Eurobishop

It was not what I was planning for the week after the New Year break, but nevertheless it was a  privilege to be one of the representatives of the Anglican Communion at the funeral of Pope Benedict XVI. Bishop Christopher Hill, a distinguished ecumenist and one of my predecessors as Co-Secretary of ARCIC, and Archbishop Ian Ernest the Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome and I made up the trio of delegates. Bishop Hill, Fr Martin Browne OSB (the Vatican's man for Anglican relations) and Archbishop Ernest It was cold and rather misty morning in St Peter's Square (and we were seated 2 hours before the mass began). But the square was soon filled with mourners from around the world who joined prayerfully in the requiem at which Pope Francis presided (from the chair) with the cardinals and bishops concelebrating.  Preparing for the Requiem There is no denying the range of views about Pope Benedict. He was loved by some for his strong teaching, particularly in his encyclical...

On Sunday evening in London, the Revd Tony Currer, who is the Official for Relations with Anglicans and Methodists at the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity was made an Ecumenical Canon of Southwark Cathedral. For Anglicans Fr Tony is very much "our man at the Vatican" and is a close colleague on much of our ecumenical work, including IARCCUM, the International Anglican Roman-Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission, which I co-chair, and ARCIC. He is co-secretary to both commissions. But beyond these two major international commissions, Canon Currer is key to all our work at the heart of the Roman Catholic Church. A good example of this is his invaluable support and guidance to us as we prepare for the visit of Pope Francis to All Saints Church in Rome this coming Sunday. We congratulate Canon Currer on this appointment. It speaks of our gratitude as Anglicans for his care for our international relations with the Catholic Church, and is also sign of our deep f...

  The Cathedral in Valencia The Revd Marcus Ronchetti is Senior Chaplain of what is likely the largest parish in our diocese. The parish of the Holy Spirit Costa Blanca in Spain includes 8 congregations and continues to grow numerically and in spiritual depth. The chaplaincy borrows Roman Catholic churches for their Eucharists, but these are in two different Roman Catholic dioceses. On a parish visit this Pentecost weekend, Fr Marcus arranged meetings with both Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera of Valencia and Bishop Jesús Murgui Soriano of Orihuela-Alicante, to thank them for their hospitality and to hold discussions about collaboration in the future. Cardinal Cañizares and Fr Marcus Cardinal Cañizares has been back in his native Valencia for about 18 months now. He was previously the Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship in the Vatican. We had a very warm visit and shared insights into how to reach people today with the Good News. The Cardinal has noticed how young peop...

Fr Currer, Fr Nathaniel, Bishop Farrell This Week of Prayer for Christian Unity was a significant one for the Revd Canon Dr Leslie Nathaniel, the Archbishop's Ecumenical Officer and canon of this diocese. He was in Rome with me for some ecumenical meetings, and was able to have some fruitful conversations at the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, with the Revd Tony Currer, who is responsible for Anglican Relations, and with the Secretary of the Council, Bishop Brian Farrell. Eucharist at the Anglican Centre in Rome Fr Leslie presided at the Tuesday Eucharist at the Anglican Centre in Rome, and had a chance to meet people from around the world and from many Church traditions who came to the Centre for this service during Unity Week. He was also able to have a brief conversation with the Pope, following the General Audience on Wednesday.

Last Tuesday I had the privilege of being invited to the Inauguration of the Petrine Ministry of the Bishop of Rome, Pope Francis, as the Anglican Co-Chairman of IARCCUM, the International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission. The Anglican delegation was headed by the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, who represented the Archbishop of Canterbury. Significantly, for the first time in over 1000 years, the Patriarch of Constantinople attended the inauguration in person. The Roman Catholic Church is very hospitable to her ecumenical guests, and we were seated close to the altar in St Peter's Square. I was struck by the simple dignity of the ceremony. Pope Francis was vested in a very plain chasuble and mitre which he used regularly in Buenos Aires. I couldn't help but notice the contrast to the vestments of the cardinals. He was given the two symbols of his office. The first was the Papal Pallium, a band of cloth with red crosses worn over the...

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Archbishop Justin Welby, has offered his warmest welcome to Pope Francis on his election. The Archbishop's full statement reads: “We wish Pope Francis every blessing in the enormous responsibilities that he has assumed on behalf of Roman Catholics around the world. His election is also of great significance to Christians everywhere, not least among Anglicans. We have long since recognized—and often reaffirmed—that our churches hold a special place for one another. I look forward to meeting Pope Francis, and to walking and working together to build on the consistent legacy of our predecessors. May the love of Christ unite us, and intensify our service in a genuine and fruitful ecumenism that can be a blessing for the Body of Christ throughout the world. Pope Francis is well known as a compassionate pastor of real stature who has served the poor in Latin America, and whose simplicity and holiness of life is remarkable. He is an evange...

Pope Benedict XVI has issued a call to all Christians to give a common witness starting immediately, even though full unity has not yet been achieved. He made this appeal during his homily at Vespers in the Roman Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls (above), on the feast of the Conversion of St Paul, 25th January, a service which traditionally concludes the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The Pope recalled that this year is the 100th anniversary of the Edinburgh Missionary Conference, which marked the beginning of the modern ecumenical movement. That historic gathering in 1910 stressed that Christians cannot proclaim the Gospel credibly if they are divided. The Pope urged Churches to take steps that lead to full communion; questions still separate us, but the Holy Father expressed the hope that these can be overcome by prayer and dialogue. He affirmed he importance of the "central content of Christ's message that we can all proclaim together". Tha...