Delegates from the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity and the World Council of Churches gathered at St Patrick’s Pontifical University, Maynooth, to finalize the theme and materials for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2027.
A joint preparation meeting of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity and the World Council of Churches (WCC) convened at St Patrick’s Pontifical University in Maynooth, Ireland, from August 31 to September 5, 2025, to finalize the materials for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2027.
Ecumenical representatives from around the world gathered in Maynooth to prepare the materials for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2027
Global Ecumenical Gathering Refines Liturgical Texts Through Prayer, Dialogue, and Collaboration
Drawing on a draft prepared by the Irish Ecumenical Writing Group—composed of representatives from the Irish Episcopal Conference and the Irish Council of Churches—the gathering brought together liturgists, theologians, and ecumenical officers from around the globe. Over five days of prayer, dialogue, and workshop sessions, participants refined biblical reflections, intercessions, and symbolic actions.
Continuing the Legacy of Prayer for Christian Unity
The chosen theme, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32), underscores a vision of trust and hope as churches journey together toward fuller unity. These materials stand in continuity with the first Chair of Unity Octave (January 19–25, 1908), originated by the Servant of God, Paul Wattson, founder of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement.
Delegates working together in Maynooth to draft the resources for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2027.
It goes without saying that the entire week at Sant’Onofrio preceding the encounter between young people and Pope Leo XIV in Tor Vergata also presented an opportunity for us to share the charism of “at-ONE-ment” and the legacy of Father Paul and Mother Lurana.
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2027 will be observed January 18–25 in the Northern Hemisphere and during the octave between Ascension and Pentecost in the Southern Hemisphere. Publication of the final text is expected in early 2026, followed by regional consultation webinars this winter and accompanying multimedia resources in mid-2026.
“This Maynooth gathering has been an inspiring sign of the Spirit moving the churches toward one another,” said Rev. James F. Puglisi, Franciscan Friar of the Atonement and ecumenical consultant to the Dicastery. “As Paul Wattson taught over a century ago, persistent prayer for unity remains both our heritage and our calling.”