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312 GO PREACH THE GOSPEL CHAPTER 40
tradition of the Eastern Churches is an integral part of the
heritage of Christ’s Church, the first need for Catholics is to
be familiar with that tradition, so as to be nourished by it and
to encourage the process of unity in the best way possible for
each.
Our Eastern Catholic brothers and sisters are very conscious
of being the living bearers of this tradition, together with our
Orthodox brothers and sisters. The members of the Catholic
Church of the Latin tradition must also be fully acquainted
with this treasure and thus feel, with the Pope, a passionate
longing that the full manifestation of the Church’s catholicity
be restored to the Church and to the world, expressed not by
a single tradition, and still less by one community in
opposition to the other; and that we too may all be granted a
full taste of the divinely revealed and undivided heritage of
the universal Church which is preserved and grows in the life
of the Churches of the East as in those of the West. (Orientale
Lumen No 1).”
Further on the Holy Father speaking of the Orthodox
Churches, says:
“A particularly close link already binds us. We have almost everything
in common; and above all, we have in common the true longing for
unity. (Orientale Lumen No. 3).”
These Orthodox Churches are truly our Sister Churches, we
must promote in every way possible reconciliation and unity
between us according to the mind of Christ and in keeping
with the guidelines of the document “Unitatis Redintegratio”
of the Second Vatican Council.
In the succeeding sections of this chapter, what is said in
reference to the conversion of those who are not Catholics
does not apply to our brothers and sisters of the Orthodox
Churches.

4. THE SEEKING OF CONVERSIONS TO THE CHURCH
“The Church,” Pope Pius XI has solemnly declared, “has no
other reason for its existence than to extend over the earth
the Kingdom of Christ and so to render people sharers of his
saving Redemption.” It is sad, therefore, that Catholics should
live in the midst of multitudes who are not of the Church,
and make little or no effort to win them to it! Sometimes this