PREAMBLE:
During the whole time we were in Rome at the Anglican Centre and
Representing His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, who is head of the
worldwide Anglican Communion, my wife, Ann, and I met TOTAL COURTESY AND
POLITENESS WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE VATICAN AND IN ITS EXTENSIVE
ANCILLARY ORGANISATIONS. I would divide the reception we received into a
number of categories, which underlie our whole time in The Holy See
(the Vatican, population approximately 700, and fiercely aware of its
status as a sovereign state.)
THE FIRST CATEGORY can be described as
friendly but defensive concerning the perceived unique status of the
successors of Peter, regarded as the Rock upon which the true unity of
Christendom is built. Peter was the first Pope directly commissioned by
Jesus, as recounted in the Gospels. The assumption is that the status of
Peter is repeated in the person of every Bishop of Rome since Peter’s
time. Frankly, whilst this still continues to mean toleration and
civilised conversation, nothing can remove the blockage formed by not
acknowledging the Pope, and the various accretions that have been added
to his status, notably the notion of Infallibility in matters of
Doctrine and Morals. Ecumenism will be faced with this situation for the
foreseeable future. Since the 2nd Vatican Council, the practice of
“re-baptising” Anglican converts to Rome has mostly died out. However, I
cannot say what other christian communions and traditions find in this
matter. This first category of persons were not all pleased about this
loosening.
THE SECOND CATEGORY was a “pushing of
the corners of the envelope”, by which I mean the current situation
imposed by the disunity of the Church. Pushing to extend, but never
breaking present constraints in any significant way. By this I mean,
keenness to see progress towards the unity of all christian people, but
within the present boundaries; no disobedience! Here there is generally a
recognition of the value of the original European Reformation movements
for both ‘sides’. On a wider front, the Roman Catholic Church has a
very proper longing to see further progress in relations with the
Orthodox Churches and other traditions and churches. I found out a great
deal about these churches during my time in Rome and see them as
examples which may aid the worldwide search for unity. The Anglican
Communion had its birth in the 16th century as an independent-minded
development of the movement which Martin Luther did so much to ignite.
THE THIRD CATEGORY which we discerned is
smaller and it is made up of people who are prepared to develop links
that include mutual recognition of ministries and intercommunion in the
sacraments. Here the enveloping limits of disunity are (usually and
discretely) ignored in any number of ways, according to the people
involved. During my time in Rome, I was offered the opportunity to
celebrate the Eucharist and share in Holy Communion with groups keen on
this approach to unity. It is an approach congenial to many Anglicans,
but I felt I had always to decline regretfully as the clandestinity of
the practice did not fit in with the role of commissioned Representative
of the Archbishop of Canterbury and, therefore, of the Anglican
Communion worldwide.
These ‘radical mavericks’ (to quote a
rather severe traditionalist) tend unsurprisingly to be Roman Catholics
outside the Vatican bureaucracy/hierarchy and often from younger
age-groups, although by no means exclusively so.
SEXUAL CONDUCT AND CURRENT CONTROVERSIES
ABOUT IT. All we can say on this very difficult topic is that
misconduct and its practices was not a feature of our time in Rome.
However, in view of our role in 2001-2003, that is no surprise.
SOME ASPECTS OF OUR LIFE AND WORK WHEN
LIVING IN ROME. Ann and I moved to Rome in the late summer of 2001, when
I took up the twin posts of Director of the Anglican Centre and the
Archbishop of Canterbury’s Representative to the Holy See. The existence
of the appointments stems from the reign of Pope John XXXIII and was
followed up during the reign of Pope Paul VI.
The Centre itself owes its physical existence and continuation in the
historic Palazzo Doria to the courage and generosity of Don Frank and
Donna Orietta Pogson Doria Pamphilj and of their children, Don Jonathan
and Donna Gesina. The whole family has a notable tradition in ecumenism,
and a strong record of opposition to intolerance of every kind.
These were years of great ecumenical
activity and hope, not just for Angiicans like me, but across many of
the traditions of Christianity. Wisely these contacts were described as
Conversations. This is significant, it indicated the end of a
“counter-reformation” mentality in which the various traditions saw
themselves as the “true church” and sought to get conversions from one
another. It is happy to note that these Conversations have continued to
develop over the decades since the 2nd Vatican Council coined the phrase
“separated brethren” for a variety of epithets ranging from ‘damned
heretics’ to ‘other religions,” This mutual trading of harsh words, was
too often the result of a history of national nd local civil ‘ethnic’
rivalries, tinged by inherited memories of strife and violence. Sadly,
some of these continue to this day and slow down potential progress at
international levels.
