Ireland: historic meeting of Catholic & Anglican Bishops

Five members of the Irish Episcopal Conference, led by Cardinal Seán Brady and five bishops of the Church of Ireland, led by Archbishop Michael Jackson, spent a day in prayer, fellowship and discussion on 14 September.

This historic meeting came about as a result of the request from the International Anglican/Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission that Roman Catholic and Anglican bishops in individual countries should meet from time to time to develop their fellowship and to discuss matters of common concern.

The bishops reflected together on the Sacrament of Baptism not only on a liturgical level but in terms of the life to which the baptised are called in today's world. They gladly affirmed that it is our baptism which above all things manifests our unity in Christ as through its waters God reveals us all to be His children.

It is intended that such encounters between the two bodies of Irish bishops should continue on an annual basis. All the bishops involved in the recent meeting found it to be a valuable, hopeful and extremely warm experience.

The five members of the Irish Episcopal Conference were Cardinal Seán Brady, Bishop John Fleming, Bishop Seamus Freeman, Bishop Tony Farquhar and Bishop Gerard Clifford, and the five members of the Church of Ireland House of Bishops were Archbishop Michael Jackson, Bishop Trevor Williams, Bishop Alan Abernethy, Bishop Richard Clarke and Bishop Michael Burrows.

Source: Irish Catholic Media Office