Anglican/Roman Catholic Panel Begins Work
Episcopal News Service. September 8, 1983 [83160]
VENICE, Italy (DPS, Sept. 8) -- The first meeting of the new Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission established by Pope John Paul II and the Archbishop of Canterbury was held here Aug. 30 to Sept. 6, and made what observers called an "encouraging start" to its work.
Its membership is more wide-ranging than that of its predecessor commission, and includes representatives from five continents and 12 countries. This made possible a useful exchange of information on the actual state of Anglican/Roman Catholic pastoral relations in many parts of the world. Although there are places where little progress has yet been made, in the majority of cases regular co-operation is now taken for granted.
It was against this background that the Commission turned to its theological task of examining the remaining issues which have divided the two Communions. In doing this they took full account of wider ecumenical discussions.
Two papers from Australia treated justification by faith and the theology of the Church. Discussion of the Church, grace and salvation led the Commission to make these closely related issues an immediate priority.
Preparatory papers from England on the subject of the reconciliation of Churches and the recognition of ministries prompted the Commission to a wider discussion of how Anglicans and Roman Catholics can grow towards full communion. Essential to this process will be the response of both Churches to the Final Report of the first Commission, which will show the extent of agreement in faith. In the meantime, the Commission plans to ask the help of national Anglican/ Roman Catholic commissions in a number of countries in the discussion of the theological implications of full communion and of the way towards it.
For its next meeting -- within a year -- the panel has commissioned further studies on the Church and salvation. A subgroup will work on this before the full meeting.
An important part of the Commission's life was corporate prayer. On its first day, the Commission was led in meditation by the two co-chairmen, Bishop Mark Santer of Kensington, England (Anglican), and Bishop Cormac Murphy-O'Connor of Arundel and Brighton, England (Roman Catholic). Roman Catholic and Anglican Eucharists were celebrated alternatively.
Cardinal Marco Ce, Patriarch of Venice, visited the Commission to express the warm welcome of the Church of Venice and to give an assurance of its prayers for the Commission and its work. This was reflected in the hospitality of the Sisters at the Casa Cardinal Piazza.
During the Commission's meeting, Pope John Paul II urged those present at his Aug. 31 General Audience to earnest prayer at the beginning of this new stage in the dialogue between the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church. A message of greeting was also received from Archbishop Robert Runcie of Canterbury, who with the Pope in their Common Declaration in Canterbury last year gave the Commission its task "to continue the work already begun" by the prior Commission for the restoration of full communion on the basis of unity in faith.