Local Parish Priest Attends Ecumenical Milestone
The UK launch in the Jerusalem Chamber of Westminster Abbey of the 60 page ARCIC document entitled 'Mary, Grace & Hope in Christ' is seen by many as a considerable achievement in advancing the understanding of the positions on the Blessed Virgin Mary by Anglicans and Catholics worldwide.
It is not at this stage an authoritative statement but is meant for wider discussion by both communions. With nearly a third of the text devoted to Mary's place in the Bible, the document concludes that, "It is impossible to be faithful to Scripture without giving due attention to the person of Mary". The document is recognition of the importance of her place in life and Liturgy. It also addresses the issue of the Marian dogmas of the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption in such a way that makes a clear distinction between the content of the dogmas versus the authority by which they were defined, thereby opening up the possibility between the communions of agreement on the issue.
Members of ARCIC Bishop Malcolm McMahon OP and Canon Dr Nicholas Sagovsky both spoke at the launch, which was attended by invited guests including the Honorary General Secretary of the Ecumenical Society of the Blessed Virgin Mary (ESVBM), Father Bill McLoughlin OSM, Parish Priest at SS Peter and Paul, Combe Down, Bath.
Professor Sagovsky had given a paper at the Chester International ESBM Congress in
2002 while working on ARCIC and acknowledged the contribution of the ESBVM to this important area of Ecumenism in which it has been working over the past 37 years.
Further information may be obtained about the society and membership from the ESBVM website or ESBVM Headquarters, 11 Belmont Road, Wallington, Surrey SM6 8TE
Father Bill McLoughlin OSM
Useful URL : http://www.esbvm.org.uk
It is not at this stage an authoritative statement but is meant for wider discussion by both communions. With nearly a third of the text devoted to Mary's place in the Bible, the document concludes that, "It is impossible to be faithful to Scripture without giving due attention to the person of Mary". The document is recognition of the importance of her place in life and Liturgy. It also addresses the issue of the Marian dogmas of the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption in such a way that makes a clear distinction between the content of the dogmas versus the authority by which they were defined, thereby opening up the possibility between the communions of agreement on the issue.
Members of ARCIC Bishop Malcolm McMahon OP and Canon Dr Nicholas Sagovsky both spoke at the launch, which was attended by invited guests including the Honorary General Secretary of the Ecumenical Society of the Blessed Virgin Mary (ESVBM), Father Bill McLoughlin OSM, Parish Priest at SS Peter and Paul, Combe Down, Bath.
Professor Sagovsky had given a paper at the Chester International ESBM Congress in
2002 while working on ARCIC and acknowledged the contribution of the ESBVM to this important area of Ecumenism in which it has been working over the past 37 years.
Further information may be obtained about the society and membership from the ESBVM website or ESBVM Headquarters, 11 Belmont Road, Wallington, Surrey SM6 8TE
Father Bill McLoughlin OSM
Useful URL : http://www.esbvm.org.uk
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