NEWS – Pan-Methodist Bishops from U.S. Visit Rome, March 2024

NEWS – Pan-Methodist Bishops from U.S. Visit Rome, March 2024

meorome

ROME (MEOR) – A group of 10 bishops from three different Methodist churches in the United States embarked on a study pilgrimage in Rome, Italy, from 5-8 March 2024. The bishops were drawn from the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, and The United Methodist Church; all three churches are member churches of the World Methodist Council, the international Christian communion of Methodist, Wesleyan, and Uniting churches. The three churches underwent separation during the 19th century due to the sin of slavery and racism. Since 2012, the churches, along with 3 other Methodist churches, are in a special full communion relationship.

The trip was organized by the Methodist Ecumenical Office Rome with the generous support of the Kentucky-based Magee Christian Education Foundation. The Rev. Dr. Jean Hawxhurst, ecumenical staff officer of the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church, also provided leadership, collaboration, and program development for the study pilgrimage.

The bishops began their program on 5 March with a visit to the necropolis under St. Peter’s Basilica, where the group prayed the Lord’s Prayer near the tomb of Peter the Apostle.

Bishop Tracy Smith Malone from The United Methodist Church reflects on visiting the tomb of St. Peter this morning with the Pan-Methodist study pilgrimage sponsored by the Methodist Ecumenical Office Rome

During their visit to Rome, the bishops met with leaders from various departments of the Vatican to learn about dialogue, theologies of Christian unity, and Methodist-Catholic relations. The delegation first met with H.Em. Cardinal Kurt Koch of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity along with dicastery officials to discuss current trends in the modern ecumenical movement and the need for greater consensus on the definition and goal of Christian unity. Additionally, the delegation learned about the Catholic Church’s synodal process at the Synod Office, where they were welcomed by Sr. Nathalie Becquart XMCJ, undersecretary of the Synod Office, and taught by Synod official Sr. Marie Kolbe Zamona.

Our delegation of 10 bishops from the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, and The United Methodist Church visited the Synod Office of the Catholic Church today to learn about the synodal process of the Catholic Church. The delegation was greeted by Sr. Nathalie Becquart XMCJ, undersecretary of the Synod Office, and briefed by Sr. Marie Kolbe Zamora, a Synod official. The encounter was marked by listening, mutual learning, and sharing about how Methodists and Catholics seek to be listening churches.

The bishops also visited the headquarters of the Methodist-Waldensian Church in Italy and the Federation of Protestant Churches in Italy. At the Methodist-Waldensian headquarters, the delegation was received by Deacon Alesssandra Trotta, a Methodist deacon serving as the moderator of the General Board (Tavola Valdese), and Pastor Luca Anziani, president of the Methodist permanent committee. The Methodist Church in Italy and the Waldensian Church formed an union in 1975. Pastor Luca Baratto, executive secretary, welcomed the group to the Federation of Protestant Churches in Italy and overviewed the Federation’s ministries. Ms. Marta Bernardini and Ms. Fiona Kendall of Mediterranean Hope presented on the Federation’s work with migrants and refugees. Additionally, the Rev. Sarah Mae Gabuyo, a United Methodist elder serving as the pastor of Ponte Sant’Angelo Methodist Church in Rome, led the group in a time of prayer during their visit to the church.

Deacon Alessandra Trotta, moderator of the General Board of the Union of Methodist and Waldensian Churches, and Rev. Luca Anziani, president of the Methodist Churches in Italy, met the pan-Methodist bishops to share the history and mission of Methodists and Waldensians in Italy, their church unity, and models of sharing and growing as diverse churches together.

A highlight for the delegation was their encounter with Pope Francis (see related story).

U.S. ambassador to the Holy See Joseph Donnelly and his wife Mrs. Jill Donnelly hosted the delegation for dinner at Villa Richardson, the official ambassadorial residence, where there was a lively exchange on issues affecting the United States and the role of Methodists in American public life, ending with singing of historic Wesleyan hymns.

Bishop Sylvester Williams, Sr. of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church shares about experiences on the second day of our pan-Methodist study pilgrimage in Rome, including meeting Pope Francis. The program was sponsored by the Methodist Ecumenical Office Rome.

Other visits included the

  • Vatican Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue where the group was received by Monsignor Indunil Janakaratne Kodithuwakku K. and Sister Grace Marie Horan FSE and given an orientation to the department’s concept of dialogue and its work,
  • Centro Pro Unione, a center promoting Christian unity organized by the Franciscan Friars of Atonement who initiated the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity,
  • Sant’Egidio Community, a Catholic lay movement committed to peace, dialogue, and serving the poor that received the World Methodist Peace Award in 1998, and
  • Focolare Movement, a Catholic lay movement dedicated to charity, encounter, and friendship.

