Pope Francis has has today appointed Bishop Mario Grech, emeritus of Gozo and pro-secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, as a member of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

Also appointed to the same Pontifical Council were, His Eminence Cardinal Joseph William Tobin, archbishop of Newark; Bishop Paulo Cezar Costa of São Carlos; Bishop Paul Rouhana, titular of Antarado and auxiliary of Joubbé, Sarba and Jounieh of the Maronites; and Bishop Richard Kuuia Baawobr of Wa.

The Gozo Diocese gave their best wishes to Bishop Grech, the Apostolic Administrator for Gozo, in this ecumenical mission that is “very close to the heart of the Pope and the Church,” because it is a direct response to the desire of Christ that “we are all one.”

The origin of Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity is closely linked with the Second Vatican Council.

It was Pope John XXIII’s desire that the Catholic Church’s involvement in the ecumenical movement be one of the Council’s chief concerns.

On the 5th of June 1960, he established a `Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity’ as one of the preparatory commissions for the Council, and appointed Cardinal Augustin Bea as its first President. This was the beginning of the Catholic Church’s formal commitment to the ecumenical movement.

The main function of the Secretariat was at first to invite the other Churches and World Communions to send observers to the Second Vatican Council. However, during the first weeks of the Council, Pope John XXIII placed the Secretariat on an equal footing with other conciliar commissions.

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