanity’s creation, he said, God breathed life into Adam, and “now, in the new creation, the Holy Spirit is the one who gives believers new life, the life of Christ, supernatural life, as children of God.”

“Where, in all of this, is the great and consoling news for us?” he asked. “It is that the life given to us by the Holy Spirit is eternal life.”

“Faith frees us from the horror of having to admit that everything ends here, that there is no redemption for the suffering and injustice that reign supreme on earth,” the pope said. “The Spirit lives in us, it is in us.”

After his main speech, Pope Francis asked visitors in the square not to forget countries experiencing war: Ukraine, Palestine, Israel and Myanmar.

“Brothers and sisters, let us not forget that war always, always, is a defeat,” he said. “Let us not forget this and pray for peace and fight for peace.”