The Anglican Centre in Rome's Annual UK Friends' Lecture for the Anglican Centre in Rome will be held at Westminster Abbey on Monday, 14th December 2026.

Join us in the Abbey as the Most Revd John McDowell and the Most Revd Eamon Martin (respectively Church of Ireland and Catholic Archbishops of Armagh and Primates of All Ireland) give the Annual Friends' Lecture on Talking together, praying together, and walking together in the spirit of St Patrick.

Archbishop John and Archbishop Eamon will reflect on the topic of Anglican-Roman Catholic relations from the Irish context in this, the 60th anniversary year of the founding of the Anglican Centre. They will draw on their own experience of ministry alongside one another, touching on:

- What have Anglicans and Catholics learned together over these decades?
- How can we (and do we) heal history?
- And what is the future of a genuinely deepening relationship as siblings in Christ?

The lecture with Q&A will be followed by a drinks reception in Poets’ Corner.

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About our speakers and our ministry

The Most Revd John McDowell grew up in Belfast and pursued a career in business prior to ordination. He studied at Queen's University Belfast, the London School of Economics, and Trinity College Dublin. He was elected to his current role in 2020 and was previously Bishop of Clogher.

The Most Revd Eamon Martin is from Derry and studied for the priesthood at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, during which time he took degrees in Mathematical Science and Theology. His postgraduate studies were at Queen's University Belfast, the Institute of Education in London, and the University of Cambridge. In 2014, he succeeded Cardinal Seán Brady as Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland.

The Anglican Centre in Rome was founded in 1966 and its mission is to develop and flourish the friendship and deeper understanding between the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church. It has sought to live the hope of Christian unity by being a presence, by encouraging conversation, by worship, hospitality and education by the exchange of gifts and by initiating and encouraging: communicating fresh ideas and best practice.

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How to attend

Please register here on Eventbrite to attend this lecture, giving us your details and the names of any additional ticket holders. Please then bring the Eventbrite ticket generated following registration, or bring an image of the ticket on your mobile phone, for admission.

Entry will be from 6.00pm at the Abbey's main Great West Door and the lecture will commence at 6.30pm. There will be a short reception following the lecture. Evensong precedes the lecture at 5.00pm and all are welcome to attend.

If you have special needs, the Abbey has ramped access at the Great West Door and disabled facilities in the cloisters. If you have particular needs and wish to discuss them with the Abbey, please email special.events@westminster-abbey.org

We look forward to welcoming you.