We believe that Christ in His mercy has bestowed upon Christians a grace of sorrow and remorse for their scandalous divisions and has given them an ardent longing for unity. Ecumenism is not a Catholic or Protestant movement, but a single Christian movement. Each Church is asked by the Spirit to contribute its share of good will to bring about that full invisible and visible unity that Christ willed for His Church. Ecumenism must not be conceived merely as a joint activity on the institutional level. It is not as though Christian churches would compromise their autonomy by an exchange of pulpits, common worship, or perhaps accepting the Pope as honorary head of divergent churches.
Ecumenism is a movement of the spirit.
That is why it aims first of all at a spiritual renewal within the churches. The common objective that all Christians, of whatever denomination seek, is to approach nearer to Christ, to understand and live His teachings. It is in Christ and through Christ alone that Christians will find true unity. Hence, unity must be conceived primarily as a gift of Christ Who will unite the separated brethren and bring them into one family, one body. We know that the grace of union is already at work among Christians.