In a message to a gathering of Mennonites on the 500th anniversary of their movement, Pope Leo XIV calls for greater unity and mutual understanding.
This Protestant movement, which emerged in the Netherlands in the 16th century, has nearly 2 million followers worldwide. They are commonly referred to as “Mennonites” in reference to their founder, Menno Simons (1496-1561). He was a former Catholic priest, excommunicated for advocating the rebaptism of adults.
“The courage to love”
“The motto chosen for your celebration, ‘The courage to love,’ reminds us, above all, of the need for Catholics and Mennonites to make every effort to live out the commandment of love, the call to Christian unity, and the mandate to serve others,” wrote Leo XIV in his message.
He also repeated the first words of the risen Christ when he first appeared to his disciples: “Peace be with you!” -- the words with which he chose to begin his Petrine ministry after his election.
The Pope emphasized “the need for honesty and kindness in reflecting on our common history, which includes painful wounds and narratives that still affect Catholic-Mennonite relationships and perceptions up to the present day.”
The early years of the Mennonite movement were marked in 1535 by the sacking and occupation of a Catholic monastery in Friesland, in what is now the Netherlands. The recapture of the monastery from the Anabaptists resulted in the deaths of more than 300 of them.
“In the context of our war-torn world, our ongoing journey of healing, and of deepening fraternity, has a vital role to play, for the more united Christians are, the more effective will be our witness to Christ the Prince of Peace in building up a civilization of loving encounter,” Pope Leo XIV concluded.
Once considered isolated, Mennonites are now better represented in the ecumenical movement. A Mennonite pastor, Anne Cathy Graber, who is a member of the Chemin neuf Community, participated in the recent Synod on Synodality in Rome, a broad reflection led by the Catholic Church to combat clericalism and promote the participation of the laity.
