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Christian Unity Award Presented to ARCIC

Diocesan Press Service. May 10, 1974 [74144]

LONDON, England -- The Christian Unity Award Presentation was made May 3 to the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) by Father Michael F. Daniel, SA, superior general of the Atonement Friars.

The award, a hand-lettered scroll, was presented at the Catholic Central Library, the London headquarters of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, 47 Francis Street, London, SW1, to the Rt. Rev. Alan C. Clark, Bishop of Elmham and Roman Catholic co-Chairman of the Commission, and the Rt. Rev. John A.R. Moorman, Bishop of Ripon and representative of Bishop Henry R. McAdoo, Anglican co-Chairman.

In his presentation remarks Father Daniel said that the Commission has been chosen because of their work "which has so significantly changed the relationship between our sister Churches." Father Daniel added, "I am particularly happy that this presentation coincides with the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Atonement Friars."

The award cites the Commission for its "contribution to the Church" and encourages its members in their efforts "which are preparing the Churches for a new age of shared life."

"We rejoice, " the award continues, "that you have declared your goal to be the realisation of full communion between the Roman Catholic Church and the Churches of the Anglican Communion, and have worked effectively toward this goal. Your work has shown, that Christian Unity is no visionary dream and that the prayer of the Son of God will not be answered apart from such efforts."

The ARCIC, a group of 21 bishops and theologians, was established in 1966 by Pope Paul VI and the Archbishop of Canterbury to begin "a serious dialogue founded on the Gospels and on the ancient common traditions " in the hope that this might "lead to that unity in truth for which Christ prayed. "

Bishop Arthur A. Vogel of West Missouri is the representative of the American Episcopal Church on the ARCIC.

In its eight years the Commission has proposed three basic areas for common study -- Eucharist, ministry and ordination, and authority in the Church. Two of these studies have resulted in the release of celebrated "agreed statements " -- the Windsor statement on the Eucharist in December, 1971, and the Canterbury statement on ministry and ordination in December, 1973.

The Christian Unity Award, presented only six times since its inception in 1961, honors the memory of Father Paul James Francis, SA, founder of the Atonement Friars and pioneer apostle of Christian Unity. This is the first time that the Award has been made to a Group; previous recipients have all been individuals.

Previous recipients have included Father Louis Boyer, president of the Unitas Association, Rome (1961) ; Cardinal Lawrence Sheehan, recently resigned archbishop of Baltimore and former Director of the U.S. Bishops' Commission for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs ( 1964) ; the late Augustine Cardinal Bea, head of the Secretariate for Promoting Christian Unity, Rome (1965); Dr. Martin Marty, noted author (1968); and Dr. Arthur Michael Ramsey, Archbishop of Canterbury (1972).