Christopher White, national correspondent for Crux, begins an interview with the Rev. Luigi Gioia, author of Say it to God: In Search of Prayer:
How did a Catholic priest end up writing the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lenten prayer book?
Justin Welby is a great admirer of Catholic spirituality, in fact, he often goes on retreat to monastic communities in France. When he moved to Lambeth Palace, he invited the French community of Chemin Neuf to send a few members (men and women) to live with him. I believe it is a sign of the times: we are eager to learn from each other and are able to overcome our suspicions against each other. For me, this is the real meaning of Catholicism: embracing the whole with an eagerness to learn from everyone, and in this, he shows an authentic ‘catholic’ spirit. Welby wanted a book about prayer for Lent this year in connection with his pledge to pray to promote the global prayer movement “Thy Kingdom Come.” This is why, I think, he selected my book among those my publisher suggested to him.
Matthew Townsend is a Halifax-based freelance journalist and volunteer advocate for survivors of sexual misconduct in Anglican settings. He served as editor of the Anglican Journal from 2019 to 2021 and communications missioner for the Anglican Diocese of Quebec from 2019 to 2022. He and his wife recently entered catechism class in the Orthodox Church in America.
