Pope speaks about Lambeth

July 14, 2008
Paola Totaro

Excerpt:
The Pope was also asked if he had a message to deliver to the Anglican Bishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, as he prepared for the Lambeth conference next week.

The Pope made clear that, while he would not involve himself in the affairs of the Anglican Church, he offered his solidarity to the traditionalists who opposed having female bishops and recognising same-sex relationships. Answering in Italian he said his "essential contribution would be prayer" and that he hoped sincerely that the debate at Lambeth would be able to find a way to avoid "further schism and fractures".

"We cannot, we must not intervene in their discussions and their responsibilities we respect. Our hope is they can find new solutions to their responsibilities in their faith and in the words of the liturgy … because these two things must go together.

"The words and the message of Christ are what offer the real contribution [to Lambeth] and only in being faithful to the message and only in being faithful to God's words can we find a mature way, a creative way a faithful way to find a road together …" the rest image