(Vatican Radio) The new director of Rome’s Anglican Centre, former Archbishop of New
Zealand David Moxon was officially welcomed to his new post on Thursday at an ecumenical
prayer service in Rome’s Oratory of St Francis Xavier, run by the Caravita international
Catholic community. Archbishop Moxon has extensive ecumenical experience and is
currently co-chair of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission, or ARCIC,
which recently held its third meeting in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. He
also serves as the Archbishop of Canterbury’s representative to the Holy See and will
be officially installed by Archbishop Justin Welby who is expected to visit the Vatican
later this year. Philippa Hitchen caught up with Archbishop Moxon after his appointment
to find out more about the challenges he’ll face during his new job in Rome…..
Listen:
"I think
the next step for Anglican-Roman Catholic relations on the ground is what's called
Receptive Ecumenism, which means listening to each other's worst nightmares in mission
and assissting each other with those challenges. I hope we'll see justice, development,
aid - that kind of missional activity - be a subject for both of us to talk about,
where we're finding it difficult and where we need each other.....
In my diocese
of Hamilton in central North Island of New Zealand we've had exceptionally good relationships
with the local Catholic diocese. We've been able to build a large Christian social
service village together out of the old Catholic diocesan headquarters.....we have
combind Ash Wednesday liturgies, Advent liturgies every year and we couldn't imagine
life without them now. I'm hoping to recommend that kind of intimacy, proximity, friendship
as not only desirable but achievable....."