New book of Pope Francis on communication prefaced by Archbishop Justin Welby

25 May 2020 • Persistent link: iarccum.org/?p=3630

A new volume of theExchange of Giftsseries of the Vatican Publishing House (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, LEV) has been issued. EntitledDiversi e uniti. Comunico quindi sono” (“Diverse and United: I communicate, therefore I am“), the book draws together a selection of Pope Francis‘s writings in which he reflects on human relationshipsthe relationships that exist between people created in the image of God.

The text is introduced by Most Reverend Dr Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual leader of Anglicans worldwide. In his preface, Archbishop Welby writes, “My brother in Christ, Pope Francis, lays before us in his words the promise of divine love and mercy: the love that God has for His people and the invitation that God gives to each of us to be in a relationship with Him“.

Diversi e unitiincludes a previously unpublished chapter entitledWith the gaze of Christin which the Holy Father reflects on how for truly human communication it is necessaryto enter into contact with the world and with others, and to build relationships“, explaining thatwithout this look of love, human communicationcan easily become only a dialectical duel“. Communication can then become not simply a means of exchanging information, but of building communion. He goes on to reflect that effective dialogue means being secure in ones own identity, but also recognizing the identity of the other and being open to their freedom.

TheExchange of Giftsseries has an ecumenical focus, with most volumes including a preface written by representatives of other Churches or Ecclesial Communities. The first two volumes of the series had been prefaced respectively by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I and by Patriarch Kirill of the Moscow Patriarchate

The LEVs catalogue also includes Acta Œcumenica the new annual publication of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity which substitutes and continues on fromInformation Service“.