THE LAMBETH CONFERENCE AND OUR CANTERBURY STUDY CENTRE

On Saturday, 2nd August 2008, the Franciscan International Study Centre in Canterbury welcomed the Catholic observers at the Lambeth Conference for a concelebrated Mass in the early morning.  Among those present were His Eminence Cardinal Walter Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity (wearing the chasuble), Fr Timothy Ratcliffe O.P. , former Master General of the Dominicans (at the back, fourth from right), Msgr John Bathersby, Archbishop of Brisbane (first on left), and other dignitaries from Jerusalem, Nigeria, Ireland, Germany, Italy, and France.

During the Lambeth Conference the FISC hosted the Conference chaplaincy team which had the task of organising the liturgies animating the Conference.  In addition the Centre hosted an Anglican Eucharist each day for those attending the Conference who could not go to the Bishops-only Conference Eucharist.  The FISC was also the venue for a couple of fringe meetings at the Lambeth Conference, such as the Tanzanian Bishops' meeting with the Tanzanian High Commission.  Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, O.P., was a personal advisor to Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and paid his own fraternal visits to the friars in the Centre.

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