The Trinity is exemplar of unity. (CCC 813) The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit separate distinct persons, yet one. This is the basis of the faith of the Church. But, throughout all times, unity has been disparaged.
In the early history of Israel, the unity of the nation was God. However, the people often fell away from God to worship the gods of nearby nations. (Jgs 2:11-19) The unity of their faith, community, and nation was compromised and the Israelites suffered.
When the young man comes to Jesus and asks what he must do to have eternal life, he was told to "keep the commandments." The young man feels he is still lacking. Jesus gives him a lesson in unity. "Sell what you have and give to the poor," be one with those who need. The young man was sad because he had many possessions. In this remorse he showed his failures. The young man "went away sad, for he had many possessions." The young man's selfish diversity kept him from unity. (Mt 19:16-22)
The Church exists in diversity. (CCC 814) This sounds contradictory to a statement of unity. However, this is the mystery that is the Triune God. We find diversity in the distinct persons of the Trinity. The Church is a celebration of the diversity of God's gifts and the diversity of those who receive them. The the richness of diversity is the strength that is the unity of the Church. Diversity shared in charity.
Christ gave the Church unity from the beginning. But like so many, through time people fell away from unity, forgetting charity called for in our diversity. In the historical schisms in the church, people fell away because of their possessions. Both sides were at fault in this wrong against unity. (CCC 817)
It is not wrong to be born in non-Catholic denominations. (CCC 818) Wrong is straying from God for selfish reasons. Wrong is not to recognizing the diversity of Christ's church. It is wrong as Christian not to seek unity. As Jesus did, we must pray for the unity of Christ's Church. (CCC 820)
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