THE VATICAN: The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey, paid a farewell visit to Pope John Paul II in the Vatican yesterday, with the Pope paying tribute to their mutual commitment to ever-closer relations.
It was the sixth meeting between Dr Carey and Pope John Paul, a sign of their efforts to bring the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion closer together. Dr Carey is due to retire on October 31st.
"I pray that the next phase of your life will offer new ways to share your gifts on the journey of reconciliation that we have undertaken," Pope John Paul said in his welcoming remarks. In turn, Dr Carey spoke of the "growing closeness, mutual affection and respect between our churches."
A spokesman for the archbishop, Canon James Rosenthal, said the meeting "went extremely well".
During the meeting, the archbishop wore a ring given by Pope Paul VI to the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Michael Ramsey, in 1966. The ring has been on display at a special Anglican exhibit at the Vatican Museums, and after his meeting with the Pope the archbishop returned the ring.
While both the Vatican and the Anglicans have hailed progress in their relationship, the Pope has called the Church of England's decision to ordain women a setback. However, speaking ahead of his farewell visit to the Pope, Dr Carey said that Catholics might one day follow Anglicans and ordain women.
Dr Carey said that the issue of women priests, whilst divisive, did not represent a final break between the two churches. "I know that there are lots of women in the Roman Catholic Church who would like ordination themselves," he said. "So let's see it as a problem but not as a final break that is going to stop the unity that we want to see."