CHURCH UNION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17692, 1 August 1919, Page 2

CHURCH UNION

delegation to the pope. The Right Rev. Charles P. Anderson, Anglican Bishop of Chicago, the Right Rev. J3oyd Vrneent, Bishop of Southern Ohio, and Bishop Reginald Hebcr Weller, of the Diocese of Fond du Lac, Wis, accompanied ™ Rov. S. Talbot Rogers, of Racine College and the Rev. Edward L. Parsons, of Berkeley, Cal., all prominent figures in the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, were received by Pope Benedict on May 16. Monsignor Cerreti, Secretary for Extraordinary Affairs at the Vatican, acted as interpreter. The Pontiff was mopt cordial to tne visiting prelates, and thanked them for their rail Before seeing the Pope the Americans had a long talk with Cardinal Gasparri, Papal Secretary of State. During the interview the said: —' Rather than a union of the Christian churches, the Holy See - n imc at the unity of alio church, which in the opinion of Rome, can only occur by all returning to the Catholic Church.

Pope Benedict told the visiting clergymen that it was not possible for the Catholio Church to take part in the proposed world conference.

The Pope explained that he in no wise wished to disapprove of the participation in the conference of those who were not united to the chair of St. Peter.

After the visit to the Vatican the deputation issued this note: —" The deputation regrets that the Roman Catholio Churoh will not bo represented in the world conference, as substantially all the rest of Christendom has promised to co-operate. Tho preparations for the conference will proceed, and the deputation will continue its work until invitations are presented to those communions which have not yet been reached." %