ecumenism – Page 3 – Methodist Ecumenical Office Rome

Public Conversation with Bishop Knut Refsdal of Norway on 26 November

November 17, 2025November 17, 2025meorome

The Methodist Ecumenical Office Rome and the Caravita Community invite you to a public conversation with Bishop Knut Refsdal on Wednesday, 26 November 2025 at 7:00 PM/19:00.

The event will be held in a conversation-style format as Bishop Knut shares on the theme “the Church in Search of New Vitality, Purpose, and Hope,” sharing how Methodists in northern and eastern Europe are discerning in the Holy Spirit their future and working for a church with a witness marked by renewed vibrancy and hope.

The event will be one hour and will be held in English.

The event will be held on Wednesday, 26 November 2025 at 19:00 (Rome) at the Oratory of Francis Xavier of Caravita, located at Via del Caravita 7, 00186 Rome.

About Bishop Knut

Born in Porsgrunn, Norway, Bishop Knut is the bishop of the Nordic, Baltic, and Ukraine Area of The United Methodist Church, overseeing Methodists in 6 nations in northern and eastern Europe. He was elected and consecrated bishop in April 2025. Bishop Knut was the general secretary of the Christian Council of Norway (2012-2018) and UMC district superintendent in eastern Norway (2018-2023). He was the pastor in the Church of Norway parish in Jeløy, Norway, immediately prior to his episcopal election and consecration; The United Methodist Church and Church of Norway have a full communion agreement which authorizes the interchangeability of ministers between the churches.

Rev. Laferty Speaks About Journey and International Ecumenism at Yale University

November 16, 2025November 20, 2025meorome

The Rev. Matthew A. Laferty, director of the Methodist Ecumenical Office Rome, spoke about his calling and his ministry in Rome during a public conversation held at Yale Divinity School in New Haven, Connecticut, USA. Rev. Laferty’s talk on 7 November 2025 was entitled, “A Methodist at the Vatican: The Work of Ecumenical Ministry at the Holy See.” Sponsored by the YDS Transformational Leadership program, the event featured a conversation between Rev. Laferty and Prof. Mark Heim, followed by audience questions.

In addition to the public conversation, Rev. Laferty taught an intensive leadership seminar to graduate-level students on the international ecumenical movement, Methodist-Catholic relations, and methods for international dialogue.

Yale Divinity School is one of 13 professional schools at Yale University.

Photo: Sterling Divinity Quadrangle houses Yale Divinity School. Photo by M. Laferty

Methodists Attend Major International Interreligious Peace Conference – October 2025

November 4, 2025December 2, 2025meorome

ROME (MEOR) – Bishop Dr. Debra Wallace-Padgett, president of the World Methodist Council, and the Rev. Matthew A. Laferty, director of the Methodist Ecumenical Office Rome, attended the 39th annual international peace meeting ‘Spirit of Assisi’ in Rome from 26-28 October 2025 organized by the Sant’Egidio Community. The theme for the peace meeting was ‘Daring Peace’. Bishop Wallace-Padgett was among the cohort of senior religious leaders participating in the conference. Deacon Alessandra Trotta, moderator of the Methodist-Waldensian Church in Italy, and Lord Griffiths of Burry Port FLSW, minister of the Methodist Church of Great Britain and member of the House of Lords (UK), were additional Methodist participants. Alongside leaders from various Christian churches, senior leaders from the world’s major religions including Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Shintoism, and others also attended the interreligious conference.

Bishop Dr. Debra Wallace-Padgett (left) and Pope Leo XIV (right) greet each other before the final ceremony at the Sant’Egidio International Meeting of Peace on 28 October 2025 © Vatican Media

Bishop Wallace-Padgett and Deacon Trotta spoke on a panel on stopping the death penalty during the conference.

The Christian conference invitees prayed together in the Colosseum before the closing ceremony. Among the other church leaders present were Pope Leo of the Catholic Church, Patriarch Mar Awa III from the Assyrian Church of the East, and Bishop Henrik Stubkjær of the Lutheran World Federation.

Other Methodists who participated in aspects of the conference were Ms Stephanie Gabuyo from WMC Youth and Young Adults, Rev Mirella Manocchio from Via XX Settembre Methodist Church, and Rev Sarah Mae Gabuyo from Ponte Sant’Angelo Methodist Church.

Communique from Methodist-Catholic Commission Plenary, October 2025

October 29, 2025November 4, 2025meorome

The Methodist-Roman Catholic International Commission met in plenary session in San Salvador, El Salvador, from 19 to 24 October 2025, building on its work on the theme of diversity, unity, and communion for mission. The Commission, officially called the Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the World Methodist Council and the Catholic Church, was established in 1967 as the bilateral theological dialogue between the World Methodist Council and the Catholic Church with the goal of full communion in faith, sacramental life, and mission. The meeting in San Salvador is the fourth annual meeting in the 12th round of the international Catholic-Methodist theological dialogue.

