The election of Pope Francis has given a boost to Anglican-Catholic relations, according to a leading Anglican ecumenist.The Bishop of Guildford, Christopher Hill, chairman of the Church of England's Council for Christian Unity, said Francis' emphasis on being the Bishop of Rome was extremely helpful for ecumenical relations.
The bishop is also a member of the Anglican Catholic Roman Catholic International Commission (Arcic) which is meeting this week in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
In an interview with Vatican Radio, Bishop Hill said that use of the title "Bishop of Rome" - which suggests a respect for local Churches' autonomy - showed that there is not just one bishop ruling over the whole Church, although he accepted a "primatial role" for the Pope.