Methodist Ecumenical Office Rome

👉 Online event: Methodists and Catholics Reflect on Unity and Diversity for the Mission of the Church

You are warmly invited to join us online for this event organised by the Joint International Commission for Dialogue between the World Methodist Council, the Roman Catholic Church (MERCIC) and the Methodist Ecumenical Office Rome.

📆 Monday 19 October 2026 at 3pm (UK Time)

The international Methodist-Catholic dialogue will publish a new document "One in Faith and Ministry to the World" in September 2026 following its 12th round of theological dialogue. The document focuses on unity and diversity in the church and its implications for the mission of the church.

In this 90 minute program, the Rev. Dr. Edgardo Colon-Emeric, dean of Duke Divinity School in Durham, NC, USA, and the Most Rev. Shane Mackinlay, Catholic Archbishop of Brisbane, Australia, will present the new document and offer their personal reflections on unity and diversity for mission from Catholic and Methodist perspectives.

One in Ministry to All the World Methodists and Catholics Reflect on Unity and Diversity for the Mission of the Church

Pope Leo XIV sends greeting to the Synod of the and Churches in Italy, currently meeting in Torre Pellice, Italy. Director Matthew A. Laferty is a member of the Synod.

Pope to Waldensian Synod: Bear witness together to the freedom of God’s children - Vatican News In a message signed by the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Pope sends his greetings to the Methodist and Waldensian Churches ...

The World Methodist Council met recently in San Salvador, El Salvador, hosted by the Evangelical Methodist Church in El Salvador (Iglesia Evangélica Metodista en El Salvador - Oficial) and the Council of Evangelical Churches in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Rev. Matthew A. Laferty, director of the Methodist Ecumenical Office Rome, met a group of 31 youth and adults from First Presbyterian Church of Strasburg in Pennsylvania, USA, as they concluded their mission trip. The group is led by Rev. Bob Bronkema, a former Presbyterian mission partner who worked in Methodist and Waldensian churches in Italy, who was also the chaplain of the Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy in Moscow, Russia. Rev. Laferty succeeded Rev. Bronkema at the Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy in 2011.

Since 2014, Mediterranean Hope has operated an Migration Observatory on the island of Lampedusa. Mediterranean Hope is the migration and refugee program of the Federation of Protestant Churches in Italy, of which the Methodist Churches in Italy is a founding member. Pope Leo XIV, the Bishop of Rome, is visiting Lampedusa today, drawing attention to the plight of migrants arriving in Europe and to the important work of the churches to accompanying and advocating for migrants and refugees. Vatican News interviewed Francesca Saccomandi from the MH Migration Observatory about the work and the reality of life for migrants on Lampedusa. Story link in the comments.

Yesterday, the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe invited Director Matthew Laferty to address their clergy who are on retreat in Rome. During his remarks, he shared about MEOR's ministry, his perspectives on the pending full communion agreement between The United Methodist Church and the Episcopal Church, and international Methodist-Anglican dialogue. Photo by J. Denson/CECE.

Students from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington D.C. met the Rev. Matthew A. Laferty, director of the Methodist Ecumenical Office Rome and the WMC representative to the Holy See, yesterday. He shared with them about MEOR's ministries, 21st century ecumenism, Methodist-Catholic international dialogue, and intra-Methodist relations. He also accompanied them during their visit to the Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity.

Thank you Archbishop Shane Mackinlay for a thought-provoking and engaging event tonight, reflecting on the Catholic Church's efforts to be a more synodal church, the role of bilateral dialogue between Methodists and Catholics in synodality, and the centrality of ecumenism in the church.

Archbishop Shane is the Catholic co-chair of the Methodist-Roman Catholic International Commission.

Archdiocese of Brisbane

Join us TONIGHT at 19:00 to hear Abp. Shane Mackinlay speak about "Ecumenical Relations on the Journey of Synodality”

📍 Via Venti Settembre Methodist Church, located on Via Venti Settembre 122, 00184 Rome (metro station Piazza Repubblica)

The Methodist Ecumenical Office Rome cordially invites you to a public conversation with Archbishop Shane Mackinlay
🗓️ Thursday, 25 June 2026
⏰ 19:00/7:00 PM
📍 Via Venti Settembre Methodist Church, located on Via Venti Settembre 122, 00187 Rome (metro station Piazza Repubblica)
📣 “Ecumenical Relations on the Journey of Synodality"

Link to the event in comments⬇️⬇️

The Methodist Ecumenical Office Rome cordially invites you to a public conversation with Archbishop Shane Mackinlay
🗓️ Thursday, 25 June 2026
⏰ 19:00/7:00 PM
📍 Via Venti Settembre Methodist Church, located on Via Venti Settembre 122, 00187 Rome (metro station Piazza Repubblica)
📣 “Ecumenical Relations on the Journey of Synodality"

Link to the event in comments⬇️⬇️