The Commission received a report on its pending publication of We Believe in One God: Sixty Years of Methodists and Catholics Together. The document synthesizes the Commission’s eleven previous official dialogue reports, which demonstrates the common Christian faith shared by Catholics and Methodists. A culmination of nearly two years of work, the publication is the Commission’s contribution to the celebrations marking the 1700^th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea.

The Commission dedicated the majority of its meeting to exploring the themes of unity, diversity, and communion for mission. A draft report was reviewed by the Commission exploring these themes: models of discernment of the essentials of the Christian faith, the meaning and practice of unity and diversity in Methodist and Catholic churches, and communion as integral for the mission of the church. The draft report also included a chapter with concrete recommendations to Catholic and Methodist leaders to further deepen the communion already shared by Methodists and Catholics. The Commission expects to finalize the report by the end of 2026.

Bishop Juan de Dios Peña from the Evangelical Methodist Church in El Salvador, along with clergy and lay leaders, hosted the Commission for Eucharist followed by a dinner at the Vida Nueva Methodist Church in San Salvador. Bishop Peña preached on the meaning of unity from John 17.

The Commission visited a number of pilgrimage sites related to St. Oscar Romero and other Christian martyrs of El Salvador, including the Catholic Cathedral of San Salvador, the Divine Providence Hospital and Mons. Romero House, as well as the University of Central America.

The Commission extends its sincere thanks to Fr. Carlos Chavarria from San Benito Catholic Parish for assisting with the Commission’s meeting.

Three Commission members were unable to attend the meeting due to family and work commitments. Fr. Anthony Currer of the Catholic Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle (UK), formerly of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity of the Holy See, substituted for Fr. Martin Browne OSB and acted as the Catholic co-secretary for the meeting.

The Commission is scheduled to meet next from 18-24 October 2026.

The Commission is made up of:

Methodist Members
Rev. Prof. Edgardo A. Colón–Emeric (Co-Chair), United States of America
Rev. Matthew A. Laferty (Co-Secretary), Methodist Ecumenical Office, Rome
Dr. Jung Choi, Korea/United States of America
Rev. Prof. Blanches de Paula, Brazil
Prof. Geordan Hammond, United Kingdom/United States of America
Rev. Prof. Glen O’Brien, Australia
Rev. Dr. Hermen Shastri, Malaysia
Prof. Lilian Cheelo Siwila, Zambia/South Africa

Catholic Members
Archbishop Shane Mackinlay (Co-Chair), Australia
Rev. Martin Browne OSB (Co-Secretary), Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, Rome
Prof. Catherine E. Clifford, Canada
Rev. Prof. Gerard Kelly, Australia
Sr. Prof. Mary Sylvia Nwachukwu DDL, Nigeria
Rev. Prof. Daniel Franklin Pilario CM, Philippines
Rev. Prof. Jorge Scampini OP, Argentina
Dr. Clare Watkins, United Kingdom
Rev. Anthony Currer, United Kingdom (2022 and 2025 meetings)

MEOR Director Speaks at International Conference on Church Law and the 1700th Anniversary of the Council of Nicaea

June 25, 2025July 28, 2025meorome

CHICHESTER, UK – The Rev. Matthew A. Laferty, director of the Methodist Ecumenical Office Rome, was in Chichester, United Kingdom, from 20-22 June 2025 for a conference on ecclesiastical law, entitled “Nicaea Received: 1700 years of Canons, Councils and Ecumenism.” The conference, organized by the Ecclesiastical Law Society, brought together church lawyers, experts in ecclesiastical law, and senior church leaders to discuss the importance of the Council of Nicaea, particularly the 20 canons (or laws) created by the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, to the churches today and to the pursuit of Christian unity. The conference assembled a wide range of participants from Anglican, Catholic, Methodist, Orthodox, and Reformed churches.

Director Laferty spoke an ecumenical panel about the relevance of the Nicene Creed for Methodist churches today, particularly as a doctrinal standard in Methodist church law. In addition to Rev. Laferty, the panel also included the Most Rev. Bernhard Longley, Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham, H.E. Archbishop Nikitas Lulias, Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Prof. Anna Tronet, a canonist from the Church of Sweden, and the Ven. Moira Astin, bishop-designate of Crediton in the Church of England.

Plenary speakers for the conference were His All-Holiness Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople and New Rome, Prof. Dr. Myriam Wijlens, Catholic canonist-theologian, and the Rt. Rev. Dr. Christopher Cocksworth, dean of Windsor.