Irish Bishop takes seat on new Anglican-Roman Catholic Working Group

25 Jan 2001

Bishop Tony Farquhar takes seat on new Anglican-Roman Catholic Working Group

25 January 2011

Following on from a special international meeting of Anglican and Roman Catholic Bishops in Canada last May, it has been announced today that Dr. Anthony Farquhar, Auxiliary Bishop of Down and Connor, is to sit on a new high-level working group – the Anglican-Roman Catholic Working Group.

The group, which comprises prominent Church leaders from a variety of countries, assisted by specialists, will have the task of reviewing the relationship between Catholics and Anglicans worldwide, consolidating the results of more than thirty years of ecumenical contact and dialogue, and charting a course for the future.

Last year’s meeting of Anglican and Roman Catholic Bishops, in Mississauga, Canada, was chaired by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey, and Cardinal Edward Cassidy, President of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. The Bishop’s spent a week in prayer, worship and discussion, surveying relationships in different parts of the world.

In a concluding statement, Communion in Mission, the Bishops spoke of their belief that Anglicans and Catholics share a degree of common faith “such that greater cooperation and mission is possible than is currently the case”. They called for a new commission to be put in place to help bring this about, suggesting that the preparation of a joint affirmation of faith be top of the agenda.

The Working Group is expected to hold its first meeting later in the year, under the Chairmanship of Bishop David Beetge, Anglican Bishop of the Highveld, South Africa, and Archbishop John Bathersby, Catholic Archbishop of Brisbane, Australia.

The other Anglican members will be:
Archbishop Peter Carnley of Perth, Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia.
Bishop Edwin Gulick of Kentucky, USA.
Archbishop Peter Kwong, Primate of Hong Kong.
Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali of Rochester, England.
Dr Mary Tanner from England.

The Anglican Co-Secretary will be Canon David Hamid from the AnglicanCommunion Office, London.

The other Roman Catholic members will be:
Archbishop Alexander Brunett of Seattle, USA.
Bishop Anthony Farquhar from Down and Connor Diocese, Ireland.
Bishop Crispian Hollis of Portsmouth, England.
Bishop Lucius Ugorji from Umuahia, Nigeria.
Father Peter Cross from Melbourne, Australia.

The Catholic Co-Secretary will be Mgr Timothy Galligan of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

Since 1970, the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church have been engaged in theological dialogue through a special commission, ARCIC – the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission – which continues with this work.

ENDS.

Further information may be obtained from:

Canon David Hamid
Anglican Communion Office, London
Tel: +44 20 7620 1110

Mgr Timothy Galligan
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
Tel: + 39 06 6988 4552

Fr Martin Clarke 087 220 8044
Ms Brenda Drumm  087 233 7797

ENDS.