On Thursday, May 8, 2025, the Mor Aphrem Center in Paramus, New Jersey, hosted two important meetings, dedicated to Christian unity and interchurch dialogue. The first meeting began with the regular session of the Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches (SCOOCh). His Eminence Mor Dionysius John Kawak, Archbishop of the Syriac Orthodox Church for the Eastern United States, welcomed the bishops and clergy with the joy of the Resurrection, emphasizing the mission of unity and witness in a world in need of hope. The SCOOCh agenda focused, as in previous gatherings, on pastoral cooperation, youth ministry, theological education, and the shared witness of the Oriental Orthodox Churches in the Western context especially amid the ongoing humanitarian and spiritual challenges facing the faithful in the Middle East.
Later in the day, the Oriental Orthodox Roman Catholic Theological Dialogue convened for another session and continuation of the long-standing discussion on “The Bishop of Rome.” Participants focused particularly on the question: Is a primacy for the whole Church necessary? Drawing from Scripture, patristic writings, and the early ecumenical tradition, the participants engaged one another in search of a deeper mutual understanding of ecclesial leadership, synodality, and communion. The day concluded with prayers for continued dialogue, mutual respect, and the fulfillment of our Lord’s prayer in John 17:21, “That they all may be one.” The Ecumenical Day at the Mor Aphrem Center stood as a living testimony to the growing relationships among the apostolic Churches and the shared desire to bear a united witness to Christ in our time.
