The Growing Together summit, known as the International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission (IARCCUM), was held from 22-29 January in Rome and Canterbury.

Anglican Bishop Ross Bay and Catholic Bishop Michael Gielen represented New Zealand at the gathering.

Bay attended the last IARCCUM summit in 2016.

He said walking alongside Bishop Gielen, with whom he serves as a co-chair of the local New Zealand Anglican-Catholic dialogue, has opened up opportunities.

"As a result of being together here, I hope that we will grow in our commitment to express our unity in more tangible ways through our common mission."

Gielen says the rich history of IARCCUM inspires him.

"It has been a deep privilege to join with fellow bishops of our respective churches from around the world, hearing their stories and, in many cases, their profound challenges, while continuing to celebrate the Good News of Jesus Christ we share."

The event culminated in a joint statement, Our Common Witness, Calling and Commitment.

The statement is a powerful call for unity and a joint mission, saying the churches need to emphasise the need to "walk together, pray together and seek justice together."

The bishops' statement reflects on the journey towards reconciliation that began almost six decades ago, acknowledging the Holy Spirit's role in bridging centuries of separation and conflict.

It highlights the progress made through theological dialogue and shared prayer, leading to a deep and profound connection, albeit not yet full communion.

The document outlines a vision for the future, urging both churches to explore further possibilities for collaboration, particularly in witness, friendship, mission, synodality and the prioritising of fraternity over structures.

The bishops place significant focus on mission with a call to address the needs of Indigenous Peoples, descendants of enslaved persons and those affected by colonisation and assimilation.

The environmental crisis was a key topic, with bishops from Amazonia sharing their experiences. The statement aligns with Pope Francis's Encyclical on the Environment, Laudato Si', and the Lambeth Call on the Environment advocating for the care of our common home.

This summit marks a pivotal moment in the relationship between the Anglican Communion and the Catholic Church, and serves as a beacon of unity in a divided world.

Sources

• IARRCUM
• Supplied

In order to operate at maximum levels, under the traffic light system, churches, like businesses are required to refuse access to those not double vaccinated.

Many people have expressed confusion about the new framework and last Friday the Anglican Bishop of Auckland, Ross Bay (pictured), spoke on NewstalkZB saying he is consulting with his community on how best to continue ministering to everyone.

The restrictions on who may and may not attend church services is tricky, as welcoming people is "fundamental to our DNA and we want to be able to offer hospitality and a welcome to everyone," says Bay.

"We also want to be able to provide a safe and healthy environment for people to come confidently to know, to feel okay about, about being there."

Bay says businesses and organizations aren't clear yet about how the government expects them to manage the restricted entry process.

He has concerns like "how will we understand how to examine vaccination certificates?" and "what will we do if somebody's determined to find entry?".

Festivals may find this simple as they have trained security on the door as a matter of routine, so managing controlled access is a standard aspect of the entry process.

Churches, on the other hand are generally staffed by volunteers, Bay notes.

He says the Anglican church has always been determined to work with the government and the community in general to to build a healthy community in the face of the Covid-19 virus. Adaptation is key to this, he suggests.

"We've had a lot of experience over the last 20 months adapting to the changes and how we can gather, how we come together, how we do things.

"So I'm sure we'll be able to step up to the one and find a way through it. I suppose at the moment, this is still a few unknowns that make certainty around that more difficult to find."

He thinks Anglicans will find themselves holding smaller services for people who haven't been vaccinated.

As Bay doesn't think the traffic light system is practical, he's looking for alternative solutions.

"So we're consulting with our clergy and our local church communities at the moment to see if we can find a way that we're all agreed on that we think would be the best way to respond.

"We are committed to doing our best to continue to minister to all people."

There is still much to discuss before Bay will feel all the "i"s have been dotted and the "t"s crossed.

He says he believes 98 percent of the Anglican clergy is vaccinated. He thinks it's likely Anglicans, like the Catholic community, will require clergy and others in voluntary face-to-face roles to be vaccinated for their safety and the safety of the people they're working with.

This is still to be decided, however.

"We haven't formed our vaccination policy yet from the process of doing that on the basis of consultation," Bay says.

Source

• NewstalkZB
• Image: Stuff

He said the relationship was "akin to an extended family."

Dew and Bishop Ross Bay, the Anglican bishop of Auckland have been representing New Zealand at meeting with Pope Francis, and Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.

Bay said "The relationship we have is both liturgical and pastoral and extends to the work we do in civil society."