Ann and I inherited all this background
as we went to the Anglican Centre, where we were to live, the latest
beneficiaries of the ecumenical generosity of the Doria Pamphilj family,
who still lease the Angican Centre; a library-cum-appartment-cum
hospitality centre in the beautiful and historic Palazzo Doria in centre
of Rome. Although I was appointed to the combined post of Director and
Representative, it was equally a posting for Ann as we welcomed and gave
hospitality to a very large number of people, from a seemingly endless
variety of backgrounds. We were backed up by an administrator, a
librarian and a cleaner: all capable, helpful people.
(Amusingly, I was often complimented on
my lectures and addresses in Italian, which were very frequently based
on a translation by our librarian of a document by me in English. I
always owned up to the truth!) Our first welcome came from ‘Brit
community’. This introduced us to people and to prosecco: both these had
a significant part to play in our time in Rome. There are two Anglican
churches in Rome, one of English and one of American foundation. We were
warmly welcomed to both.
The Anglican Centre in Rome has a large
library which I found to be rather dated and it was rarely consulted by
Roman Catholic and members of other traditions. Piqued by this, I asked
an Anglican student who was doing a placement at the Venerable English
College to see what information about the Anglican tradition was to be
had in the national colleges that are dotted about Rome and serve the
Roman Catholic churches as centres of education for the students who are
sent there as a place of advanced training for selected seminarians
from all over the world. His report was brief and very clear. Any useful
written or other ‘media’ information about the Anglican tradition was
available in these national colleges and libraries, and accessible to
anyone who asked. This shone a light on the truth that ecumenical
relations throughout the world – and, indeed, inter-faith relations can
only be built upon trust that is founded on friendship and understanding
among Christian people. Documents are good, but only men and women in
fellowship in Christ will be led to the deepest level of communion in
Christ. I do not in any way deprecate the Conversations between
appointed representatives of the various traditions but these can only
ever be part of the necessary processes of recognition and the mutual
forgivingness that is inevitably part of reconciliation work.
The Anglican Centre offers courses on
various topics and these attract people from all over the world who wish
to learn about Rome and christian Rome in particular. I was very ably
assisted in this work by Canon Jonathan Boardman of All Saints’ Rome and
Mrs Geraldine Tomlin the Centre’s Administrator. Their knowledge of
Rome was a great help in the guiding, boarding and entertaining of all
our many visitors. I regard friendship developing into mutual trust as a
basic, sacred and irreplaceable truth in the healing of a divided
christendom. It was amply reinforced by our experience in Rome, where
ministry by a Bishop and his wife, whose son is an Anglican priest and
the son’s wife is also an ordained Anglican priest. This was a
continuing source of surprise and interest, making as much impact as did
the theological and ecclesiological debate. It opened up new vistas of
understanding for a large number of people. Going out and meeting,
welcoming and hospitality were staple parts of our work and we did this
together, as well as individually. Prosaically but very problematically,
the floor of the Centre was in a dangerous state and in need of a huge
amount of restoration work. We were found temporary accommodation in
another Doria building – a longdisused private seminary, part of which
now houses the Ecumenical library and meeting centre of the American
based Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. Even this ‘accident’ was a
huge ‘plus’ for our work. The Friars are an American community which
converted to Roman Catholicism from Episcopalianism in 1913. The Friars
were immensely welcoming, supportive and hospitable friends throughout
our time in Rome. This and many other friendships were a huge sustaining
strength to us and the basis for our work, because we were there to
promote understanding, friendship and collaboration within existing
ecumenical frameworks.
