On day two of the bishops’ retreat, the benefits of the time of prayer and reflection have been felt by many.

Bishop George Councell of the Diocese of New Jersey said during a press conference this afternoon that it was a “great source of strength” to take a sort of pilgrimage in the mornings, walking together from the University to the Cathedral, and then to be gather together, to sing together, to pray together, and to listen together to the message given by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

During the retreat, the bishops have been leaving for the Cathedral following the daily bible studies which will continue to run through the conference. Bishop Councell said that the studies have been “universally well received”, and will prove a significant and sustaining feature of the conference. The fellowship of prayer during the studies and the retreat was forming a strong foundation for the weeks ahead.

“It is a right and proper foundation for the work we will do in the coming weeks,” he said, describing Dr Williams’ addresses as giving the bishops at the retreat a “substantive and profound” spiritual perspective.

Through hearing the stories of colleagues within the study groups and holding them in prayer, Bishop Councell believes that the bishops are “on the right track” to bring to the forefront of Anglican consciousness a wide variety of issues that are of significant global concern.

Dr Rowan Williams admits that it takes a lot of energy to lead such a retreat, but he is hopeful that it is going to help create “a bit of a common feeling, a common language”.

“One of the best indexes of how that is going is how people sing together,” he said. And are they singing robustly?

“Oh, yes!”

Snippets of bishops in retreat

How have you found the retreat so far?

Dr Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church

“It’s been wonderful. There’s lots of open space, and time to have conversations… it’s a decompression time, allowing us to enter into peace.”

Bishop Michael Hough, Ballarat, Australia

“Magnificent! It’s been an affirmation of the struggle to be a bishop, acknowledging the joy and the complexity. The retreat has given us the chance to think about the good stuff coming out of the bible studies.”

Archbishop Stephen Than Myint Oo of Myanmar and Bishop of Yangon

“This retreat has been a unique one. The Archbishop of Canterbury has inspired all of us bishops to think carefully about our role.”

Archbishop Sebastian Bakare, Harare

“It has been peaceful. The Archbishop has touched on issues that bring us all together.”

- staff writer