A unique gathering
An ecumenical meeting of some 40 bishops from 18 countries convened by
Cardinal Vlk, Archbishop emeritus of Prague, will come together in the
Focolare Movement’s Centre for Unity, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire
from 6-11 September.
As friends of the Focolare, and inspired by its spirituality of unity, this inter-denominational group has been meeting annually since 1994 in a variety of locations including Germany, the Middle East and Romania to share in a deep ecumenical communion and to bear witness as bishops to a ‘living dialogue’ in spite of what could seem like rocky ecumenical times. They represent different Christian traditions: Anglican, Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran and Orthodox.
Bishop Robin Smith, Bishop emeritus of Hertford, is among the principal animators of the week which has taken as its theme: ‘The Word of God and its transforming power’. Bishop Malcolm McMahon of Nottingham Diocese will be giving one of the keynote addresses as will Archbishop Rowan Williams when he welcomes the group to Lambeth Palace on 8 September. Later that day, the ecumenical group will join Archbishop Vincent Nichols for vespers and the 5.30pm sung Mass in Westminster Cathedral.
On Friday, 9 September around 20 or so Church Leaders from England and Scotland will attend an open day as part of the week which will include a key input from Maria Voce who took over as Focolare’s President from the Founder, Chiara Lubich, after her death in 2008. Maria Voce, Italian, and a former lawyer, is well versed in ecumenical matters having opened the Focolare community in Istanbul in the late 1970s where she lived for several years establishing strong ecumenical bonds with the Orthodox Church as well as developing Focolare’s interfaith relations with Muslim communities.
One of the highlights of the week will be Evensong in St Albans Abbey on Saturday, 10 September where the group will solemnly sign ‘a pact of mutual love’, a pledge to be ready to give their lives for one another, to pray for each other’s Church, each other’s diocese. Bishop Robin Smith sums it up: ‘When I first made this pact I was bowled over by it. I have a signed copy in front of me at home in the place where I pray.’
This is a unique gathering which encompasses not only ecumenical diversity but also the richness of many cultures as, in addition to those from Britain and Europe, the range of participants includes bishops from Brazil, Australia, USA, Syria and India. Whilst the focus is on what they have in common and sharing the life of the Gospel, it does not sweep the difficulties of ecumenical division under the carpet but recognises the strength of mutual respect beyond difference.