The community newspaper, London SE1, has a report covering yesterday's meeting between the Catholic and Anglican bishops of England. The English primates from both Churches had gathered for an all-day summit at St George's Cathedral, Southwark. Men from both episcopal colleges held their formal discussions in Amigo Hall, before celebrating Choral Vespers together in the Cathedral.
It seems that the bishops were meeting in order to formulate a common approach to various issues, such as the Prime Minister's desire to create a "Big Society". They also discussed ecumenism and the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, as well as the impact on society of the government's spending-cuts.
The Archbishop of Westminster, the Most Rev Vincent Nichols, said: "There were expressions of confusion as to what exactly the Big Society means. Is it about volunteering? Is it about the role of intermediate institutions in society? Is it about trying to reshape enterprise so that it has a much more openess to social development and social responsibility?"
The Archbishop also reported that both colleges of bishops were concerned about the impact of government spending cuts, both locally and nationally. He spoke of the "enormous work" the Churches put "into the well-being of the fabric of society." He added,"We do have a vision of how people work and live well in society and we'll play our part in that."
The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Rowan Williams, highlighted the threats to youth services in some regions, saying: "We hope that we get more strategic direction from government. We want some indication about what public services are so strategically important that they need ringfencing."
Rowan Williams also spoke about the Ordinariate, emphasising that there was very warm collaboration between the Catholic and Anglican Churches over this issue. He said: "The routine work of contact and exchange between our two churches has gone on without in any sense being derailed. All of us are looking to see what the future holds."
According to London SE1, "Archbishop Nichols stressed that the Ordinariate arrangements were not an alternative to ecumenism."
Yesterday's event was the sixth in a series of meetings between the colleges of England's Catholic and Anglican bishops. The day was hosted by the Archbishop of Southwark, the Most Rev Peter Smith, who welcomed his Anglican counterpart Rt Rev Christopher Chessun, newly appointed Bishop of Southwark, on his first official visit to St George's.
London SE1 reports that, "The day ended with Choral Vespers during which the Roman Catholic Bishop of Plymouth and the Anglican Bishop of Exeter, whose Devon dioceses overlap, gave addresses."
It seems that the bishops were meeting in order to formulate a common approach to various issues, such as the Prime Minister's desire to create a "Big Society". They also discussed ecumenism and the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, as well as the impact on society of the government's spending-cuts.
The Archbishop of Westminster, the Most Rev Vincent Nichols, said: "There were expressions of confusion as to what exactly the Big Society means. Is it about volunteering? Is it about the role of intermediate institutions in society? Is it about trying to reshape enterprise so that it has a much more openess to social development and social responsibility?"
The Archbishop also reported that both colleges of bishops were concerned about the impact of government spending cuts, both locally and nationally. He spoke of the "enormous work" the Churches put "into the well-being of the fabric of society." He added,"We do have a vision of how people work and live well in society and we'll play our part in that."
The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Rowan Williams, highlighted the threats to youth services in some regions, saying: "We hope that we get more strategic direction from government. We want some indication about what public services are so strategically important that they need ringfencing."
Rowan Williams also spoke about the Ordinariate, emphasising that there was very warm collaboration between the Catholic and Anglican Churches over this issue. He said: "The routine work of contact and exchange between our two churches has gone on without in any sense being derailed. All of us are looking to see what the future holds."
According to London SE1, "Archbishop Nichols stressed that the Ordinariate arrangements were not an alternative to ecumenism."
Yesterday's event was the sixth in a series of meetings between the colleges of England's Catholic and Anglican bishops. The day was hosted by the Archbishop of Southwark, the Most Rev Peter Smith, who welcomed his Anglican counterpart Rt Rev Christopher Chessun, newly appointed Bishop of Southwark, on his first official visit to St George's.
London SE1 reports that, "The day ended with Choral Vespers during which the Roman Catholic Bishop of Plymouth and the Anglican Bishop of Exeter, whose Devon dioceses overlap, gave addresses."
Links:
For more of Marcin Mazur's photos from the day, please see Flickr Catholic Church (England and Wales)
[Images: Top: The Archbishops of Southwark, Westminster and Canterbury give the blessing that the end of Vespers; attributed and credited to Marcin Mazur © Mazur/catholicchurch.org.uk at Flickr Catholic Church (England and Wales). Bottom: The Joint Colleges of Bishops meet at Amigo Hall; attributed and credited to Marcin Mazur © Mazur/catholicchurch.org.uk at Flickr Catholic Church (England and Wales)]
[Images: Top: The Archbishops of Southwark, Westminster and Canterbury give the blessing that the end of Vespers; attributed and credited to Marcin Mazur © Mazur/catholicchurch.org.uk at Flickr Catholic Church (England and Wales). Bottom: The Joint Colleges of Bishops meet at Amigo Hall; attributed and credited to Marcin Mazur © Mazur/catholicchurch.org.uk at Flickr Catholic Church (England and Wales)]
2 comments:
As ever you have given us a well balanced and informative post. The Images are very good and provide us with a little more insight into the day.
@ Priest's Housekeeper
Thank you
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