Search the Episcopal Press and News

Episcopalians- Roman Catholics in Substantial Agreement on Function of a Priest

Diocesan Press Service. November 7, 1966 [48-2]

The meeting of the Joint Anglican - Roman Catholic Commission, in Providence, R. I., Oct. 10 - 12, was marked by an increasing degree of agreement and frankness.

As the statement issued after the meeting indicated, "Even the thorny issues which still divide the two Churches in theology and practice did not overcome the conviction that God's will for the unity of mankind in Him would prevail."

The topic of the meeting was the priesthood and, particularly, the function of the priest in the Eucharist.

Both Communions agreed on the relationship between Holy Orders and the priestly ministry, that men are set apart for the ministry of deacon, priest, and bishop by an act of God in the Church through prayer and the laying on of hands by the Bishop. "It was agreed that ordination gives man grace and authority for a life-long ministry."

This agreement, however, led to the one area of substantial disagreement. "The fact that some Episcopalians receive Holy Communion from non-Episcopal ministers at ecumenical gatherings remained as an issue, causing Roman Catholics to ask how this could be done without prior doctrinal agreement on ministry and sacraments."

As the Rev. William J. Wolf, professor of theology at the Episcopal Theological School, explained at a press conference following the meeting, the context in which this disagreement arose was Episcopal participation in Communion services of other Churches during the meetings of the Consultation on Church Union. The Roman Catholic participants in the conversations felt it was not possible to receive Communion from non-Episcopally ordained ministers while stating a belief in the necessity of Episcopal ordination. Episcopalians who have received have done so in light of reconciliation proposed by the Consultation on Church Union, Dr. Wolf said.

The third meeting of the Roman Catholic - Anglican group was also conducted in "the context of the whole Ecumenical Movement." Reports were given on the progress each Church is making in unity discussions in which they are individually engaged. The Rev. Dr. W. Jackson Jarman, a minister of the Disciples of Christ, participated as an observer for the National Council of Churches.

At the press conference, The Most Rev. Charles H. Helmsing, Bishop of Kansas City - St. Joseph, and Roman Catholic co-chairman, and Dr. Peter Day, ecumenical officer of the Episcopal Executive Council, agreed that there was increasing frankness in this meeting and a willingness to state what one Church didn't like about the other.

A call was also issued from the conversations for increasing prayers, both private and corporate, on Church Unity and it was anticipated that both Churches would shortly make available forms of such prayers.

The participants attended Eucharistic celebrations of both Churches. The feeling of the importance of the Eucharist as a means to unity, as well as an end, was again underscored and the topic for the next meeting, to be held in the Milwaukee area in May, will be the sacrificial nature of the Eucharist.

As the statement indicated there is a "possibility of an unprecedented measure of agreement" on this subject. The anticipated agreement is based on statements issued from the Second Vatican Council and Pope Paul's encyclical, De Ecclesia, and from Anglican statements issued by the Lambeth Conference in 1958 and the Anglican Congress in 1954.

The Rt. Rev. John S. Higgins, Episcopal Bishop of Rhode Island, and member of the commission, was host to the meeting held at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Providence.

[thumbnail: Conversing at the meeting...]