Ms. Gillian Kingston, vice president of the World Methodist Council, visited Rome from 21-24 May 2024, in conjunction with MEOR’s Wesley Day celebrations. A lay member of the Methodist Church in Ireland, Ms. Kingston has been vice president of the World Methodist Council, the Christian world communion of Methodist and Wesleyan churches, since 2014 and will conclude her service in August 2024.
At the beginning of her visit, Ms. Kingston met Pope Francis for a brief exchange following the Pope’s weekly audience (see photo above). She was accompanied by Director Matthew A. Laferty and Fr. Martin Browne OSB, the Vatican official for Methodist relations.
Ms. Kingston also met H.E. Archbishop Flavio Pace, the newly installed secretary at the Holy See’s Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity. During the visit, Ms. Kingston and Abp. Pace spoke of the ecumenical witness of the World Methodist Council and the Methodist-Roman Catholic International Commission, as well as Abp. Pace’s vision for Christian unity. Ms. Kingston served as a member of the Methodist-Roman Catholic International Commission from 1986-2006.
Ms. Kingston also made several other courtesy calls during her brief Roman trip. She met
- H.E. Ambassador Frances Collins, the Irish ambassador to the Holy See
- Deacon Alessandra Trotta, moderator of the governing board of the Waldensian-Methodist Church in Italy
- H.G. Archbishop Ian Ernest and Mme Kamla Ernest of the Anglican Centre in Rome
- Rev. Sarah Mae Gabuyo, pastor of Ponte Sant’Angelo Methodist Church in Rome
MEOR’s annual garden party to commemorate the conversions of Charles and John Wesley was held on Thursday, 23 May in the garden of Christ Church Lutheran in Rome. Ms. Kingston addressed the 50-person gathering, thanking them for their support of MEOR and sharing the theme of the upcoming World Methodist Conference – “On the Move”.
The Methodist Ecumenical Office Rome is the presence of the World Methodist Council in Rome for ecumenical dialogue, joint action for peace and justice, prayer and reflection, and hospitality.
Photos: left – Ms. Kingston with Deacon Alessandra Trotta. Photo by M. Laferty/MEOR; center – Ms. Kingston (second left) with Abp. Flavio Pace (second right) with Director Matthew Laferty and Fr Martin Browne. Photo by DPCU; right – Ms. Kingston (right) with Ambassador Frances Collins (center) and Director Matthew Laferty. Photo by Frances Armstrong/Irish Embassy; top – Pope Francis greeting Ms. Kingston, Director Matthew Laferty, and Fr. Martin Browne on 22 May 2024 in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican. Photo by Vatican Media.
Methodist Ecumenical Office Rome 