CHURCH UNITY – CELEBRATING CATHOLIC PROGRESS, LEEDS.
50 years ago, in 1964, the atmosphere in Christian churches changed. There was a breath of fresh air
when the Roman Catholic Church, as part of its Second Vatican Council, issued a Decree on
Ecumenism. It led to much warmer relationships between the Catholic Church and other Christians,
and still continues to bring Christians closer together.
The 50th anniversary of “Unitatis Redintegratio” has been celebrated in Leeds by a host of Christian
dignitaries, including the entire Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.
There was a seminar at which all Churches were invited to take the risk of admitting their
imperfections, and “showing each other their wounded hands”.
Speakers included: The Revd. Dr. David Cornick, General Secretary of Churches Together in
England; Professor Paul Murray, from the Centre for Catholic Studies, Durham; the Revd. Dr.
Cally Hammond, Dean of Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge; and the Revd. Ken Howcroft,
President of the Methodist Conference.
There was a magnificent service of Ecumenical Vespers in Leeds Cathedral, attended by over 400
people, including all the Catholic bishops, several Anglican bishops including the Rt. Revd. Nick
Baines (Anglican Bishop of Leeds) and leading figures in the Methodist and United Reformed
Churches.
The sermon was preached by an Anglican Archbishop, the Most Reverend Sir David Moxon,
the Anglican representative in Rome.
The Revd. Dr. Clive Barrett, Executive Secretary of West Yorkshire Ecumenical Council, who helped to
organise the celebration said, “This has inspired Christians locally, and Catholics nationally, to build
on solid foundations, and to grow closer together as God’s family”.
For more on the seminar, see:
http://www.cte.org.uk/Articles/421226/Home/News/Latest_news_articles/Celebrating_Catholic_ec
umenism.aspx
For more on the Ecumenical Vespers, see
http://www.westyorkshiredales.anglican.org/?q=content/national-church-leaders-gather-leedsmark-catholic-commitment-unity
For more on West Yorkshire Ecumenical Council, see
www.wyec.co.uk
Cally Hammond, Paul Murray and David Moxon;
David Moxon preaches;
Pastor Gloria Hanley from the Wesleyan Holiness Church at Ecumenical Vespers.