On 8 March, the group toured various churches in central Rome as well as the Abbey of Three Fountains and the Papal Basilica of St. Paul’s-Outside-the-Walls, respectively the sites of the Apostle Paul’s execution and burial.

Bishop Sally Dyck from The United Methodist Church talks about our Christian call to sacrifice after visiting the site of the Apostle Paul’s execution in Rome during the the Pan-Methodist Study Pilgrimage sponsored by the Methodist Ecumencial Office Rome. 

The program concluded with a special dinner at the Hotel Casa Valdese where the delegation was joined by several ecumenical guests representing various churches.

The bishops who participated in the study pilgrimage were:

  • African Methodist Episcopal Church
    Bishop Jeffrey N. Leath, AME ecumenical officer
  • Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
    Bishop Lawrence L. Reddick III of the Eighth Episcopal District (Texas and Jamaica) and senior bishop of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
    Bishop Teresa Snorton, CME ecumenical and development officer
    Bishop Marvin Frank Thomas, Sr. of the First Episcopal District (Arkansas and Tennessee)
    Bishop Sylvester Williams, Sr. of the Third Episcopal District (the Midwest)
  • The United Methodist Church
    Bishop Sally Dyck, ecumenical officer of the Council of Bishops
    Bishop Tracy Smith Malone of the Ohio East Episcopal Area and incoming president of the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church
    Bishop Jonathan Holston of the Columbia Episcopal Area (South Carolina)
    Bishop Frank Beard of the Illinois Episcopal Area
    Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi of the Pittsburgh Episcopal Area

The delegation was also accompanied by Director Matthew A. Laferty, Dr. Jean Hawxhurst, and Mrs. Melissa Beard.

NEWS – Pope Francis Greets American Methodist Bishops, MEOR Director

NEWS – Pope Francis Greets American Methodist Bishops, MEOR Director

meorome

Pope Francis met a delegation of 10 bishops from the United States from three different Methodist churches on Wednesday, 6 March 2024, following the weekly General Audience. Each bishop was greeted individually by Pope Francis and had a few moments to speak to him.

The bishops come the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, and The United Methodist Church, all members of the World Methodist Council.

Along with the bishops, Director Matthew A. Laferty, Dr. Jean Hawxhurst, and Mrs. Melissa Beard were greeted by Pope Francis as well.

Read more about the bishops’ entire study pilgrimage in a related story (click here).

Photos by Vatican Media. All rights reserved.

The bishops who participated in the study pilgrimage were:

  • African Methodist Episcopal Church
    Bishop Jeffrey N. Leath, AME ecumenical officer
  • Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
    Bishop Lawrence L. Reddick III of the Eighth Episcopal District (Texas and Jamaica) and senior bishop of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
    Bishop Teresa Snorton, CME ecumenical and development officer
    Bishop Marvin Frank Thomas, Sr. of the First Episcopal District (Arkansas and Tennessee)
    Bishop Sylvester Williams, Sr. of the Third Episcopal District (the Midwest)
  • The United Methodist Church
    Bishop Sally Dyck, ecumenical officer of the Council of Bishops
    Bishop Tracy Smith Malone of the Ohio East Episcopal Area and incoming president of the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church
    Bishop Jonathan Holston of the Columbia Episcopal Area (South Carolina)
    Bishop Frank Beard of the Illinois Episcopal Area
    Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi of the Pittsburgh Episcopal Area

The delegation was also accompanied by Director Matthew A. Laferty, Dr. Jean Hawxhurst, and Mrs. Melissa Beard.

VIDEO – Recap from the ‘Together’ Weekend and Ecumenical Vigil of Prayer

VIDEO – Recap from the ‘Together’ Weekend and Ecumenical Vigil of Prayer

meorome

From 29 September through 1 October, thousands of young adults from across Europe and the world converged on Rome for an ecumenical weekend of prayer, learning, fellowship, and pilgrimage. The event was called ‘Together’. The ecumenical vigil of prayer on St. Peter’s Square, which brought together leaders from all the major Christian world communions, was the highlight of the weekend.

The Methodist Chuch in Britain sent 8 young people from England and Wales. They released this recap video at the end of January 2024. Director Matthew A. Laferty who was a member of the ‘Together’ coordinating committee is interviewed in the video.

