ADDRESS OF THE HOLY FATHER PAUL VI
TO THE ANGLICAN CLERGY

Wednesday, 23 February 1977

Dear brethren,

This morning we extend to all of you the welcome of the Church of Rome. We greet you in the love of Christ the Lord, and assure you that your visit is for us a cause of joy and a sign of hope.

We consider your presence here as a manifestation of the solidarity that already binds us in the common discipleship of him to whom, with the Apostle Peter, we address the sacred proclamation of our common faith: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matth. 16, 16).

At the same time, your visit to the Memorial of Peter and to us his Successor points out a goal of hope yet to be attained, in accordance with God’s will and by his power: the restoration of perfect unity in Christ. This hope, we are convinced, will not leave us disappointed (Cfr. Rom. 5. 5).

And today, in joy and in hope, we find renewed strength to pursue our course, in absolute fidelity to the Lord Jesus and to his Father, to whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, be all honour and glory for ever.