Denver Catholics to Observe Week of Prayer for Christian Unity With Ecumenical Service

St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Denver will welcome Christian leaders for prayer and dialogue for a second consecutive year.

(Photo courtesy of St. Catherine of Siena Parish)

Each January, Christians around the world pause to pray for a unity that reflects Christ’s own desire for his disciples: “that they may all be one” (John 17:21). From January 18 to 25, the universal Church observes the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, a time dedicated to prayer, reflection and mutual understanding among Christians of different traditions.

For the second consecutive year, St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Denver will observe this important week with a special gathering that combines prayer and conversation in a spirit of hope and charity.

On Thursday, January 22, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., the parish will host a prayer service and discussion panel in the church, welcoming Christian leaders from various denominations to pray together and reflect on the call to unity. The evening will conclude with a meet-and-greet and light appetizers in the church lobby, providing an opportunity for fellowship and personal conversation.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity has been observed for more than a century and is rooted in the conviction that unity among Christians is not something achieved solely through dialogue or cooperation, but first and foremost through prayer. The Catholic Church teaches that authentic ecumenism begins with conversion of heart, humility and a shared turning toward Christ, who alone is the source of unity.

St. Catherine’s observance reflects that understanding. By hosting a prayer service within a Catholic church and grounding the evening in shared prayer, the parish emphasizes that unity does not require setting aside Catholic identity. Instead, it invites Catholics to witness to their faith while listening respectfully to the faith of others, trusting that the Holy Spirit is at work.

The evening’s panel will include pastors from several Christian traditions, including Friends (Quaker), Lutheran, Episcopalian and Roman Catholic communities. The gathering provides an opportunity for parishioners and guests alike to gain a deeper understanding of how different Christian communities express their faith, while also acknowledging the shared beliefs and practices that unite Christians.

The theme for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity this year draws from Ephesians 4:4: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling.” For Catholics, that hope finds its fullness in the Church Christ founded, while also inviting patient prayer for the day when full visible unity may be restored among all who confess Jesus as Lord.

All are welcome to attend the January 22 prayer service and discussion at St. Catherine of Siena Parish. As Christians gather in prayer during this week, the parish invites the faithful to join in asking God for the grace of unity, which begins in hearts turned toward Christ and grows through prayer, charity and truth.