Proselytism venom against ecumenism-pope

(ANSA) - Vatican City, October 13 - Pope Francis told a group of mostly Lutheran pilgrims on Thursday that proselytism was a potential threat to Christian unity. "The last thing you must do is 'to say, to convince'. It's not right to convince someone of your faith," he said.
    "Proselytism is the strongest venom against the path of ecumenism".
    The pope was speaking to around 1,000 pilgrims in the Vatican - most of them German Lutherans - who are in Rome as part of ecumenical preparations for the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the Lutheran reformation.
    "The Apostle Paul tells us that, by virtue of our baptism, we all form the one Body of Christ," the pope said.
    "The different members, in fact, are one body. This is why we belong to each other and when one suffers, all suffer, when one rejoices, all rejoice. Let us continue with confidence on our ecumenical journey, because we know that, beyond the many open questions that still separate us, we are already united.
    What unites us is much more than what divides us".