Pope speaks of shared journey between Catholics and Anglicans

Pope Francis meets Archbishop of Canterbury at the Vatican. 

Pope Francis spoke of a shared journey of faith between Catholics and Anglicans during a meeting with the Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury, and other  bishops of the Anglican Communion, on Oct. 6 at the Vatican.

In his address the pope spoke of the continuing common journey where "three words come to mind: prayer, witness, mission," reported Vatican Radio.

In relation to prayer the pope stressed to ask God for unity.

"Let us never grow tired of asking the Lord together and insistently for the gift of unity," said Pope Francis.

Regarding witness, the pontiff recalled the historic meeting between Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey 50 years ago.

"These past 50 years of encounter and exchange, as well as reflection and common texts, speak to us of Christians who, for faith and with faith, have listened to one another and shared their time and energy," said the pope.

"The conviction has grown that ecumenism is never an impoverishment, but a richness; the certainty has deepened that what the Spirit has sown in the other yields a common harvest. Let us treasure this inheritance and know that we are called each day to offer to the world, as Jesus asked, the witness of our love and unity," he said quoting from the Gospel according to John.

For mission the pope stressed that Catholics and Anglicans assist each as demanded by the Gospel.

"There is a time for everything and now is the time in which the Lord challenges us, in a particular way, to go out from ourselves and our own environs, in order to bring his merciful love to a world thirsting for peace," he said quoting from Ecclesiastes.  

"Let us help one another to keep at the center the demands of the Gospel and to spend ourselves concretely in this mission."