Pope Francis Summons the Churches to Unite and Seventh-day Adventists Obey
Roman Catholic Archbishop Angelo Spina participates with two Seventh-day Adventist pastors, Gionatan Breci and Michele Abiusi, during Pope Francis’ unity event.
“ROME NEVER CHANGES. Her principles have not altered in the least. She has not lessened the breach between HERSELF and Protestants; they have done all the advancing. But what does this argue for the Protestantism of this day? It is the rejection of Bible truth which makes men approach to infidelity. It is a backsliding church that lessens the distance between itself and the Papacy.”-{ST, February 19, 1894}
Protestants have tampered with and patronized popery; they have made compromises and concessions which papists themselves are surprised to see and fail to understand. Men are closing their eyes to the real character of Romanism and the dangers to be apprehended from her supremacy. The people need to be aroused to resist the advances of this most dangerous foe to civil and religious liberty. GC 566.1
There has been a change; but the change is not in the papacy. Catholicism indeed resembles much of the Protestantism that now exists, because Protestantism has so greatly degenerated since the days of the Reformers. GC 571.3
On Sunday, January 17, 2021, Pope Francis summoned the different representatives of the Christian churches to celebrate the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.” The event aimed to strengthen the relationship of the churches with each other in order to create a strong visible unity. The churches obeyed the Pope’s call, and on Monday, January 18, 2021, Roman Catholics, Orthodox, Seventh-day Adventists and Methodists accepted the Pope’s challenge and joined in the celebration.
Two Seventh-day Adventist pastors, Gionatan Breci and Michele Abiusi, participated in Pope Francis’ unity event. A ritual steeped in Catholic mysticism and spiritualism originating from the Catholic monk “Dorotheus of Gaza” was also conducted in which participants with candles were asked to form a circle around another candle, supposedly representing our unity with God and with each other.
Why can’t church leaders today see that we have a theological and prophetic understanding that would make it IMPOSSIBLE to work towards unity with Rome? What do you think is happening to our distinct message as we work together with Rome to fulfill its mission of creating a common witness? It becomes abandoned. What happens to the Three Angels’ Messages? They are being put in jeopardy by misguided leaders.
The churches responded to the Pope’s call. On Monday, January 18, 2021, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Seventh-day Adventist and Methodist leaders accepted the Pope’s challenge and joined in the celebration. This news was reported by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ancona-Osimo located in central Italy. Notice what they posted:
“Abide in my love: you will produce much fruit,” taken from the Gospel of John (John 15:5-9), is the theme on which the Christian Churches and confessions are reflecting on the occasion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (January 18-25, 2021) … The ecumenical meeting, focused on the theme of the Week, was attended by Archbishop Angelo Spina, the director of the diocesan ecumenical office Father Valter Pierini, Father Ionel Barbarasa of the Romanian Orthodox Church, the Adventist pastors Gionatan Breci and Michele Abiusi, the preacher of the Methodist Church Greetje Van der Veer.” [2]
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Ancona-Osimo also published a programming schedule for this event. At the top of page 2 of the program, you will see the name in red letters “Michele Abiusi, Pastor of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.” [3] This Seventh-day Adventist minister participated in the celebration and prayed that God would “weave” the different churches “together.” Pastor Michele Abiusi’s prayer is located in the middle of page 3 in the program schedule and says:
“Michele: O God who gathers us, You weave us together as one vineyard in your Son Jesus. Make your Spirit of love dwell in us in community meetings and in every ecumenical meeting. Grant us to be able to celebrate you together in joy. [3]
Also on page 4 Pastor Michele Abiusi tells the ecumenical gathering of Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants:
“Michele: Be one for the world to believe! Remain in his love, go into the world and produce the fruits of his love.” [3]
The second Seventh-day Adventist pastor, Gionatan Breci, was also listed on the program as a featured speaker on page 4 along with the Orthodox priest and Roman Catholic archbishop. This was only the first encounter that Seventh-day Adventists had with the other churches. Remember, this was a week-long celebration. The ecumenical services would continue and Pastor Gionatan Breci would play a much larger role during the upcoming celebrations.
Catholic Mysticism
Not only are Seventh-day Adventists heeding the Pope’s call to deepen their relationships with other faiths, but the ceremonies they are embracing are steeped in Catholic mysticism and spiritualism. The Pontifical (Vatican) Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the World Council of Churches were responsible for preparing the ecumenical liturgy for the 2021 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. [4]
The Vatican published the program of prayers, songs and worship that were used during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2021 mentioned by Pope Francis. The liturgy included rituals by the Catholic monk “Dorotheus of Gaza” and asked the participants to “form circles” around a “candle,” supposedly representing our unity with God and with each other. Notice some of the instructions given for this year’s celebration published by Rome:
“The center represents God, and the paths to the center are different ways people live. When people living in this world, desiring to draw closer to God, walk toward the center of the circle… Instruction: The persons take several steps toward the center …to the extent that they move closer to the center, to God, they move closer to one another. And the closer they come to one another… Instruction: The persons move to the centre together …the closer they come to God. Instruction: When the candle-bearers reach the center they each light their candle. As they stand together at the center all keep a time of prayer in silence. [4]
These ecumenical/spiritual exercises are not about embracing the word of God, experiencing repentance, or emphasizing conversion or holiness; no, the ecumenical movement is about participating in Catholic liturgies and sacraments that unite us with Rome. And this is what Seventh-day Adventists are embracing.
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