THE Anglican-Roman Catholic summit in Rome has concluded in Canterbury with a eucharist within the cathedral, ending every week of ecumenical worship and dialogue.
The RC Bishop of Hong Kong, Cardinal Stephen Chow Sau-Yan, preached at Sunday’s service.
“The twelve apostles and disciples weren’t called to form camps, working for their very own missions, or competing against one another. They were called to change into an assembly, a community, a communion, a synodal koinonia, praying and discerning, teaching and serving for the mission of our triune God,” he said.
The eucharist followed an Anglican rite, and the RC bishops were invited to come back forward for a blessing; earlier, at a vigil mass within the RC Parish Church of St Thomas of Canterbury, the roles had been reversed.
A complete of virtually 50 bishops from around the globe took part within the summit. They included the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, Dr Hosam Naoum (Interview, 18 August 2023), and the RC Archbishop of Honiara, within the Solomon Islands, the Most Revd Christopher Cardone, who celebrated the mass at St Thomas’s.
The summit, “Growing Together”, was organised by the International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission (IARCCUM), and supported by the Anglican Communion and the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity (News, 26 January).
The Pope joined the Archbishop of Canterbury on Thursday of last week for a joint commissioning of the bishops before they travelled to Canterbury.
At vespers within the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls in Rome — the birthplace of St Paul — Pope Francis and Archbishop Welby commissioned the bishops to have interaction in joint Christian mission and to proceed ecumenical dialogue.
Pope Francis referred to Pope Gregory the Great’s instruction to St Augustine, within the sixth century, to travel to England, where he became the primary Archbishop of Canterbury.
The current Pope and Archbishop together invoked a blessing on the bishops, commissioned in RC-Anglican pairs. In 2016, at the primary IARCCUM summit, an analogous commissioning took place — the primary time it had occurred.
IARCCUM/Neil TurnerArchbishop Welby, within the Chair of St Augustine, in Canterbury Cathedral, is flanked by the Roman Catholic and Anglican co-chairs of the summit: Archbishop Donald Bole and Bishop David Hamid
Last week, Pope Francis described the bishops as “co-workers for the Kingdom of God”, and instructed them to “bear witness to the hope that doesn’t deceive and the unity for which our Saviour prayed”.
During the commissioning, Archbishop Welby said: “May your ministry alongside each other as Catholics and Anglicans be for the world a foretaste of the reconciling of all Christians within the unity of the one and only Church of Christ for which we pray today.”
Accompanied by the co-chairs of the summit, the RC Archbishop of Regina, in Canada, the Most Revd Donald Bolen, and the Suffragan Bishop in Europe, the Rt Revd David Hamid, Archbishop Welby posed for photos sitting within the Chair of St Augustine in Canterbury Cathedral.
While in Rome, the group also visited the Chair of St Gregory.
As well as visiting holy and historic sites in Rome and Canterbury, the bishops have been engaging in discussion about what they’ll learn from each other, and the way Churches of various denominations can work together.
On Sunday, the last full day of the summit, the bishops worked on a joint statement, published on Thursday. It is split into 4 sections: “witness”, “friendship”, “a synodal path”, and “mission”. It offers glimpses into the bishops’ discussion of climate change, the legacy of colonialisation, safeguarding, and the hazards of “isolation from one another as churches”.
The reflection on synodality begins: “Our friendship tells us a profound truth.” It concludes: “We know from our experience of Christian mission that we’re richer once we do together every thing we possibly can do together.”
Also on Sunday, Archbishop Welby met the Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Karekin II. They had previously hung out together in October, when Archbishop Welby spent several days in Holy Etchmiadzin, the mother see of the Armenian Church, as a part of an ecumenical trip to the South Caucasus (News, 13 October).
IARCCUM/Neil TurnerPope Francis and Archbishop Welby on the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls, in Rome
On Sunday, they discussed the continuing challenges faced by refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh, a few of whom Archbishop Welby met in the midst of his visit (News, 6 October 2023).
Norwich gathering. The Rome-Canterbury summit was followed by a two-day gathering in Norwich of bishops from the C of E and the RC Church in England and Wales. About 40 are attending the biannual convocation, which, just like the IARCCUM meeting, comprises worship and discussion.
The group assembled on Tuesday, visiting town’s Anglican and RC cathedrals and the Julian Shrine, and is ready to conclude on Wednesday after a day of talks.
Archbishop Welby and the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, were among the many bishops present on Tuesday.
The Eastern Daily Press reported the Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Revd Graham Usher, as saying: “The warmth of relationships as we get together is extraordinary. There are great bonds of friendship between us.”
