The Bishop of Rome - a timely Vatican document on a new way of reflecting primacy Et Unum Sint

Melanie Carroll • September 29, 2024

The Bishop of Rome – a new Vatican document

Some of you may have already read that the Vatican published a 146-page text earlier this year, which contains proposals for making papal primacy acceptable to other Churches, and which would emphasise the part played by the Pope in a “conciliar fellowship” with other Christian leaders. We attach below an edited version of an article published in the Church Times which you may find of interest if you haven't already seen it...

“The understanding and exercise of the Bishop of Rome’s ministry entered a new phase with the Second Vatican Council — since then, the ecumenical dimension has been an essential aspect of this ministry,” the new “study document” says. “The invitation to find, with the help of pastors and theologians of all Churches, a way of exercising primacy ‘recognized by all concerned’, marked an epochal moment in ecumenical awareness. That invitation finds particular support in the pontificate of Pope Francis, whose teaching and practice emphasises the synodal dimension of his ministry.”

It says that long theological dialogues initiated at Vatican II in 1962-65, have revealed a “new and positive ecumenical spirit” in seeking a “ministry of unity at the universal level”. Pope St John Paul II’s 1995 encyclical Ut Unum Sint (”That They May be One”) also elicited a “wide range of responses” from other Christian denominations, testifying to a “growing awareness of mutual accountability between Christian communions” and an interest in seeking an “acceptable form of Papal Primacy”.

The text says that “dogmatic definitions” adopted at the 1869-70 First Vatican Council, notably on infallibility, remain a “significant obstacle for other Christians”, but should also be viewed today in a “historical context”. It adds that new approaches to papal primacy since Vatican II, including current Catholic moves towards decentralisation, “inspired by the model of the ancient patriarchal Churches”, have opened up “new perspectives” for reconciliation, in line with missionary requirements in a “contemporary context of globalisation”.

“The principle of subsidiarity means that no matter that can properly be dealt with at a lower level should be taken to a higher one — it is an important principle if the exercise of primacy is to guarantee participation of the whole Church in the decision-making process,” the document says. “Some dialogues apply this principle in defining an acceptable model of ‘unity in diversity’ with the Catholic Church. They argue that the power of the Bishop of Rome should not exceed that required for the exercise of his ministry of unity at universal level, and suggest a voluntary limitation in the exercise of his power.”

Ecumenical dialogues, launched in the 1960s, have achieved progress on aspects of faith and sacramental life, as well as practical co-operation between Churches, but have long been impeded by failure to agree a mutual understanding of papal primacy.

The latest Vatican text, subtitled Primacy and synodality in the ecumenical dialogues, collates and summarises about 80 documents drawn up since Ut Unum Sint by various church bodies, including Churches Together in Britain and Ireland in 1996, and the Church of England’s House of Bishops in 1997. It lists six reports by the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC), and others by joint commissions with Lutheran, Reformed, Methodist, and Orthodox Churches, and says that the latest dicastery document was produced after consultation with “numerous scholars from various Christian traditions”.

Among milestones towards a new “understanding and exercise” of papal primacy, the text says that Pope St Paul VI’s 1964 encyclical Ecclesiam Suam conceded that the “pastoral office of unity” was not “a supremacy of spiritual pride and a desire to dominate mankind, but a primacy of service, ministration and love”. It goes on to say that the pursuit of a “patient and fraternal dialogue on Primacy” with other Christian leaders was maintained by Pope Benedict XVI, whose resignation in 2013 also “contributed to a new perception and understanding of the ministry of the Bishop of Rome”.

