Liebe Freunde,

It is with joy that I greet all of you who have made the pilgrimage to Rome under the motto “Better all together”, “Besser alle zusammen”. Some of you were already with us five years ago on the ecumenical pilgrimage “with Luther to the Pope”, “Mit Luther zum Papst”, but today a number of new faces have joined us. From the bottom of my heart, I thank Landesbischof Kramer for the kind words he addressed to me.

At the beginning, you greeted me with a joint song. Singing connects. In the choir no-one stands alone: it is important to listen to the others. I would like the Church to be ready to listen. We are in the process of learning this as part of the synodal process.

Dear friends, listen also to the melody of God in your life; the melody that the Lord has composed in your life. Do not only open your ears, open your hearts. If you sing with an open heart, you are already touching, perhaps without realising it, the mystery of God. This mystery is love, the love that in Jesus Christ finds its splendid, full and unique sound.

Always remain attentive to God’s melody in your life. Then many voices will join to form one song. This is also where ecumenism happens, in Germany and in many other parts of the world.

The Lord bless and keep you and all your loved ones. And, please, do not forget to pray for me. Thank you.

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Bulletin of the Holy See Pre Office, 25 October 2021