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Ecumenism over food


We have a solid and diverse group of students in this class, not just from Toronto but from as far as Australia, and it’s fantastic. We have Christians from all strains of traditions, and even a seminarian and a priest are joining us. Despite our differences, I like that we all get along "over the lunch table" (or dinner, depending on the time) and have a good time. We have different opinions, especially on how church bureaucracy operates, but the discussion has been civil, if not cordial. People really open up after a beer or a glass of wine. One thing Fr. Jim said resonated with me: dialogue begins over food. This is absolutely true; great food and fantastic wine have a way of bringing people together and allowing for a good, open discussion to take place. I also found it interesting that we would say "grace before meals together", which is an act of Ecumenism. 

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