From the Anglican Journal:
The recent Anglican-Roman Catholic Bishops’ Dialogue held in Vancouver has produced a joint statement outlining concerns about human trafficking at the February 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver-Whistler.
Calling the Olympic Games “a celebration of human development through sport,” the statement also made it clear that the bishops are united as they “stand together to call attention to the profound social ill of human trafficking.”
Read the statement below:
In February, Vancouver-Whistler will welcome the world to the 2010 Olympic Games, a celebration of human development through sport. Our churches rejoice in the unity and respect that the Olympics signifies to the world. We, the bishops of the Anglican-Roman Catholic Bishops’ Dialogue, stand together to call attention to the profound social ill of human trafficking. The buying and selling of human beings subverts the very essence of the Olympic spirit. An estimated 800,000 people are trafficked annually across the national borders, and millions more are trafficked within their own borders.* We call upon the faithful of our churches and all people of good will to uphold and defend the dignity of every human person. We pray that the solidarity and success of the Olympic Games will give a new respect for human life around the world.
In our discussions at this meeting we have touched upon the Apostolic Constitution recently issued by His Holiness. Our discussions were cordial and took place in the context of mutual respect and cooperation between out two churches. In Canada we have had a protocol since 1990 that permits the orderly transfer of clergy between our two communions. In this we emphasize the spirit of mutual attentiveness and not competition, and in the same spirit we seek to understand the deeper implications of the Apostolic Constitution.
The bishops of this dialogue will pray together, recognizing that it is by the grace of God that we may witness the unity that Christ desires for His church.
* United States Department of State, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (US TIP), Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000: Trafficking in Persons Report 2007 (2007)
Members of the Anglican-Roman Catholic Bishops’ Dialogue
Most Rev. Gary Gordon Co-Chairs Most Rev’d Fred Hiltz
Mgr Pierre-Andre Fournier Rt. Rev’d George Bruce
Mgr Francoise Lapierre, P.M.E. Rt. Rev’d James Cowan
Most Rev. John Pazak, C.Ss.R. Rt. Rev’d Dennis Drainville
Mgr Albert Thevenot, M.Afr. Rt. Rev’d Michael Ingham (Acting Co-Chair)