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Anglican-Roman Catholic Discussions Held in Georgia

Diocesan Press Service. May 28, 1975 [75207]

SAVANNAH, Ga. -- Sixty Episcopal and Roman Catholic clergy engaged in a two day discussion of the two Agreed Statements of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) at the Georgia Episcopal Conference Center April 29 to May 1.

Both the Most Rev. Raymond Lessard, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Savannah, and the Rt. Rev. Paul Reeves, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia, were in attendance.

Leaders for the sessions were the Rev. Michael Marshal, Vicar of All Saints' Church, Margaret St., London and bishop-designate of Woolwich, and the Rev. Al Laubenthal, Professor of Systematic Theology at St. Mary Seminary, Cleveland, Ohio, who is a member of the American Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission (A/RC).

The two statements under consideration were the 1971 "Windsor Statement on Eucharistic Doctrine" and the "Canterbury Statement on the Doctrine of the Ministry" of 1973.

Fr. Marshal expressed his pleasure at three features of the Windsor Statement: the emphasis on biblical foundation, the approach to Christ's presence in the Eucharist as "what" rather than "how," and the strong eschatological element.

Fr. Laubenthal singled out the action orientation, as well as the emphasis on Christ's sacrifice being "perpetuated" as added features of the document.

In reference to the Canterbury Statement, Fr. Marshal said that, "it at last helps crack open the role of clergyman."

Between presentations by both leaders on each document, the clergy divided into area groupings to discuss the points raised, to propose additional questions, and to consider various ways of furthering ecumenical contact with each other and between their congregations.

Since even limited intercommunion is not possible at present, the Eucharist was celebrated each day according to both rites at different times in the morning. At the closing Eucharist, Bishop Reeves read a draft of a covenant which he and Bishop Lessard later signed on May 16. The covenant commits the two dioceses to increased cooperation and contact in prayer, study, and works. The two dioceses cover almost the same areas of the southern half of the state of Georgia.

[For attached statement please contact the Archives --Ed.]