Joint staff meeting with Lutheran World Federation

On 25 January at Domus Sanctae Marthae, a joint staff meeting was held between the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and a delegation of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). Cardinal Kurt Koch, together with Bishop Brian Farrell, Msgr Matthias Türk and Revd Avelino González-Ferrer, received Reverend Martin Junge, LWF General Secretary, as well as Bishop-elect Kaisamari Hintikka and Professor Dr Stephanie Dietrich. This meeting, which takes place annually, is a forum for dialogue on current issues and future initiatives. This year the participants reflected, among other issues, on the future of the Lutheran-Catholic dialogue and on the theme "The Church, the Eucharist and Ecclesial Ministry".

The meeting offered an opportunity to thank Msgr Türk, official of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity since 1999, who helped organize the Catholic–Lutheran dialogue and other initiatives, including the memorable visit of Pope Francis to Lund, Sweden, in October 2016, for the ecumenical commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Msgr Türk will be returning to his home diocese in February 2019.