Lots of speculation floating around these days about the retirement of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. If it happens, it's expected after the Diamond Jubliee of Her Majesty, the Queen. Jonathan Wynne-Jones of London's The Telegraph has an article, "Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams set to quite next year." Say it ain't so. I like Dr Williams, and I would be sad to see him leave the See of Canterbury. But may be if does, he can swim the Tiber, too.
Ecumenism: September 2011 Archives
Luca Rolandi ppublished an article on the Vatican Insider "Ecumenism Is To Be Revived and Promomoted" taking his cue from the Italian bishop and president of the CEI commission on Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue who spoke at a recent ecumenical event on Spirituality at the Monastery of Bose.
The Bishop of Pistoia said that "In the Italian church there is a wealth of initiatives, aggregates, experiences who action is not flashy but is of great value... a sensitivity to be revived and promoted."
Bishop Manseuto Bianchi noted that the Monastery of Bose, founded by Brother Enzo Bianchi, a charismatic man who is not related to the bishop but shares the surname, is setting the pace of what it means to do the necessary and hard work of ecumenism. The programs of Bose affect and effect a "greater coordination and a renewed promotion in parishes, particularly among young people."
Why is this important? Because the unity of the Church is a stake. Christian unity is not an option, it is not ideology of the liberals: the unity of Christians is what and who Christians are by Baptism, and it is what we ought to work harder at. Pope Benedict is called by some "the Pope of Christian Unity." Can you say the same of yourself, your pastor, your bishop?
We are a month away from Pope Benedict's meeting in Assisi with delegates from the world's religions; the Assisi path is not just for the Pope, it is a journey that all of us have to walk.