wfn.org | Lutheran World Federation Delegation to Meet Pope Benedict XVI

["Frank Imhoff" <Frank.Imhoff@elca.org>]

Lutheran World Federation Delegation to Meet Pope Benedict XVI
Committed to Make Substantial Contributions to Ecumenical Vision

GENEVA, 4 November 2005 (LWI) - The Lutheran World Federation (LWF)
President, Bishop Mark S. Hanson and LWF General Secretary, Rev. Dr
Ishmael Noko will meet Pope Benedict XVI on Monday, November 7. The
private audience is the first meeting of an LWF delegation with Pope
Benedict XVI. 

Hanson is presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America (ELCA). 

The LWF president and general secretary will be accompanied by LWF
Executive Committee member, Rev. Dr Joachim Track (Germany); LWF Deputy
General Secretary, Ms Karin Achtelstetter; Rev. Dr Theodor Dieter
(Institute for Ecumenical Research, Strasbourg); Mr Frank Imhoff (ELCA
Department for Communication); and LWF Assistant General Secretary for
Ecumenical Affairs Rev. Sven Oppegaard.

The audience with the pope will be the highpoint in connection with the
November 7-8 annual joint staff meeting between the LWF and the
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. 

"Relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the LWF have come to
be open and trusting," Noko said with regard to the upcoming visit.
"Pope Benedict XVI has emphasized that service to the unity of the whole
Christian church will be a high priority during his pontificate. The LWF
is looking forward to making substantial contributions to this
ecumenical vision," he added. (222 words)

*   *	*

(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran
tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund, Sweden, the LWF currently has 140
member churches in 78 countries all over the world, with a total
membership of nearly 66 million. The LWF acts on behalf of its member
churches in areas of common interest such as ecumenical and inter-faith
relations, theology, humanitarian assistance, human rights,
communication, and the various aspects of mission and development work.
Its secretariat is located in Geneva, Switzerland.)

[Lutheran World Information (LWI) is the LWF's information service.
Unless specifically noted, material presented does not represent
positions or opinions of the LWF or of its various units. Where the
dateline of an article contains the notation (LWI), the material may be
freely reproduced with acknowledgment.]

*   *	*

Interviews with the LWF delegation at the Vatican can be arranged by
contacting:
Ms Karin Achtelstetter at +41/79-373 8210

LWI online: http://www.lutheranworld.org/News/Welcome.EN.html 

LUTHERAN WORLD INFORMATION
P. O. Box 2100, CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland
Tel.: +41/22-791 63 69
Fax: +41/22-791 66 30
E-Mail: pmu@lutheranworld.org