Bishop’s Lent Appeal – Anglican Centre in Rome
February 2024
It is the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity as I write, and it seems an appropriate time to be
asking for your support in the Annual Lent Appeal, because the focus of our efforts this Lent
will be the Anglican Centre in Rome.
In a world that seems ever more divided and fragmented, all work for unity is precious and
valued. The unity in truth of Christ’s church is his gift, but it is a gift to be treasured and
nurtured – during the recent “Synod on Synodality” of the Roman Catholic church, the
Centre was buzzing with visitors and hosted structured conversations that could have taken
place nowhere else.
Founded in 1966, just after the second Vatican Council, it remains as a bastion of hope for
full visible unity. We now recognise each other’s baptism, our priests can preside together
when Anglicans and Roman Catholics are married, we have travelled far towards agreement
in the matters of the Eucharist and Justification by faith in Christ; and the Centre smooths
the path for discussions on the important issues ahead.
Crucially, and recently, the Centre has been a hub of activity as the Roman church has held
its recent Synod. The Roman Catholic church is looking to increase its own sense of
inclusion of all Christians in the mission of the church, and it recognises the learning that is
available from the Anglican Communion in this.
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