meordirector

MEOR Director with World Methodist Council Leaders Meet Pope Leo XIV

May 20, 2025May 26, 2025meordirector

The Rev. Matthew A. Laferty, director of the Methodist Ecumenical Office Rome, met Pope Leo XIV, along with leaders from the World Methodist Council, on Monday, 19 May 2025. A special private audience was granted to ecumenical and interreligious guests who attended the Pope’s inauguration in official delegations. Also in attendance from the World Methodist Council were WMC president Bishop Dr. Debra Wallace-Padgett, general secretary Rev. Dr. Reynaldo Ferreira Leão Neto, and vice president Mr. Joshua Rathnam.

Director Laferty was encouraged by Pope Leo XIV’s clear statement on Christian unity. Pope Leo said, “as Bishop of Rome, I consider one of my priorities to be that of seeking the re-establishment of full and visible communion among all those who profess the same faith in God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.” The Roman pontiff further said, “…our communion is realised to the extent that we meet in the Lord Jesus Christ. The more faithful and obedient we are to him, the more united we are among ourselves. We Christians, then, are all called to pray and work together to reach this goal, step by step, which is and remains the work of the Holy Spirit.” Read the full remarks.

Photo by Vatican Media.

ENCOUNTER – MEOR, ACR Honor Vatican Official for Methodist and Anglican Relations

September 30, 2022meordirector

The Methodist Ecumencial Office Rome and the Anglican Centre in Rome co-hosted a reception for Fr Tony Currer, official for Methodist and Anglican relations at the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, on 29 September to honor his ministry. Fr Currer concludes his ministry at the Vatican on 14 October and will return to his home diocese in the United Kingdom to serve as parish priest in Darlington.

Thank you Fr Tony for your ecumenical witness, accompaniment, hard work, and friendship to MEOR and the people called Methodists worldwide! God bless you in your new appointment.

NEWS – World Methodist Council Mourns Death of Rev. Eddie Fox

July 30, 2021meordirector

With great sadness, we received the news about the passing away of Eddie Fox, who has been in hospice for the past two weeks.

The World Methodist Council extends heartfelt condolences to Eddie’s life partner, Mary Nell, and the Fox family during this time of grief.

We give thanks to God for the life and witness of Eddie Fox and the indelible mark he has left on the lives of many.

Eddie was the Director of World Evangelism for twenty-five years. He was the progenitor of two programs, namely, the International Methodist Younger Leaders Seminar and the Order of the Flame. Through his evangelism seminars held regularly on every continent, he moved World Evangelism from “success” to “significance” within the global Methodists family.

In paying tribute to Eddie Fox, World Methodist Council general secretary Bishop Ivan Abrahams shared the same sentiments he had shared at Eddie’s farewell service in Nashville. “Eddie was immensely loyal to the World Methodist Council. His life was a testament to Wesley’s dictum for mission that held together holiness that knew no separation from social holiness. We will miss Eddie’s cheerful disposition, his litany of stories drawn from his experience. Most of all, we will miss his wise counsel that often helped us, wright, the ship when tossed about on the seas of uncertainty, hopelessness, and despair.”

Please continue to pray for Mary Nell and the Fox family.

Our next issue of the WMC First Friday Letter will carry special tributes to Eddie. We will keep you updated regarding memorial services.

Photo by Mike DuBose, United Methodist News Service

ENCOUNTER – MEOR Director Meets Lutheran World Federation President, Leaders

June 28, 2021July 1, 2021meordirector

MEOR director the Rev. Matthew A. Laferty met with the president, general secretary, and other leaders from the Lutheran World Federation during their visit to Rome, 25-27 June 2021. Rev. Laferty was a special guest at a lecture by LWF general secretary the Rev. Dr. Martin Junge at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas on 25 June. He also conducted informal conversation with the Rev. Dr. Dirk Lange, LWF assistant general secretary for ecumenical relations, a wide range of topics including Methodist-Lutheran relations, the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, and ecumenism in Rome.

NEWS – Methodists join other Christians in appealing for peace and an end to provocative actions in Jerusalem

May 13, 2021meordirector

The World Methodist Council, Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church and the Methodist Church in Britain – partners in the Jerusalem Methodist Liaison Office – issue a joint statement on continuing violence in Jerusalem.

We stand together to support the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches of Jerusalem who have expressed their concern about continuing violence in Jerusalem and who have called on those in the international community to put an end to what they describe as “provocative actions.”

We have been horrified by the scenes of violence in east Jerusalem which threaten the fragility of the Holy City and call on the Israeli Government to permanently halt the threatened evictions of Palestinians from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah, where clashes have also taken place.

We urge calm on all sides and ask the politicians to enable an environment where justice and healing can be experienced by all and we join with the Heads of Churches to continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. We continue to stand in solidarity with our Christian sisters and brothers who live and work in the Holy Land.

Issued on 11 May 20212