This month, Pope John Paul II continues his global pilgrimage by visiting Canada. To make the visit possible, long and arduous planning, and casts and costs of millions, have been involved. Much has already been written about the visit; must more can be expected.

While we join in celebrating this important event, the purpose of such a visit should raise some questions. Will it stimulate mission and ministry in Canada? Will it lead to greater ecumenical respect and collaboration? Will it enable more people to participate in the church's mission? Will the visit help to break down barriers of race, culture, language, gender and denomination? Will a great commitment to the global dimensions of Christ's reign emerge as a result?

If the visit is not for these purposes, what is it for?

Surely we are not simply greeting another head of state, with all the flag-waving and reviewing-of-the-guard that such visits entail. Rather, we are welcoming the servant of the servants of Jesus Christ. The purpose should be, therefore, a renewal of commitment to imaginative service in Christ's name.

Two ventures that show promise of that nature are already in gestation. Both will require active Roman Catholic participation to reach maturity.

The first of these is the Canadian Interfaith Network. A number of Christian churches plus representatives of other religious groupings are creating a new Canadian TV network dedicated to broadcasting the faith dimension. The possibilities for education and inspiration are endless. Final approval must come from the Canadian Radio-television and Tele-Communications Commission. The support of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), until now largely preoccupied with the papal visit, will be essential.

A second is the progress towards some form of formal linkage of the CCCB with the Canadian Council of Churches. It is a hopeful sign indeed that soon 90 percent of Canad's Christian may have a unified voice speaking for them.

PMC joins all people of good will in greeting Pope John Paul II. We pray that his sojourn will help him understand our ways of being the Christian community in this country, and will prod us all to greater faithfulness.