|PIC1|The spiritual head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, Dr Rowan Williams, has greeted an address given by Cardinal Walter Casper, where he spoke on the debate of women operating inside the episcopate.

The Archbishop of Canterbury said that the cardinal’s address was a “clear and helpful contribution” to the issue of women clergy.

Cardinal Kasper was invited to speak by Dr Williams to speak at the annual meeting of all serving Church of England bishops. Included in those present at the event, were senior women clergy, as well as those involved in the ministry of women.

Dr Williams said, “I was particularly grateful that Cardinal Kasper was able to accept my invitation to address us directly on this topic. He himself has said, ‘Our friends’ problems are our problems too’.

|AD|“So, as we consider whether women should be ordained as bishops in the Church of England and what shape any possible legislation should take, it is important to have this kind of honesty and clarity about how changes made here might impact upon the common commitments of our two communions to the search for full visible unity in Christ’s Church. Nothing is served by avoiding these hard questions, and I appreciate the spirit in which the Cardinal has shared his perspectives with us.”

Just at the weekend the Roman Catholic Church also took part in high profile meetings with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Blair and Pope Benedict XVI discussed the role of religion in politics and society during their first private meeting since Benedict was made Pope last year.

According to a Vatican statement, the two men focussed on the importance of inter-faith dialogue to tackle terrorism and achieve global peace.

“Prominence was given to the contribution which common values between the religions can bring to this dialogue, in particular with moderate Islam, and above all when it comes to issues like solidarity and peace," Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said in a statement Saturday.