Bishop Hofstad takes part in Vatican visit

Bishop Robert D. Hofstad returned from Rome on Feb. 16 after meeting with Pope Benedict XVI and Vatican officials to discuss the relationship between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Roman Catholic Church.

ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson; the Rev. Donald J. McCoid, executive for Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations; Bishop Jessica R. Crist, chair of the Conference of Bishops; and Bishop Hofstad, chair of the Conference of Bishops committee of Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations, traveled to Rome for two days of meetings on Feb. 14 and 15.

They met with the heads of two Pontifical Councils — The Promotion of Christian Unity, and Interreligious Dialogue. They also spent time with the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, as well as the Secretariat of State. On the second day, the four ELCA representatives had an audience with Pope Benedict.

This remarkable exchange was the latest in more than 30 years of formal dialogues between the two churches in the United States. Bishop Hofstad called the meetings “a very good strengthening of relationship between our two churches, as well as an exploration of how Lutherans and Roman Catholics might approach a healing observance of the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation in 2017."

There were assurances on both sides that this dialogue can and must continue in the coming months and years.