26 October 2017
President of the Methodist Conference visits Rome
The Revd Dr Roger Walton, President of the MethodistConference, is in Italy's capital this week to celebrate 50 yearsof the AnglicanCentre in Rome.
As well as meeting with other Church leaders and celebrating the50th anniversary, Roger and his wife, Marion, will be taking partin a number of activities including visiting sites of specialreligious significance.
Speaking about the celebrations, the director of the AnglicanCentre, Archbishop David Moxon, said: "The Anglican Centre hasworked for fifty years to help Roman Catholics and Anglicans worktogether, pray together, study and talk together.
"The journey we are on demands the laying-down of old fears andmisconceptions of each other, and the building up of a shared storytogether. These celebrations mark the writing of a new chapter inthe history of the Christian Church."
In April of this year, the Methodist Church officially openedits own centre in Rome, the Methodist Ecumenical Office inRome.
The
Since 1955, a British Methodist Minister has been stationed atthe Ponte Sant'Angelo Methodist, Rome, to act informally as a linkwith the ecumenical work of the Pontifical Council for PromotingChristian Unity, a body of the Catholic Church. Since 2014, a moreformal arrangement has been put in place.
The President's visit will culminate in an ecumenical eveningprayer service and Gala dinner with Pope Francis and the Archbishopof Canterbury, the Rt Revd Justin Welby.
Notes:
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