POPE Leo XIV met Monday with the new Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Dame Sarah Mullally, in a historic audience at the Apostolic Palace, urging Catholics and Anglicans to jointly proclaim Christ to the world while steadfastly working to overcome their remaining theological differences.
The meeting, which took place in the Urban VIII Chapel, marked the first formal encounter between the Pope and Archbishop Mullally since her election as leader of the Anglican Communion.
The two prayed together before holding private talks, signaling a continued commitment to ecumenical dialogue six decades after the landmark 1964 meeting between Pope St. Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey.
In his greeting, Pope Leo emphasised the Easter season as a fitting moment to renew bonds of Christian unity, noting that the peace of the risen Lord is “unarmed” — a peace that responds to violence and aggression without force and invites all believers to do the same.
However, the Pope warned that divisions among Christians weaken the Church’s ability to bear that peace credibly to a waiting world.
“If the world is to take our preaching to heart, we must, therefore, be constant in our prayers and efforts to remove any stumbling blocks that hinder the proclamation of the Gospel,” he said.
Acknowledging decades of theological dialogue between Rome and Canterbury, Pope Leo noted that progress has been made on historically divisive issues, even as the Anglican Communion currently wrestles with many of the same questions. “Nevertheless,” he added, “we must not allow these continuing challenges to prevent us from using every possible opportunity to proclaim Christ to the world together.”
The Pope also recalled the words of Pope Francis to the Primate of the Anglican Communion in May 2024, warning that “it would be a scandal if, due to our divisions, we did not fulfill our common vocation to make Christ known.”
Pope Leo went further, stating, “I add that it would also be a scandal if we did not continue to work towards overcoming our differences, no matter how intractable they may appear.”
Archbishop Mullally, who was also greeted by the Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome, Bishop Anthony Ball, exchanged gifts with the Pope following the audience.
The Vatican described the atmosphere as cordial and prayerful, with a shared commitment to walking together in friendship and dialogue under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
