Old Catholic Bishop Celebrates Communion in Church of England

The Old Catholic Bishop of Switzerland, the Rt Revd Fritz-René Muller, last weekend celebrated an Anglican Communion service, in English, at a Church of England altar. He also addressed the Anglican Swiss Archdeaconry Synod. It was the first time this had happened in Switzerland, although con-celebrations have been held in other countries.

In a brief address to the Synod, Bishop Fritz-René recalled that Anglicans and Old Catholics "have been close friends for over 70 years. But I think we can do more in the future," he added.

"Let us get a closer church life. Your church in Switzerland and ours are small. We need each other. To be small, and not to have many members, can be hard. But if we handle it carefully, small can be beautiful."

The synod and service were held at Holy Trinity Church in Geneva at the end of the week of prayer for Christian unity. The Swiss Archdeaconry of the Church of England's Diocese in Europe incorporates about 25 chaplaincies or congregations (churches without their own chaplain). The Old Catholic Church in Switzerland is of similar size.

Bishop Fritz-René is new to his post, and Bishop Geoffrey Rowell, Anglican Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe, shared in his consecration last year. Also present representing the Old Catholics was Fr Klaus Heinrich Neuhoff. The visit reciprocated that of three Anglican chaplains in Switzerland who had previously attended the Old Catholic clergy chapter.

The Old Catholic Churches have been in full communion with the Church of England since 1932, following the Bonn Agreement signed in 1931. Those in Austria, Germany and Switzerland seceded from the Roman Catholic Church shortly after the Second Vatican Council (in the 1870s) through disagreement with the dogma of papal infallibility. Those in the Netherlands had seceded after a local dispute in the early 1700s.

Their clergy are allowed to marry, communion is received in two kinds, and Anglican orders have been recognised since 1925. Anglican Churches on mainland Europe have close links with Old Catholics and sometimes share facilities, clergy and worship.

Left to right: The Ven Peter Hawker (Archdeacon of Switzerland); the Revd Sam van Leer (curate of St Ursula, Bern); Bishop Fritz-Renee Muller; Fr Klaus Heinrich Neuhoff; the Revd Mike French (chaplain at Holy Trinity, Geneva, where the event took place).