[REGINA – Canadian Press] The Archbishop of Canterbury, leader of the world’s 70 million Anglicans, has called again for greater Christian unity. “We must seek Christian unity not as a fearful coalition in headlong retreat from the secular world,” Most Rev. Robert Runcie told about 1,300 people at a service yesterday in the Saskatchewan Centre … Read more »… lire la suite »
by Bruce Buursma, Chicago Tribune The Vatican’s chief ecumenical officer called Monday for a new effort to draw Roman Catholicism and the World Council of Churches into a closer relationship, challenging a widening perception that the church’s commitment to cooperative Christian efforts is flagging. Johannes Cardinal Willebrands, the Dutch-born president of the Vatican’s Secretariat for … Read more »… lire la suite »
by Paul Waters, Montreal Gazette VATICAN CITY – It would be premature for Catholic bishops to apologize for the persecution of Jews through the centuries, according to Cardinal Johannes Willebrands, president of the Secretariat for Christian Unity. A petition circulated among Roman parishes in the last few weeks asks the 165 bishops from around the … Read more »… lire la suite »
from the Montreal Gazette [WINNIPEG] The new primate of the Anglican Church of Canada described himself yesterday as an ordinary human being with many limitations, but Archbishop Michael Peers of Regina said the church won’t back away from voicing opinions on social issues. “I believe the church is in the business, at a personal level … Read more »… lire la suite »
LONDON (AP-Reuter) – Lord Ramsey, who as archbishop of Canterbury from 1961 to 1974 left his mark as a champion of Christian unity and liberal causes, died yesterday at the age of 83. He had been ill with bronchial pneumonia for several weeks and died at St. John’s Home in Oxford, the Church of England … Read more »… lire la suite »
Roman Catholic and Anglican bishops, paired from thirteen regions around the world, have begun their meeting in Canada in which they are reviewing and evaluating the accomplishment of thirty years of ecumenical relationship between Anglicans and Catholics in their areas. The pairs of bishops come from New Zealand, Canada, England, United States, Ireland, India, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Southern Africa, Uganda, Australia, Brazil and the West Indies.
The bishops are gathered in private session at the Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre near Toronto, Ontario, under the joint chairmanship of Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey and Cardinal Edward Idris Cassidy, President of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. Their first day has begun with a morning of prayer and scriptural reflection. The following days will begin and end with common prayer. … Read more »… lire la suite »
The Pope, His Holiness John Paul II sent a message of greeting to the historic May 2000 gathering of Anglican and Roman Catholic bishops in Mississauga, Toronto, Canada. On the eve of his 80th birthday, the Pope expressed his hope that the meeting would “bear lasting fruit” and hasten unity of the two churches.
“For more than 30 years the Anglican and the Catholic Church have been on a journey towards the restoration of unity,” said the Pope in a statement read by Cardinal Edward Cassidy to 2,000 worshippers in St Michael’s Roman Catholic Cathedral in Toronto. “In some places there have been very positive developments … in other places we are not so far along the road [and] new and serious obstacles have slowed our progress. I pray that the spiritual bonds that have always lifted Catholics and Anglicans will be strengthened and deepened even further.” … Read more »… lire la suite »
Man on a Mission: Incoming bishop encourages frank talk on future of Catholicism by Jason Warick, Saskatoon Star Phoenix The man who will take over this fall as Roman Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Saskatoon isn’t saying where he stands on controversial issues such as birth control or the ordination of women, but he … Read more »… lire la suite »
A response of the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church to an expressed need of the Church Editor’s note: This is a pastoral letter responding to the need for alternative pastoral oversight in some dioceses of the Episcopal Church USA. Four important points should be noted: 1) the Bishops distinguish between pastoral oversight and … Read more »… lire la suite »
Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity has given “a clear and helpful contribution” to the Church of England’s debate over the consecration of women bishops, according to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams. The gracious response offered by Williams was to be expected between two close friends and theological colleagues. Nevertheless, Kasper’s frank address to the House of Bishops was a sign of the significance that the Vatican places on the English church’s decision. As an exercise in ecumenical brinkmanship it may be unparallelled in recent times. … Read more »… lire la suite »