Vatican Radio journalist interviews two ELCA leaders in Rome

by John R. Brooks, ELCA News Service

A journalist with Vatican Radio, The Vatican's international
radio service, interviewed the co-leaders of an 18-member
delegation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
March 21 in Rome. The Rev. Lowell G. Almen, ELCA secretary, and
the Rev. E. Roy Riley, bishop of the ELCA New Jersey Synod and
chair of the ELCA Conference of Bishops, commented about the
delegation's visit to Rome and the state of ELCA-Roman Catholic
relationships. They were interviewed by Catherine Smibert, Zenit
news Agency, Rome.

The ELCA delegation visited Rome here as part of an extended
ecumenical journey, organized by the ELCA church organization
every three years. The Lutherans met last week with world church
leaders in Geneva and Istanbul, and will travel to London March
25 for the final part of their trip.

Vatican Radio celebrated its 75th year of operation earlier this
year, and Pope Benedict XVI broadcast a special message this
month. More than 1,000 radio stations worldwide rebroadcast its
programs. Sixty-one different nationalists are represented among
the staff, and the service offer programs in 40 languages, said
Father Federico Lombardi, director general of Vatican Radio and
director general of the Vatican Television Center.

LINKS:

Vatican Radio
http://www.vaticanradio.org/inglese/enindex.html

ELCA-Roman Catholic relationships
http://www.ELCA.org/ecumenical/ecumenicaldialogue/romancatholic/i
ndex.html

75th year of operation
http://www.vatican.va/news_services/radio/multimedia/storia_ing.h
tml

Pope Benedict XVI broadcast a special message
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2006/marc
h/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20060303_vatican-radio_en.html

Vatican Television Center
http://www.vatican.va/news_services/television/index.html