The Primate of la Iglesia Anglicana de Mexico – the Anglican Church of Mexico (IAM) – Presiding Bishop Francisco Moreno, has welcomed the announcement that Pope Francis has appointed Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes as the new Primate of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mexico. In a letter made public today, Bishop Francisco expresses his hope that the two leaders will find “creative ways to find the unity of the whole Church” in their ministries.
Bishop Francisco expresed his “appreciation” of the “gracious willingness” of Pope Francis to join the commemorations of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, which he described as “a gesture of generosity and hope for the unity of the Universal Church.”
“As Anglicans we appreciate the gracious willingness of His Holiness to recognise the dignity and importance of all Christians through the different Christian communions and communities in the world,” he said. “I join that feeling and the call of our Lord Jesus Christ that we all be one as He and the Father are One.”
He told Cardinal Retes that he was praying that the Lord would “illuminate him and guide him with his strength, generosity and love every day”, and asked that the Cardinal, in return, pray for him and the Anglican Church in Mexico.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mexico is the largest in the world, with more than seven million Catholics. Its territory comprises the Federal District of Mexico, while its suffragen dioceses extended into the states of Mexico and Morelos; and is one of 18 provinces of the Roman Cathcolic Church in the country.