Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in Saskatoon concludes with reflection on the Nicene Creed

Bishop Michael Smolinski (left), Fr. Joseph Salihu, and other ecumenical leaders stand with lit candles during the closing celebration for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity held Jan. 26 at McClure United Church in Saskatoon. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)

By Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News

A worship service at McClure United Church Jan. 26 with a reflection by Ukrainian Catholic Bishop Michael Smolinski concluded the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in Saskatoon.

Cathryn Wood, Executive Director of the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism, described the week of events Jan. 18 to 25, which included cold and stormy weather, early-morning worship services in different styles at different local churches, an ecumenical hymn-singing experience, and the De Margerie Series on Christian Reconciliation and Unity, held in both Saskatoon and Regina, as well as being live-streamed.

Worship leaders at the closing celebration for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in Saskatoon. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)

The service began with an invitation to prayer that included excerpts from the Gospel passage from John 11:17-27 that inspired the week’s 2025 theme “Do You Believe This?”

Resources prepared for the week of prayer by the monastic community of Bose in northern Italy highlighted the encounter between Jesus and Martha at the tomb of Lazarus: “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

The worship service also included readings from Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Psalm 131; 1 Peter 1:3-9; and John 20:24-29.

In his reflection, homilist Bishop Michael Smolinski, CSsR, of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon reflected on the meaning of a Jubilee Year of Hope proclaimed by Pope Francis, the call to pilgrimage, and the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, which is marked in 2025.

Bishop Michael Smolinski, CSsR, of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon gave the sermon and a final blessing. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)

“The Nicene Creed helps us on our pilgrimage of life and our pilgrimage of unity,” said the bishop. “In the Papal Bull of Indiction for the Jubilee Year, called Hope Does Not Disappoint (Spes non confundit), Pope Francis wrote that the Council of Nicaea represents a summons to all churches and ecclesial communities – a summons to persevere on the path to visible unity and in the quest to respond fully to the prayer of Jesus that they may all be one.”

In the development of the Nicene Creed, there was a “pilgrimage of place and time,” noted Smolinski, describing how it took a number of years to finalize the profession of faith, which was developed to focus on and safeguard understanding about the divinity of Jesus Christ, and which found its final form at the Council of Constantinople with a focus on the Holy Spirit.

“The Creed was a work in progress, like each one of us, ( it) was a work in progress on the move,” he said, describing how the Nicene Creed is used in the service of baptism in the Byzantine Ukrainian Catholic rite, with a physical movement during the prayer from the back of the church to the front. “It is a prayer to be used on the move. It is a prayer that welcomes us into new life. It is a prayer of entrance.”

He described the Creed as a “love song” between the members of the Trinity, and proclaiming God’s love for us, and our love for God.

“Pope Francis says that the celebration of the Nicene council’s anniversary invites Christians to join in a hymn of praise and thanksgiving to the blessed Trinity, and in particular to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, consubstantial with the Father, who revealed to us the mystery of love.”

He concluded: “The Nicene Creed is our hymn for the journey of life, the journey of unity and the journey of understanding. May we continue to lift up our voices in joyful harmony with the Nicene Creed as we move to our greater goal of visible unity.”

Following Bishop Smolinski’s reflection, the assembly took part in a candle-lighting ceremony, passing the flame from person to person, as a worship leader proclaimed: “we are each bearers of the risen light of Christ, we receive this light from Christ through one another.” Holding the lit candles, those in attendance prayed the Nicene Creed together.

The pastor of McClure United Church started the candle-lighting ceremony. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)

(Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)

Passing the light of Christ. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)

(Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)

(Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)

(Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)

(Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)

Standing together to pray the Nicene Creed. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)

 

Prayers of intercession concluded the worship service, with the assembly praying for unity, justice, an end to apathy and division, and an increase in faith, while also asking God’s forgiveness for “the times we have failed to live a common life as Christians.”

The prayers concluded: “Compassionate Lord, lead us to work together so that wherever there is darkness and oppression, suffering and injustice, we may bring your light and freedom,” before those assembled joined together in the Lord’s Prayer.

 

(Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)

(Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)

(Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)

(Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)

Related:

De Margerie Series for Christian Reconciliation and Unity – ARTICLE

CCCB Plan Follows Lord’s Desire That We Be One – ARTICLE

Week of Prayer continues during Prairie Centre for Ecumenism’s 40th anniversary year – ARTICLE

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity includes Focus on Creed – ARTICLE

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Ecumenism, Communications, and Catholic Saskatoon News are supported by gifts to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal: dscf.ca/baa