wfn.org | Anglicans Join the Rome Millennium Preparations with New Centre

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ANGLICANS CELEBRATE OPENING OF NEW ROME CENTRE  
 
ANGLICANS JOIN THE ROME MILLENNIUM PREPARATIONS WITH NEW CENTRE 
 
By J M Rosenthal in Rome (February 15, 1999) 
 
While the Roman Catholic Church and Rome itself have been busy with massive 
campaigns of refurbishment of their great shrines, including St Peters, so 
too has the Anglican Centre in Rome been totally transformed. 
 
Fund-raising and awareness building programmes have been a huge success and 
the Centre now finds itself in the midst of the splendour of the Palazzo Doria 
Pamphilj in the heart of the Eternal City. Rome is expecting millions of 
visitors in 2000, marking the Jubilee and the Holy Year and now Anglicans can 
be even more proud of their presence in Rome. 
 
The weekend of February 12-14 brought nearly 300 guests from around the 
Anglican Communion to join the Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, in 
dedicatory celebrations. Present were representatives of the Vatican including 
Cardinal Cassidy, a speaker at last summers Lambeth Conference, who read a 
personal letter of congratulations from Pope John Paul II. 
 
Activities were planned by Canon Richard Marsh of the Archbishops staff and 
Canon David Hamid of the Anglican Communion staff. References were repeatedly 
made of a major Anglican/Roman Catholic gathering in Canada in the year 2000 
and the publication of the new Anglican Roman Catholic International 
Consultations (ARCIC) document The Gift of Authority, to be published by 
the Anglican Book Centre, Toronto for Communion-wide distribution. 
 
Outgoing ARCIC chairperson, Bishop Mark Santer, praised Canon Bruce Ruddock, 
director of the ACR, and Vivien Ruddock, administrator, in their perseverance 
in keeping the concerns of the Centre alive in the eyes of the Communion. New 
ARCIC chairperson, Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold, in a letter of 
congratulations, called the Centre, a place of welcome and hospitality, 
openness and for Roman Catholics and Anglicans to encounter one another as 
friends, and to learn from our theological and structural differences. 
 
In recognition of the outstanding service of both Canon Bruce and Vivien 
Ruddock, the Archbishop of Canterbury awarded them both the medal of St 
Augustine, never before presented to a husband and wife. 
 
Canon Ruddock, speaking of the work of the Centre and ARCIC, said, Were here 
to remind people of what has already been agreed and to hold that up so we don 
t go backward. 
 
Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, Canon John Peterson, was quick to 
acknowledge the role of so many around the Communion that had high hopes for 
the success of the Anglican Centre. 
 
In his remarks at the Centres reception in the Galleria Doria Pamphilj, 
Archbishop Carey said, The Centre has been a place for learning and 
discussion, a place where eyes are opened and enthusiasm for Christian Unity 
kindled.  The Archbishop praised the late Don Frank Pogson Doria Pamphilj for 
their generosity and friendship to the work of the Anglican Centre. 
 
Archbishop Carey also reminded the guests of the words of Archbishop Michael 
Ramsey at the initial dedication in 1966. The late Archbishop said at that 
time, The Anglican Communion cherishes the Holy Scriptures and the Catholic 
Creeds. In history, it values the lessons of the Reformation of the 16th 
century, and it values no less the continuity which it claims with the ancient 
Church. In spirituality, it learns from saints and teachers of its own, whilst 
it also tries to learns from saints and teachers of every period in the West 
and in the East. In theology, it learns from the Scriptures, the ancient 
fathers and the liturgy, while it strives to use whatever light is shed by 
modern knowledge upon the understanding of man and the world. The Anglican 
student is often indebted to writers within the Roman Catholic Church. This 
Centre is an attempt to repay the debt by making available the resources of 
Anglican learning to anyone who will come and enjoy them. Archbishop Carey 
commented I do not think the vision has changed. Since 1966 the library, the 
dream of Bishop of Ripon John Moorman, has doubled in size. 
 
Archbishop Carey paid a personal visit to Pope John Paul II where he presented 
the Pope with a large Canterbury Cross.  In the spirit of ecumenism, 
Archbishop Carey addressed a thousand people at the St Egidio community, known 
for their work among the poor and marginalised as well as their organised work 
to alleviate world poverty and injustice. He was greeted by thunderous 
applause.  
 
On Sunday morning the Archbishop preached at one of Romes two Anglican 
churches, All Saints Parish. Here, the Sunday school presented him with a book 
of cards for his young grandson Edward who is recovering from heart surgery in 
England. The Episcopal Church of St Pauls, also in the heart of Rome, has an 
enthusiastic congregation and priests. St Pauls houses an important refugee 
centre and is known for the beauty of its mosaics. 
 
During his time in Rome Archbishop Carey had a meeting with President Mary 
McAleese of Ireland at the Anglican Centre. 
 
The Anglican Centre offers continuing education opportunities for clergy and 
laity alike and its director serves as a personal link of the Archbishop of 
Canterbury to the Holy See. Its purpose includes articulation of Anglicanism 
to Roman Catholics and to interpret Roman Catholicism to Anglicans from all 
parts of the world.  
 
 
 
If you have Internet access you can browse the Anglican Communion web site at 
   http://www.anglicancommunion.org 
to see some digital photos taken by the Director of Communication for the 
Anglican Communion, James Rosenthal, during the celebrations.