Catholic observer says he was encouraged by Anglican unity debate

Published: 2004-02-24

MANCHESTER, England (CNS) -- The official Catholic observer at the Church of England's General Synod said he found encouraging signs during a debate on church unity. Father Anthony Barratt, who represented the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales at the Feb. 9-13 Anglican meeting, told Catholic News Service the debate about relations with Catholics had been largely positive. "It was to be expected that some reservations would be expressed," he said, "because this is now beginning to tackle some of the key issues. But overall, I felt very positive about the response." The synod considered the Church of England's response to "The Gift of Authority," the 1999 report from the third Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission. Members of the synod -- drawn from lay people, clergy and bishops of the Church of England -- voted 167-149 to reaffirm the church's commitment to work with all its ecumenical partners "toward the full visible unity of the church of Christ."

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