So the Archbishop of Canterbury is going to Rome! Well, just for a visit that is. To make an "official" visit to His Holiness John Paul II, the Supreme Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church around the world. Although Archbishop George and Mrs Eileen Carey have already met the Holy Father, this visit will be an official welcome by the Roman Catholic Church to His Grace of Canterbury, who will have representatives of the world-wide Anglican Communion at his side.
This visit is "big time", as stated by one of the Archbishop's staff at Lambeth Palace. It will be in the order of the visits of Blessed Michael Ramsey and Lord Robert Runcie. Archbishop Runcie's call for closer ties with Rome made headlines in the secular press. I remember walking down the street in Chicago at that time and viewing a newspaper on sale with sensational headlines about the planned move of Anglicans to Rome!
The Anglican presence in Rome is significant. You laugh. No, it's true. There is a great hope and light at the end of the tunnel for the Anglican Centre in Rome under the superb leadership of Fr Bruce Ruddock and his wife. The Centre's programme seems exciting and the abilities of the players, with consultants from the UK and North America, are right on target. The Anglican and Episcopal churches, All Saints and St Paul's, are thriving with students, refugees, local Italians (yes) and English-speaking people filling their pews. Their buildings are substantial and a fine witness for our Communion. So we are definitely there!
Roman Catholic/Anglican news still makes the headlines, whether it be the new book on Anglican Orders, the exodus of several hundred English churchmen to Rome, or the latest meetings of ARCIC. Why is this? Who cares? What's the point? The Anglican Communion on an international level spends much money and resources in all our ecumenical work, but it must be said that the work with Rome always seems to stand out as extraordinary. We all know that, as the bureaucrats fiddle, laity and clergy at diocesan and parish levels are busy working out the gospel imperatives in a united way that might cause raised eyebrows with authorities in either Church. The signing of covenants, sharing buildings, staff assistance, and united community work, are all a reality. Thanks be to God!
So please pray for the forthcoming meeting of these great Church leaders. Pray for openness and receptivity on both parts. Pray that somehow the universal witness to Christ as we approach 2000 can be "more" united than ever before. Pray that we can learn from each other. Pray that Christ's prayer in John 17 will be our prayer. Anglicans and Roman Catholics look alike, laugh alike, dress alike (especially in church), worship God alike and believe that they each share in the great gift of Christ's Body and Blood at the holy table of the Eucharist. We share baptismal identity and know the value of penance and reconciliation. We honour priesthood and laity alike, and share the heritage of the religious life. Our reliance on scripture in private and public prayer is of primary importance and will be enhanced by a new common lectionary for worship.
Rome can teach us about loyalty and commitment; we can teach Rome about openness and understanding. Rome can expound teaching and doctrine; Anglicans can share reason and experience.
Combined, our witness to the resurrection would be of great value to the world, because indeed we are both global Churches gaining understanding and appreciation from what universality can mean.
Working alongside each other more closely seems only natural to me. One of the local English papers called the forthcoming visit "futile" - I call it "timely".
Taken from Jim Rosenthal's 'Last Word' column in the 1996 Michaelmas edition of 'Anglican World'.