THE NEW Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Luigi Barbarito, praised the "wise and prudent leadership" of the Catholic Church in England and Wales during his first address in England, on Tuesday.
Speaking before Cardinal Hume and all the bishops of England and Wales, who had gathered together in Westminster Cathedral for the formal welcome ceremony, Archbishop Barbarito stressed the importance of ecumenism and renewal.
The Archbishop described his own role as that of a "humble collaborator with the bishops", who must "foster the liaison between the Apostolic See and the local Churches". The Church's mission in England and Wales, said the new Nuncio, aims to "outreach to our fellow Churches and especially to the Anglican community".
In his address, the Papal envoy also focused on the 1980 National Pastoral Congress of Liverpool, which he praised as evidence of the commitment, shared by Catholics in England
and Wales, to the "spiritual renewal" of Vatican H.
As Apostolic Nuncio, the Archbishop foresees a threelevel mission for himself; communion, service, and ecumenism. He enjoined all "Bishops, priests, religious and laypeople" to "work together to consolidate and make more fruitful the communion of faith, unity and love which exists between the C Itholics of Britain and the Holy _see."