"We share our joys, sorrows and concerns for both our respective communities and wider society."

"This gathering is another historical and significant step in the relationship both at home in New Zealand and globally," he said.

Pairs of bishops from 19 different regions where Anglicans and Catholics live side by side in significant numbers were at the meeting.

They gathered on 30 September in Canterbury. On October 3 they moved to the Vatican.

The purpose of the meeting was to discover new ways for Roman Catholics and Anglicans to give greater witness to their common faith, and particularly how they can collaborate in mission to the world.

Pope Francis and Archbishop Welby commissioned the 36 bishops to take part in united mission in their local areas.

The commissioning and sending took place during Vespers led jointly by Pope Francis and Archbishop Welby, at the Church of Saint Gregory on the Caelian Hill in Rome.

This is the church from where Pope Gregory sent Augustine to evangelise the Anglo-Saxon people.

The service was one of the highlights of an ecumenical summit organised by Iarccum to mark the 50th anniversary of the meeting between Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey in 1966.

That meeting was the first such public meeting between a Pope and an Archbishop of Canterbury since the Reformation.

Subsequently, Pope John Paul II with Archbishop Robert Runcie, and later with Archbishop George Carey.

Pope Benedict XVI and Archbishop Rowan Williams prayed together in the Church of Saint Gregory.
Source

• Supplied
• anglicannews.org
• Image: Supplied

On Sunday night Bishop Ross and Bishop Jim White gave it back to Maori at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Khyber Pass.

It was accepted by Bishop Kito Pikaahu, of Te Tai Tokerau.

Bishop Kito intends to carry it round his hui amorangi and will take it to Oihi on Christmas Day.

During Sunday's service Bishop Kito invited descendants of those who gave the crozier 100 years ago to come forward and hold it.

He named the crozier Te Take ki Oihi , which identifies Oihi as the beginning of a bicultural journey.

"The shape of this crozier tells of the wellspring of life and it symbolises the continuity of a strong relationship between the Diocese of Auckland and the Diocese of Te Tai Tokerau," Bishop Kito added.

He noted that it was made from four woods, showing the tribes' various identities but also their unity in one crozier.

The service on Sunday night was part of the bicentenary celebrations marking the arrival of Samuel Marsden and other Anglican missionaries, alongside Maori chief Ruatara in New Zealand and the establishment of the first permanent European settlement with Maori at Oihi in the Bay of Islands.

The crozier was originally presented to the Bishop of Auckland in 1914 to mark the centenary of the same event.

It was presented by the four northern Maori tribes.

Very little else is known about the crozier including who carved it.

The diocese is asking anyone who knows its history to come forward.

Source

• Scoop.co.nz
• Maori TV
• Anglican Taonga
• Image: Anglican Taonga

In a joint statement, Catholic Bishop Patrick Dunn and Anglican Bishop Ross Bay said such an act by Israel would be "a pre-requisite for dialogue to establish a lasting and just settlement in the Holy Land".

"We believe the continued violence in Gaza violates the human dignity of Palestinians and Israelis alike, and condemn all parties who are capitalising on this tragedy in pursuit of their own selfish political ends," the bishops said, speaking on behalf of their communities.

The death and injury toll in the ongoing conflict was lamented by the bishops, who said they are appalled that children were being killed at a rate of one an hour as long as the conflict continues.

"Violence and war are never a proper solution to disagreements, and the Israeli bombing and missiles and the Hamas rockets targeted at civilian populations is a grave moral evil," they said.

The two Auckland bishops echoed concerns expressed by Pope Francis, Archbishop Justin Welby and the United Nations Secretary General about the Gaza conflict.

But the bishops were quick to "reject all forms of anti-Semitism and anti-Arab racism and support the many initiatives that encourage Israelis and Palestinians to get to know and understand each other and so grow towards peace".

They also called on the New Zealand Government to "make full use of all diplomatic channels to work hard towards an immediate end to the violence and for a just resolution of the injustices faced by the Palestinian people as well as the difficulties faced by Israelis who are living in fear as a result of the conflict".

New Zealand's Government was also asked to assist refugees and encourage humanitarian support for war victims.

The bishops praised the work of peace campaigners, but acknowledged the challenges faced by both Israel and Palestine.

The Auckland bishops' statement was issued just after a 72 hour ceasefire in Gaza began.

The ceasefire was the eighth bid to stop the month-long war.

Sources

• Auckland Catholic Diocese
• The Guardian
• Reuters
• Image: 3 News