Toronto, Ontario—The Anglican Roman Catholic Bishops’ Dialogue of Canada (ARC-B) held its most recent meeting in the Toronto area from November 27-29, 2019. The annual meeting facilitates opportunities for the Anglican and Roman Catholic Bishops to share, learn, and discuss about their respective pastoral activities, update one another on the news from our churches, and further the aims of Christian unity in Canada. The Bishops specifically discussed issues relating to ecumenism, freedom of religion and conscience in Canadian society, interfaith partnerships, and various challenges and opportunities in chaplaincy ministry in military, corrections, and medical contexts. The ARC-B members were also joined for part of the meeting by the Roman Catholic and Anglican co-chairs of the Anglican-Roman Catholic theological dialogue of Canada (ARC) to discuss ARC’s current focus on the operations of synodical consultation and decision making in the two traditions. For several years now, both ARC-B and ARC have worked closely with one another, mutually enriching one another’s work and reflections.
Throughout the meeting, Bishops planned and devoted a significant amount of time and reflection to the subject of their mutual and ongoing efforts of renewal and reconciliation with the Indigenous Peoples of Canada. This discussion was enriched and deepened by the generous participation of Archbishop Mark McDonald, the National Indigenous Anglican Archbishop, who was invited as a guest speaker to the meeting. In a spirit of dialogue and learning, the Anglican and Roman Catholic Bishops identified many areas of current and potential collaboration in one another’s efforts towards reconciliation with the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples of Canada, in a spirit of humility and trust.
The ARC-B dialogue was formed in 1975 shortly after the Anglican–Roman Catholic theological dialogue in Canada (ARC). The dialogue is co-sponsored by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Anglican Church of Canada.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Lisa Gall
Communications Coordinator
Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops
[email protected]
Alice Namu
Communications Coordinator
Anglican Church of Canada
[email protected]
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