ESBVM

The Ecumenical Society of the Blessed Virgin Mary

  • The Ecumenical Society of the Blessed Virgin Mary (ESBVM) exists to advance the study at various levels of the place of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Church, under Christ and of related theological questions; and in the light of such study to promote ecumenical devotion. Its aim is to show that, in the Blessed Virgin Mary, Christians of many traditions may find a focus in their search for unity.
    Prayer for the Society God our Father, through the Blessed Virgin Mary you gave your Son to be our Redeemer; send your blessing on the Ecumenical Society of the Blessed Virgin Mary; so that strengthened by your grace, enlivended by by your Spirit, and renewed in the One whom Mary bore, your Church may grow in the unity You desire. We ask this through Jesus Christ your Son, our Lord.

  • Contacts

    General enquiries (UK & international)
    Fr William Mcloughlin OSM, Hon. General Secretary

    General enquiries (USA)
    Dr Virginia Kimball, Chapter President

    Membership & Publications (UK)
    11 Belmont Road
    Wallington
    Surrey SM6 8TE

    Newsletter
    Mr David Carter

    Web site
    Web master


    ESBVM is registered in the UK as a charity. No. 282748

40th Anniversary of ESBVM: Visit to Lambeth Palace

Posted by esbvm on 11th July 2007







Lambeth Palace
Dr John Newton
Members of the Council
Bishop Christopher Hill
Speeches in the library
Group photo

Letter from Cardinal Walter Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity

Letter from Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor, Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster

On 5th July The Ecumenical Society of the Blessed Virgin Mary (ESBVM) celebrated its fortieth anniversary at a reception at Lambeth Palace. Bishop Christopher Hill welcomed the Society on behalf of the Archbishop of Canterbury, who is on sabbatical. He said that a great achievement of the Society had been in providing a major archive of theological resource on Mary and ecumenism that had been used in preparation for ARCIC’s document last year. Bishop Christopher has been one of the four denominational Moderators of the Society for several years.

Founded by Martin Gillett and a group of ecumenically minded friends, to promote the cause of Christian Unity through a focus on Mary, it has theologians and scholars as members as well as lay people from all walks of life and Christian traditions.

Fr Bill McLoughlin, OSM, Hon. General Secretary, read a message from Cardinal Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity, who recently became a patron. He said that the Society had helped bring about an important transition so that Mary is "seen less as a source of division and increasingly one who we jointly understand to be the Mother of God" It was his profound hope that "the society will continue to be a source of encouragement to Christians and that it will make a significant contribution in this important area of ecumenical work."

Amongst those present were Metropolitan Kallistos Ware of Diokleia, Bishop Howard Tripp, Bishop Roger Jupp, The Abbott of Downside, Archimandrite Aemilianos Papadakis , former General Secretary, Dom Alberic Stacpoole OSB, St.Teresa Burke of Selly Park and Mr.Joseph Farrelly KCSG , Membership Secretary, who continued the work of Martin Gillett in developing the society in Britain , Dublin, Rome and America.

Dr. John Newton, former President of the Methodist Conference, expressed the Society’s thanks to the Archbishop, the Palace staff and the Librarian for their support in welcoming the Society and giving a guided tour of the palace and special exhibits.

During the champagne tea, a book launch was held for Mary for Time and Eternity, the latest collection of ESBVM International Congress and conference papers on Mary and ecumenism, published by Gracewing.

Following the reception, the Society’s’ ecumenical service of Evening Prayer in the Palace Chapel was led by the Abbot of Downside and sung by the Youth Choir of All Saints Church , Blackheath.

The Society is indebted to Kit Haffner for arranging the event with Lambeth Palace and co-ordinating proceedings on the day.

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40th Anniversary of ESBVM: Letter from Walter Cardinal Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity

Posted by esbvm on 1st July 2007

Pontificium Consilium Ad Christianorum Unitatem Fovendam

30 June 2007

2095/2007/h

Rev Father William M McLoughlin, osm
Honorary General Secretary
The Ecumenical Society of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Dear Members of the Ecumenical Society of the Blessed Virgin Mary

I write to extend to you my cordial greetings as you celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Ecumenical Society. This is a time to give thanks for the ecumenical efforts of the past decades, and in particular, for the Ecumenical Society of the Blessed Virgin Mary. You have helped to bring about an important transition, such that Mary is seen less and less as a source of division, and increasingly as one who we jointly understand to be the Mother of God, one who received the Eternal Word of God in her heart and in her body, one whose fiat is the supreme instance of a believer’s embrace of God’s will, a “free and unqualified consent in utter self-giving and trust”.

As one of the patrons of the Ecumenical Society of the Blessed Virgin Mary, it is my profound hope that the Society will continue to be a source of encouragement to Christians, and that it will make a significant contribution in this important area of ecumenical work. In this work, I believe you can trust that Mary herself is attentive to your efforts, as she yearns for the unity of those who are baptised into her Son, those who desire to be her Son’s disciples.

In singing the Magnificat together, may we join her in praising God. In praying to Mary, may we see her always in relation to Christ and to the Church, forever pointing us to the unique saving role of her Son. In asking her assistance as we strive to further our relations through dialogue, prayer and common witness, may we acknowledge her as ‘mother of the faithful’, who prays for and desires our unity, that we may be one in her Son, and in the Father, and in the Spirit who gives life to us all.

God’s blessings be ever with you all.

Yours sincerely,
Walter Cardinal Kasper
President

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40th Anniversary of ESBVM: Letter from the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminister

Posted by esbvm on 30th June 2007

ARCHBISHOP’S HOUSE,
WESTMINSTER,
LONDON SW1P 1QJ

18TH June 2007

C3525

Dear Fr Bill

Thank you for your letter concerning the ESBVM Fortieth Anniversary Celebrations on 5th July 2007. Perhaps you would like to read out the following message:

I am very glad to extend my warmest greetings and congratulations to the Ecumenical Society of the Blessed Virgin Mary on its Fortieth Anniversary. During these years of the work of the Society in promoting understanding of the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary within different Christian communities has been of great importance. Be assured of my prayers and my support for the ESBVM and I hope that the Society will continue its fruitful work for many years to come.

With every kind wish,

Yours devotedly,

+Cormac Card Murphy-O’Connor
Archbishop of Westminster

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