One of our first invitations to a
significant event came from the Venerable English College, the
institution which, in earlier and much less tolerant times, had sent
priests covertly into Britain to minister to remaining Roman Catholic
communities and to draw in new converts. The work was very dangerous and
many of these priests met cruel deaths at the hands of my own fellow
countrymen, who saw these men as an adjunct to hostile nations who would
gladly have invaded Britain and enforced conformity with Rome. Politics
and faith have never and, I believe, will never have a stress-free
relationship. This is a situation which spreads throughout christendom
into and across non-christian religions as well. So… Ann and I went to
“the Venerabile” with a mixture of fascination and trepidation. We were
placed in seats of honour which happen to be close to the relics of the
English Martyrs – often blood soaked handkerchiefs, obtained by dipping
them in the blood of the martyrs whose bodies were being carted away to
an ignominious interment. But the welcome could not have been more
cordial and the Rector made a point of saying that the ability to make
this visit in our own day and age was a symbol of how mistrust and
hatred was turning to fellowship and collaboration. I agreed and was
able to reply that the Holy Spirit is ever at work among us. I could
extend this list: the Irish College, North American College, Swedish
College, and many others drew us into friendship, as did the non-Roman
Catholic traditions which are much in evidence of Rome. I found myself
drawn into the planning and carrying out of the annual Prayer for Unity
Week, where I was delighted to meet many representatives of the Orthodox
Traditions. They were not my primary task as The Archbishop of
Canterbury’s Representative to the Holy See, but the open friendship
offered was a large-hearted encouragement and a help in later contacts
that I have had with Orthodox churches from literally every part of the
world. The emphasis on building friendship in the Name of Christ cannot
be over stressed. There are many Roman Catholic Universities in Rome of
which the principal ones are The Gregorian and The University of St.
Thomas Aquinas (known as The Angelicum.) These were more difficult and
complex to get to know, but those whom I did visit were always welcoming
and full of good information and discussion.
Another most important element in our
time in Rome was relations with religious communities, a category so
wide that it defies full description here. Vatican Radio and the
Focolare Movement made early contact, as did the Society of Jesus, the
Atonement Friars, the Benedictine monastery-cumuniversity of Sant’
Anselmo, the Sisters of the Order of Saint Brigitte of Sweden, the
Marists from New Zealand, the Franciscan Friars Minor. Even Opus Dei and
Comunione e Liberazione, very different from Anglicanism in approach,
were ready to meet, discuss and to pray together with us. This list
could flow on and includes Reformed Churches. Language barriers could
intrude, but never wipe out the fellowship that we discovered in Our
Lord.
The Community of Sant’ Egidio became a
major inspiration for us, including in their orbit representatives from
all christian traditions and people who were committed to no particular
tradition at all. Their combination of devotion and practical ministry
was very impressive indeed. Strikingly, in a conference room in Sant’
Egidio’s headquarters is a modest plaque reminding everyone that the
peace treaty that ended the Mozambique civil war was signed in that very
room, and was the outcome of years of peace-making diplomacy by members
of the Community.
I used to take visitors to Sant’ Egidio
daily evening prayers, always very well attended, and then take them on
to dine in “Gli Amici”, a restaurant run by mentally disabled people,
with help and management from community members. The community is active
across the whole range of the Gospel of Our Lord in worship, word and
action. Links with the Vatican apparatus were slow to build up, but I
made a point of inviting myself at least to visit each of the Pontifical
Dicasteries and Pontifical Councils. The Dicasteries have the power of
direction and include Doctrine of the Faith, the appointing of Bishops,
Education for Priestly training, the Rota (on Marriage issues), Social
Communications, and others. Councils, on the other hand, offer ideas,
information, advice and encouragement on many topics including Christian
unity and conversations between churches, on inter-faith dialogue, lay
training, culture, and a host of other topics, including Justice and
Peace, and Immigrants and Itinerants.
All these are called Pontifical because
they report directly to HH The Pope, generally called “ Holy Father.”
Each of these organisations has a very senior cleric – usually a
Cardinal – as President in charge, with an episcopal secretary and
staff. Naturally, my own main contacts were with the Pontifical Council
for Promoting Christian Unity, led in my time in Rome by H. E. Cardinal
Walter Kasper, a notable scholar and a thoroughly friendly, welcoming
and congenial man with a staff equally helpful and welcoming. The
Council oversees the bilateral conversations, including the Anglican
Roman Catholic International Conversations on unity, and similar
dialogues -some of very long standing – continue between Orthodox
traditions, Methodists, Lutherans, Pentecostals, Reformed Churches, and
the list continues!My wife’s and my time in Rome was very busy and very
rewarding in many ways.
Here
I have only been able to tell just a little of the story and, since our
time, much has been happening, not least two very different Popes who
followed HH Pope John-Paul II, who was on the papal Throne throughout
our time at the Angican Centre. The conversations, social contacts and
the joint projects in social work, justice and peace are excellent, but I
still have to remain patiently impatient and prayerful to see much more
solid progress, to see steps, leading to the day when the prayer OMNES
SUMUM SINT, will need to be prayed no more.
+Richard Garrard. May 2020
To learn more about the Anglican Centre in Rome, visit anglicancentreinrome.org and facebook.com/AnglicanCentre/.