wfn.org | ACNS3480 Articulating a Common Vision

["Anglican Communion News Service" <acnslist@anglicancommunion.org>]

ACNS 3480     |     ACO     |	  17 JUNE 2003

Articulating a Common Vision

A Communiqui of the International Anglican Roman Catholic Commission for
Unity and Mission, meeting in Northern Ireland, June 10th-14th 2003

The members of the International Anglican Roman Catholic Commission for
Unity and Mission (IARCCUM) gathered at Dromantine in Northern Ireland
between 10th and 14th June, 2003, for their third meeting at the kind
invitation of the Most Revd Anthony Farquhar, Auxiliary Bishop of Down and
Connor, and as guests of the Society of African Missions. The meeting was
held in the context of common prayer, and the due sacramental celebration of
both traditions.

The Commission continues the work arising from the conference of Anglican
and Roman Catholic bishops held at Mississauga in 2000, and is responsible
to the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Anglican
Communion for finding practical ways to express the fruits of the dialogue
between Anglicans and Roman Catholics over the last thirty-five years.

The chief business of the Commission has been to continue work on the text
of a Common Declaration to be submitted to the authorities of the Roman
Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion, which is intended to identify a
sufficient degree of agreement in faith to enable a new level of common life
and mission together.

In addition, the Commission is promoting a number of projects to communicate
the extent of what has already been achieved in the dialogue between the
Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church, particularly the work of
the Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC), and to nurture
new ways of working together. The Commission is encouraging the development
of a range of video and web resources to communicate the history of the
dialogue, and to support the study, discussion and reception of the more
recent work of ARCIC.

The Commission believes that the commitment to unity and common mission is
growing among Roman Catholics and Anglicans as they work and pray together.
The Commission is therefore identifying examples of good practice from
across the world to support and encourage further practical co-operation at
episcopal and local levels.

The Commission welcomed news of the work of the Anglican Roman Catholic
Canon Lawyers Colloquium, established by academics from the Angelicum and
Gregorian Universities in Rome and from the Centre of Law and Religion of
Cardiff University in Wales. This Colloquium, which meets annually, will
explore the canon law of our respective churches in relation to sacramental
sharing at their next meeting in 2004.

The Commission reviewed events of importance in the lives of the Anglican
Communion and Roman Catholic Church since our last meeting. We were
encouraged by examples of close co-operation and joint initiatives, for
instance, in responding to the situation in the Middle East and the war in
Iraq.

The members of the Commission travelled to Belfast, in order to pray
together at the Anglican and Roman Catholic Cathedrals in that city, and to
reflect on the progress of the Peace Process in Northern Ireland. They
welcomed the Anglican and Roman Catholic Archbishops of Armagh and the local
diocesan bishops at their meeting, and joined with them in praying for
reconciliation and the work of Christian witness in Northern Ireland.

The Commission is greatly heartened by the degree of co-operation that it
discerns between Roman Catholics and Anglicans in many situations across the
globe, and by the fraternal spirit experienced in their own meetings.
Commission members are hopeful that developments manifested in these areas
represent substantial progress towards the unity and common mission which is
the goal of our ecumenical dialogue. The Commission will meet next in
Seattle in February 2004.

The members of IARCCUM are:

Anglicans

Bishop David Beetge (Bishop of the Highveld, Co-Chair)
Archbishop Peter Carnley (Archbishop of Perth)
Bishop Edwin Gulick (Bishop of Kentucky)
Archbishop Peter Kwong (Archbishop of Hong Kong; unable to attend this
meeting)
Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali (Bishop of Rochester, also member of ARCIC)
The Revd Canon Jonathan Gough (Archbishop of Canterbury's Office)
Dr Mary Tanner
The Revd Canon Gregory Cameron (Anglican Communion Office, Co-Secretary)

Consultants

Bishop John Baycroft
Bishop David Hamid (Assistant Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe)

Roman Catholics

Archbishop John Bathersby (Archbishop of Brisbane, Co-Chair)
Archbishop Alexander Brunett (Archbishop of Seattle, also Co-Chair of ARCIC)
Bishop Anthony Farquhar (Auxiliary Bishop of Down and Connor)
Bishop Crispian Hollis (Bishop of Portsmouth)
Bishop Lucius Ugorji (Bishop of Umuahia)
The Revd Dr Peter Cross (also member of ARCIC)
Sr Dr Donna Geernaert
The Revd Donald Bolen (Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity,
Co-Secretary)

Consultants

Monsignor Timothy Galligan
The Revd Dr Paul McPartlan
Administrative Staff
The Revd Terrie Robinson (Anglican Communion Office)
Ms Giovanna Ramon (Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity)

16 June 2003

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:

The Revd Canon Gregory Cameron
Anglican Communion Office, London
Tel.: +44 20 7620 1110

The Revd Donald Bolen
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
Tel.: +3906 6988 4552

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