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Happy New Year! January —The Courage to Begin Again

By Melanie Carroll • January 1, 2026

JANUARY — The Courage to Begin Again January is a month often framed by fresh starts, renewed hopes, and the desire to step into the year with intention. For many interchurch families, however, the idea of “beginning again” is not simply about turning the page on a calendar; it is a rhythm woven into their very way of life. Interchurch families live at the intersection of traditions, expectations, and identities. As a result, the courage to begin again is not seasonal — it is habitual. Yet January gives us an opportunity to name that courage, honour it, and recognise the spiritual depth it carries. Beginning again may be as practical as shifting Sunday worship patterns because a child’s schedule has changed, or as emotional as revisiting conversations about belonging that have long been sources of tension. It may involve addressing unresolved experiences from last year — a moment when a priest or minister misunderstood your family dynamic, or when extended family expressed opinions about your choices to raise your children in both traditions. For some, beginning again may be choosing to return to church life after a season of being stretched thin or feeling spiritually exhausted. The idea of “courage” can sound dramatic, but for interchurch families it is often quiet, steady, and almost unnoticed. It is the courage of showing up in a church that is yours but not fully yours. It is the courage of continuing to pray for unity when you feel the strain of disunity most sharply. It is the courage of teaching children that they are not divided but doubly enriched, even when the world struggles to understand that reality. January invites us to reflect on the difference between courage as a moment and courage as a practice. A single moment of bravery can be powerful, but interchurch life asks for something more: a patient, ongoing willingness to step forward, again and again, even when the way is uncertain. Beginning again in this context is not naïve optimism; it is a spiritual discipline rooted in hope. For many interchurch families, hope is what sustains the courage to begin again. Hope that the churches we love will continue to grow closer. Hope that our children will be able to live out their faith identities freely and fully. Hope that our own callings — lay or ordained, formal or informal — will be recognised and supported in both of our traditions. January reminds us that these hopes need tending, and tending requires courage. Scripturally, we often turn to passages that speak of new beginnings — “Behold, I am doing a new thing” or “His mercies are new every morning.” But for interchurch families, it may be equally valuable to reflect on the stories where God’s people must take small, faithful steps into uncertain territory. Abraham setting out “not knowing where he was going.” Peter stepping onto the water with trembling confidence. The disciples returning again to the upper room to pray and wait when they did not know what God would do next. These moments resonate deeply with interchurch experience. Beginning again is not about control; it is about trust. It is about trusting God with your family’s decisions, your children’s spirituality, and your own dual belonging. It is about trusting that unity is not only a prayer but a promise — one that will unfold over time, even if we do not yet see the full picture. January also encourages us to reflect on the internal dimension of beginning again. Many interchurch families carry memories of past experiences — some beautiful, some painful. The courage to begin again includes the courage to forgive, to heal, to remain open. Unity in the home requires unity of heart, and unity of heart requires the bravery to keep loving generously across difference. Perhaps you find yourself this January feeling hopeful, or perhaps tired. Perhaps you are longing for clarity about church commitments, or simply grateful for the stability your family has found. Whatever this year begins with for you, hear this blessing: Your courage is seen. Your hope is holy. Your faithfulness is part of the very story of Christian unity that the whole Church longs for. As we enter 2026, may you find the gentle strength to begin again — not because January demands it, but because God is already ahead of you on the path, welcoming you into the year with grace. Melanie Carroll - Executive Officer

A Christmas & New Year Prayer

By Melanie Carroll • January 1, 2026

Eternal God, at Christmas we give you thanks for the gift of your Son, born among us to bring light into the world and to draw all people into your reconciling love. As the Association of Interchurch Families, we come before you as those who live daily across Christian traditions, seeking to hold together faith, family, and unity in Christ. We give thanks for the churches and friends who walk alongside us, support us, and share in this calling. At this turning of the year, we pray that the light of Christ, first seen in the manger, may continue to shape our shared life. Grant to your Church and all people a generosity of spirit, patience in difference, and a deepened commitment to the unity we share through birth and baptism. As one year ends and another begins, renew our common resolve to listen well, to learn from lived experience, and to bear faithful witness together to the truth that unity in Christ does not require uniformity, but is grounded in Love. May the joy and hope of Christmas remain with us in the year ahead, strengthening our partnerships, guiding our discernment, and drawing us ever more deeply into your peace. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, the Word made flesh, the light of the world, now and for ever. Amen.