August 11, 2003

The Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) met from 10 - 18 July at the Duncan Centre, Delray Beach, Florida, under the co-chairmanship of the Most Revd Frank T. Griswold, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church (USA), and the Most Revd Alexander J. Brunett, Archbishop of Seattle. New members included Bishop Brian Farrell LC, the new Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, and a new Anglican Co-Secretary, the Revd Canon Gregory K. Cameron, who has succeeded the Right Revd David Hamid as Director of Ecumenical Affairs and Studies at the Anglican Communion Office.

The Commission worked in the main on the text of a document on the place of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the life and doctrine of the Church, which it hopes to complete at its next meeting for publication in the course of 2004. Lengthy consideration was given to the treatment of an historical overview of devotion to Mary in the lives of the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church, together with a consideration of the theology of invocation of the saints. The main focus of remaining discussion for the next meeting will be the authority of the two Marian dogmas of the Assumption and the Immaculate Conception.

The Commission also heard an extensive report on the work of the International Anglican Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission, which had met at Dromantine Conference Centre in Northern Ireland last month.

The Commission extended its profound gratitude to Dom Emmanuel Lanne OSB, who has assisted the Commission as a consultant on matters relating to Early Church History and the Eastern churches during the drafting process, and to other consultants who have advised on the revision of proposed texts.

During the meeting, the Commission members were guests at a dinner hosted by Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold, and were honoured to meet Bishops Leo Frade and James Ottley of the Anglican Diocese of South East Florida, together with Msgr Arthur Kennedy, Director of the Office for Ecumenical Affairs of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The Commission was especially grateful for the warmth of welcome and the gracious hospitality of the Revd Stephen and Mrs Fregeau and all the staff at the Duncan Conference Center.

The Commission noted with sadness the deaths of former members, Bishop Alan Clarke (Roman Catholic Co-Chair from the Commission's inception until the publication of the Final Report in 1981), Bishop Edward Knapp-Fisher and Fr Edward Yarnold SJ during the last year.

ARCIC will next meet from 28 January to 2 February 2004 in Seattle.

The members of ARCIC are:

Anglicans - The Most Revd Frank Griswold (Presiding Bishop, the Episcopal Church USA, Co-Chair); The Rt Revd John Baycroft; Dr Rozanne Elder; The Revd Canon Jonathan Gough; The Revd Professor Jaci Maraschin; The Revd Dr John Muddiman; The Rt Revd Michael Nazir-Ali (unable to attend this meeting) The Revd Dr Nicholas Sagovsky; The Revd Dr Charles Sherlock; The Revd Canon Gregory Cameron (Anglican Communion Office, Co-Secretary).

Roman Catholics - Archbishop Alexander Brunett (Archbishop of Seattle, Co-Chair) Sister Sarah Butler, MSBT; The Revd Peter Cross; The Revd Dr Adelbert Denaux; The Rt Revd Brian Farrell LC; The Rt Revd Malcolm McMahon OP; The Revd Charles Morerod OP; The Revd Liam Walsh OP; The Revd Donald Bolen (Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Co-Secretary).

Consultant - Dom Emmanuel Lanne OSB

Administrative Staff - Mrs Christine Codner (Anglican Communion Office) Ms Giovanna Ramon (Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity).

Anglican Communion News Service