ASIA/KAZAKHSTAN - Week of prayer for Christian unity: the Council of the traditional Kazakh Church is born

Saturday, 25 January 2020 ecumenicalism  

Almaty (Agenzia Fides) - The Kazakh Catholic Church, together with the Russian Orthodox Church and the Lutheran Church present in Kazakhstan, gave birth to the "Council of the traditional Christian Church of Kazakhstan". This is what was reported at the end of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity by Mgr. José Luís Mumbiela Sierra, Bishop of the diocese of Almaty and President of the Bishops’ Conference of the Central Asian country.
The Bishop explains to Fides: "The Council was presented on the occasion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity: the first official appointment was held on 13 January, while on Saturday 25 January we organized an ecumenical prayer meeting also inviting the Protestant faithful. The initiative, promoted and implemented also by the Apostolic Nuncio, is a great sign of unity. We are very happy that it is taking shape, because it also allows us to increase our relationships in the area".
Mgr. Mumbiela, who besides being President of the Bishops’ Conference, presides over the national Caritas and is responsible for the Social Communications of the Kazakh Church, says that these two pastoral sectors are also experiencing a phase of great growth: "Caritas is strengthening its network of action and the same is happening to the social communications sector. We have a great desire to grow and dream big, for the testimony and spread of the Gospel, responding to Jesus' invitation: Duc in altum. It is a desire that also concerns our diocese of Almaty: in fact, we are working hard to create a new parish in a country 130 km from Almaty and we plan to establish others". (LF) (Agenzia Fides, 25/1/2019)


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