Archbishop Fisher given Vatican role

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP to the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity. Source: The Catholic Weekly.

It follows the archbishop’s reappointment earlier this year to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith for a third term by Pope Francis.

The archbishop said he was pleasantly surprised by the appointment.  

“I was not expecting another appointment, but I am grateful to the Holy Father, Pope Leo, for his confidence in me,” he said in a statement. 

“Christ prayed that all those who believe in him may be one, and so unity is something that we long for as Christians.”  

Originally established as a Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity in 1960 by Pope John XXIII, the dicastery aims to foster an ecumenical spirit within the Church and strengthen its relationships with other churches and ecclesial communities. 

One of its most notable initiatives is the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which occurs around Pentecost every year in Australia and usually revolves around a theme derived from Scripture.

The dicastery also recently met with an ecumenical delegation from Germany’s Evangelical Church during the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, to discuss ways in which the Catholic Church and other Christian institutions should address obstacles to Christian unity at an international, national and local level. 

Archbishop Fisher hopes to continue the growth of ecumenism here in Sydney.  

“The Church in Sydney has a close relationship with the many Orthodox communities, as well as the Anglicans and other Protestant groups, and we frequently collaborate on matters of shared interest and concern,” he said. 

“I look forward to furthering the cause of Christian unity for the Church as a whole.” 

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Archbishop Anthony Fisher appointed to the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity (By Alex Woolnough, The Catholic Weekly)