New archbishop begins quest for unity

Luke Coppen reports on Archbishop MurphyO'Connor's plea for authentic ecumenism
ARCHBISHOP Cormac Murphy-O'Connor has used his first public engagement as Archbishop of Westminster to call for closer relations between Catholics and Anglicans.
Speaking at a packed Westminster Abbey on Saturday, the new archbishop chal lenged the two confessions to go further towards full visible unity.
He urged the mixed congregation of almost 1,000 people to remember the three essential elements of ecumenism, which he described as conversion of heart, hope and renewal and sincere love of Christ.
The archbishop reminded worshippers that exactly 24 years ago to the day the newly installed Cardinal Basil Hume had celebrated vespers in the abbey, in an historic act of reconciliation between Anglicans and Catholics in England. He paid tribute to the late Cardinal's commitment to unity and his role in strengthening relations between Westminster Cathedral and the abbey.
The abbey's dean, Dr Wesley Carr, warmly welcomed the new archbishop and spoke of the Abbey's historic origins as a Catholic Benedictine monastery. He praised his opposite number at the cathedral, Mgr George Stack, who sat next to the archbishop during the service, for bringing the two great Westminster churches closer together.
After an exchange of gifts — a history of the abbey and an icon of Our Lady of Westminster respectively — the dean and the archbishop jointly blessed the congregation.
The service was a another early indicator of the high priority the new Archbishop of Westminster will give to ecumenism. At his installation last week, he underlined the importance of dialogue, describing the "road to unity" as "a road with no exit" and pledging himself to speaking "with one voice" with other Christians.
The installation ceremony brought together a vast array of Christian leaders, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey who welcomed the new archbishop on behalf of members of Churches Together in England and Wales.
One special moment of reconciliation took place before Isle Mass. when Dr
Carey (pictured below) was introduced to the head of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, an Anglican order which was corporately received into the Catholic Church in 1909.
Fr Arthur Johnson SA, Minister General of the order, said: "Our community has always had a great affection for the Anglican Communion from where it came.
"It was fitting to meet the present Archbishop of Canterbury on the occasion of Archbishop Cormac's installation, as he is a person who is very familiar with our friars."
Until his retirement two years ago, Archbishop Murphy-O'Connor's ecumenical officer was Fr Emmanuel Sullivan SA. The archbishop's new ecumenical officer in Westminste is, Fr Michael Seed, who is also a member of the Friars of the Atonement.
The order, which was founded in 1898, is dedicated to ecumenism, Its founder, Fr Paul Wattson, created the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
IN FIVE ARTISTS have been shortlisted to design a statue of Cardinal Basil Hume to be erected outside St Mary's Cathedral in Newcastle.
The artists' designs, which went on display in the cathedral last week, were selected by Newcastle City Council, which announced the competition slier the Cardinal's death in June last year.
The five artists, all members of the Royal Society of British Sculptors, were approached to design a sculpture commemorating the late Cardinal as a leader of the Catholic Church and a famous son of Tyneside.
The shortlisted artists are Nigel Boonham, James Butler, John O'Rourke, Anthony Stones and Mina Sumar.
The statue will he funded by public subscription.