Archbishop of Canterbury to make first visit to Vatican

(Vatican Radio) The new Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby is scheduled to make a first visit to the Vatican on Friday June 14th to meet Pope Francis and hold talks at the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. During the one-day visit, the leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion will also join the Holy Father in a midday prayer service, visit the Necropolis containing the burial place of St Peter underneath the Basilica and pray at the tomb of Blessed John Paul II.
Archbishop Welby was unable to attend the inauguration of Pope Francis on March 19^th this year as he was installed at the start of his own ministry in Canterbury Cathedral two days later. This papal audience will mark an important moment for both leaders to share common concerns and discuss the future of the Anglican-Catholic dialogue. The Archbishop will be accompanied by his wife, Caroline, and by his permenent representative in Rome, Archbishop David Moxon, as well as by the Catholic Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols.
For a closer look at the significance of this visit, Philippa Hitchen spoke to Msgr Mark Langham, in charge of Anglican relations at the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity

Listen:


"It's a visit to get to know each other because both the Holy Father and the Archbishop of Canterbury are new in their posts......both have a particular interest in the economy and its effect on men and women around the world, on our responsibility to reach out to the marginalised and the poor, and an interest that churches should be involved to make society a more Christ-like place....

We must remember that already in countries around the world Catholics and Anglicans collaborate hugely on social issues and justice issues and I think there's a need to affirm and publicise this, because so much great and heroic work is being done and that's a wonderful witness we share together....."