Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints met with Catholic leaders yesterday in Auckland.
Muriel and Junior Samuela, Wendy and David Lelo, Charlton Martin and Maurice Melligan met with Most Reverend Patrick Dunn, Bishop of Auckland and other leaders from the Auckland Diocese.
The Latter-day Saint group presented Bishop Dunn with a Christus statuette recognising the two churches’ belief in Jesus Christ.
Maurice Melligan, a young missionary with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said, “We wanted to thank Bishop Dunn and others from the Diocese for their warm welcome extended to our young people who attended the recent World Youth Day event.
“While we differ on some doctrines, we share a great deal with our Catholic cousins,” Elder Melligan said. “We share a love for the Lord Jesus Christ, and a desire to lift up the poor, the sick and suffering people around us through Christ-like service. Both churches also place great emphasis on defending religious freedom as well as strengthening traditional marriages, families and communities.”
Read more and view pictures at the Auckland Catholic Youth Ministry’s Facebook page.
Last year senior Church leader, President Henry B. Eyring, spoke at a Vatican summit on traditional marriage.
Watch a video of Latter-day Saint apostle, Elder Quentin L. Cook, speak on religious freedom at the University of Notre Dame (Sydney) in May.
Earlier this year, Latter-day Saint and Catholic young adults prepared desserts for the Auckland City Mission to share with people going through difficult times.
Read more about Latter-day Saints and interfaith relations.
Watch a short video about Latter-day Saints, titled, “The Church at a glance.”