NEWS – From National Catholic Reporter: “Rome celebrates Christian unity week with joint prayers, and a woman preaching” on 25 January

NEWS – From National Catholic Reporter: “Rome celebrates Christian unity week with joint prayers, and a woman preaching” on 25 January

meorome

By Christoper White
National Catholic Reporter
25 January 2024

Just next to the Basilica of Sts. Celso and Giuliano — a popular spot for the traditional Latin Mass here in the Eternal City — is Ponte Sant’Angelo Methodist Church, an English language congregation that proudly boasts, “Everyone is welcome, whatever their background.”

And on Jan. 21, the church gave lived expression to that when Xavière Sr. Nathalie Becquart, a No. 2 official at the Vatican’s synod office, preached during its Sunday service.

Becquart’s invitation to preach was part of a flurry of events taking place here in Rome this week during the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, an octave-long celebration that’s been taking place for over a century.

As the Rev. Matthew Laferty, director of the Methodist Ecumenical Office in Rome, explained to me, the congregation has a custom of inviting a preacher or preachers from non-Methodist Christian traditions to preach on the Sunday of the annual week dedicated to praying for Christian unity.

That may be tradition, but there was a novelty about it, too.

“It certainly would have been the first time that a high-ranking Vatican official, who is a woman, preached at Ponte Sant’Angelo,” observed Laferty.

During her remarks, Becquart, a French sister, reflected on the Gospel passage of the good Samaritan.

Laferty recalled that Becquart reminded the congregation that the Gospel asks the question: “Who do we identify as our sister and brother?”

“In recognizing each other in our common baptism as Christians, and seeing the text from that perspective … that leads us into the action of the good Samaritan,” said Laferty, who said that Becquart’s words served as a reminder that “the path of Christ is also the path of unity.”

Across town, on the evening of Jan. 25, Pope Francis and the archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, will preside over a prayer service commissioning a group of 50 Anglican and Catholic bishops to go out into the world to be witnesses of Christian unity.

The commissioning service will take place at the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls — not only the site of the tomb of the apostle Paul, but also the very location where on Jan. 25, 1959, Pope St. John XXIII announced that he intended to call an ecumenical council.

The pope’s plans for the Second Vatican Council, which surprised the cardinals gathered that day at the chapter room of the Benedictine abbey attached to the basilica, set into motion what would later be recognized as a historic turning point in relations among Christians, where unity was identified as a top priority.

Slowly and steadily, that work has continued, literally moving from Rome onward.

While the Anglican and Catholic bishops have assembled first here this week from over 25 countries, they will then continue on pilgrimage together to England, on a trip that will culminate in a choral Eucharist at Canterbury Cathedral on Jan. 28, where Hong Kong Cardinal Stephen Chow will preach.

The gathering of the bishops has been organized by the International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission (IARCCUM) to “give flesh and visible expression to what has been achieved in our theological dialogues,” said Benedictine Fr. Martin Browne, who serves as an official at the Vatican’s Dicastery for Christian Unity. 

“Visiting the mother churches of our two traditions is a beautiful thing to do together. Doing so in pairs also helps nurture personal friendships between the leaders,” Browne told me. “These friendships are key foundations for working together.” 

Along with the Anglicans and Methodists, other ecumenical initiatives have been ongoing during this week, including the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue Between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches; the German Catholic and German Lutheran communities; and, the “Churches Together in Rome,” a consortium of Protestant, Anglican and Catholic communities seeking to promote Christian unity.

“Our division is scandalous to us and the church, let alone to the world, particularly in light of Jesus’ prayer that they all may be one,” said Laferty. “The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is an annual reminder and call for the church for visible unity.”

Reflecting on the experience of the week thus far, Browne said that he had been personally moved by watching the bishops get to know each other.

“Some are already deeply involved in working together, some are just starting out on that journey. But their openness to each other and to the walking, praying and working together that IARCCUM seeks to encourage has been quite something to hear and has been hugely encouraging,” he said.

“Morning prayer on the first day, when with minimal preparation and no organ or other accompaniment was a moving foretaste of this,” Browne continued. “The bishops sang together, loudly and well! At its heart, that’s what this meeting is about.”

At a meeting with ecumenical church leaders from Finland on Jan. 19 that helped kick off the week’s activities, Francis received a pair of winter gloves from Bishop Bo-Göran Åstrand of the country’s Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Åstrand went on to describe them as “a modest gift, to warm the pope’s hands in an otherwise cold world.”

Even so, here in Rome this week, the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is seeking to accelerate the thaw in ecumenical relations, so that those gloves might not be necessary.

The original article appears on the NCR website.

Pictured is Pope Francis with Director Laferty, far left, and other church leaders on 25 January 2024 at the Basilica of St. Paul’s Outside the Walls for the Papal Vespers to conclude the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Photo (c) Vatican Media.