We read in the Second Vatican Council’s Decree on Ecumenism, Unitatis Redintegratio: “What has revealed the love of God among us is that the only-begotten Son of God has been sent by the Father into the world, so that, being made man, he might by his redemption of the entire human race give new life to it and unify it” (2).

We believe that the Lord Jesus has come to bring all of us together in the embrace of God’s unconditional love. Our goal here at the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs is to help our Bishops’ Committee with their crucial task of reaching out with compassion, understanding, and respect, to those who join us in our love of Jesus as Lord, those who follow other religious paths, and those people of good will who are searching for all that is true, good, and beautiful.

Separation and the animosity that accompany it are not from God. The destructive divisions which at times have set Christian against Christian have hindered our capacity to proclaim the Gospel. Our hope is that, through serious dialogue which is both ecumenical and theological, we might be able to authentically understand each other and find the means to become more fully One in Christ.May the good Lord bless us and may our efforts at Christian unity and Inter-faith dialogue flourish.

With the deepest of respect, we hope to cultivate a supportive relationship with our Jewish brothers and sisters which displays that “the spiritual bonds and historical links binding the Church to Judaism condemn as opposed to the very spirit of Christianity all forms of anti-Semitism and discrimination” (SPUC, CRRJ, Guidelines on Religious Relations with the Jews 1974).

We also hope, by engaging in conversation and works of charity with our friends from other faith traditions, we can affirm together all that “reflects a ray of that truth which enlightens all people” (Nostra Aetate 2).

It is my honor to serve Bishop Bambera and the committee in making these hopes become reality and to serve with an outstanding staff of professionals and theologians at the Secretariat. In addition, I am very honored to be able to serve with the men and women throughout our nation who have a love of the Church and a desire to build good relations between the Catholic Church, other Christians, and people from other religious traditions. May the good Lord bless us and may our efforts at Christian unity and Inter-faith dialogue flourish.

Rev. Walter F. Kedjierski
Executive Director