A summit of IARCCUM (International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission) was held in Rome, starting on January 22. Pairs of Anglican and Catholic bishops from 27 countries attended the “Growing Together” summit for a series of ecumenical discussions and visits to holy sites in Rome. On Thursday 25 January, the Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Fra’ John Dunlap, hosted a reception followed by a dinner at Palazzo Orsini where he welcomed the IARCUUM delegation headed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. The Grand Master and the Archbishop exchanged warm greetings. Cardinal Stephen Chow of Hong Kong also was part of the IARCCUM delegation.

The summit, that was co-chaired by Archbishop Donald Bolen, Archbishop of Regina, Canada and Bishop David Hamid, Suffragan Bishop in Europe, moved then to Canterbury for the second phase of the programme.

The International Anglican–Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission aims to foster closer co-operation between the Anglican and Roman Catholic traditions and put into practice progress made in theological conversations. IARCCUM was established in 2000, by Archbishop George Carey and Cardinal Edward Cassidy, the then President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.