Commissioning of the new Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome

On Tuesday 6 May 2025, the new Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome, Bishop Anthony Ball, was formally commissioned for his ministry. The ceremony was led by the Chairman of the Governors of the Centre, Bishop Michael Burrows. The DPCU was represented by the Secretary, Archbishop Flavio Pace, and by Revd Fr Martin Browne OSB, the official responsible for relations with the Anglican Communion.

Until now, Bishop Ball has been serving as Bishop of the Diocese of North Africa in the Anglican Province of Alexandria and as a Canon of Westminster Abbey in London. In addition to serving as Director of the Anglican Centre, Bishop Ball will serve as the Personal Representative of the Archbishop of Canterbury to the Holy See. As the See of Canterbury is currently vacant, he will be commissioned for this role at a later date, following the appointment of the next Archbishop.

The Anglican Centre in Rome was founded in 1966 following the historic meeting between Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey. The Centre was charged with developing a new relationship of friendship and deeper understanding between the Anglican Communion and the Catholic Church. Bishop Ball succeeds Archbishop Ian Ernest, who retired at the end of January 2025, as Director of the Centre.