By Viktoriia Havaleshko
The Lay Centre opened the new semester with a focus on ecumenical dialogue and the missionary apostolate. These opening gatherings, held in preparation for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, featured Rev. Matthew Laferty (Director of the Methodist Ecumenical Office in Rome and Representative of the World Methodist Council to the Holy See) who led an ecumenical prayer on January 8, followed by Fr. Franco Galdino (Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life) on January 14. These first meetings serve as a foundational moment for the community to reflect on their shared mission and the practical challenges of walking together in faith.
Rev. Laferty explained that because everyone is on a shared pilgrimage toward God, every action must be ecumenical, no matter the challenges. He further noted that while unity is a divine gift, it demands a continuous commitment to walking together and focusing on what unites the community in Christ. He highlighted that while unity is a gift from the Lord, it requires a constant effort to walk together even amid differences, seeking what unites the community in Christ.
Dialogue as a Path to a Shared Mission
In his address, Rev. Matthew Laferty emphasized that dialogue among Christians is first and foremost a process of building trust, one that involves both seeking common ground and honestly recognizing differences. He noted that through the Sacrament of Baptism, Christians already share a fundamental unity that calls us to deeper mutual understanding.
The Methodist tradition, he explained, prioritizes the shared mission of evangelizing the world – a task in which different Christian communities are called to collaborate. One of the key responsibilities of the Churches, in his view, lies in discerning and giving concrete expression to this unity. Along this journey of faith, he invited members of the community to reflect on where the Lord is calling each of them today, urging them to be present where Christ already is: in difficult life situations, in remote places, and within the reality of everyday life.
Missionary Apostolate and the Readiness to Go “Outward”
The meeting on Wednesday, 14 January, was hosted by Fr. Franco Galdino, Head of the Youth Area of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life.
During the shared discussion, particular attention was given to youth ministry and preparation for World Youth Day (WYD). The pastor emphasized that WYD should not be seen merely as a large-scale event, but as a vital instrument for creating a global network of encounter and cooperation for the evangelization of young people. One of the primary tasks of the organizing committees, he explained, is to help episcopal conferences fully realize and make use of this potential.
Millions of young people gather at World Youth Day in search of answers to existential questions related to life choices, identity, and faith. Sharing his experience preparing for World Youth Day 2027 – which, for the first time in history, will take place in Seoul, South Korea – Fr. Galdino underlined that listening to young people is one of the key practices for developing new approaches to evangelization. This attentive listening ensures that the mission remains responsive to the needs and voices of the global youth community.
During Mass, he focused on the theme of missionary apostolate, which often requires profound inner work and a willingness to step beyond one’s comfort zone.
The priest stressed the importance of learning to listen to the voice of God, who calls the faithful to go “outward” from a familiar world and to follow Him with trust, even when God’s logic differs from human expectations.
