Friends:

The recent feast of All Saints [November 1] and its companion feast All Souls [Nov. 2] remind me of the importance of holiness for ecumenism.

I firmly believe that we need saints to guide us.
This is especially true as we get closer to full communion and we are walking uphill.

These saints are present in all Christian traditions.
We need their sure guidance.
Brother Roger of Taize is often cited as an example–but there are many others.

I don’t think that holiness is perfection. From my own [Salesian Catholic] tradition I recall that St. Francis de Sales was dissatisfied with the biographies of saints that excluded their weaknesses. These hagiographies made their holiness unattainable, unreal. Rather holy ones among us are quite sensitive to their own failures and weaknesses. They know they rely completely on the guidance of the Spirit.

All of this can conveniently be ‘pushed away’ by thinking–“I’ll keep my eye out for these folks”
Perhaps we should be thinking–“I’ll follow them” or more profoundly “I am open to the Spirit should I be called”

Peace,
John