As a child I noticed that friends and neighbours were defined as those whom were Catholic, like me,  and those whom were not.

I had a lot of Non-Catholic friends with whom I played on the street where I lived.

Ecumenism was in its infancy, and what it seemed to emphasize was the difference between us and the historic divisions which date back to the Reformation and Henry VIII.

Last week I attended a Mass (Catholic) in Ripon Cathedral (Anglican).

The welcome extended to our Bishop and Catholic faithful was warm and generous, and it felt to me like a privilege to be able to practice my faith in this historic and beautiful building which belongs to another Christian denomination.

It seems to me that there has been an Ecumenical Revolution in our country which seems to emphasize our shared heritage and faith in Jesus Christ.

On a world stage, world faiths of the monotheistic traditions work together and promote a common belief in one God and also to peoples of all faiths and none.

It seems to me that the gesture extended to my faith, to use the facilities of a sister faith, is more than a sharing of space, rather, it is a sharing of heart.

We must try to share what we have, respect our differences and celebrate our humanity which is the very essence of our faith or our non-faith view of the world which we share.

My next blog will be: I

William Defoe