"The Gift of Authority" provides a strong platform for ongoing mutual and fraternal dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion.

I am particularly pleased that the language is straightforward with a minimum usage of ecclesiastical jargon and technicalities.

The document should engender creative debate and lead to further understanding and appreciation about the nature of the Church.

I commend it to our Bishops and People for further study and reflection.

"The Gift of Authority" is a celebration of careful and prayerful thinking and is itself a wonderful gift to our two churches and other ecumenical partners. It will lead us further along this road to full ecclesial communion.

No doubt, the view reached by the Commission that the Primacy of the Bishop of Rome should be seen as a "gift to be received by all the churches" will be greeted with concern and lead to theological polemics.

The question of the function of a "universal primate" however, should not be seen in isolation to the whole range of issues governing our understanding of authority. "Authority is how the Church teaches, acts and reaches doctrinal decisions in faithfulness to the Gospel" cf. Preface to Gift of Authority.

The Report reflects comprehensively on the manner in which Anglicans and Roman Catholics understand and experience the mediation of authority.

Serious efforts towards making a contribution to the visible unity, which we seek as churches, will strengthen the voice of the Church in Southern Africa in the fulfilment of God's Mission.

A careful study of this document will enrich the life and mission of the Church.