The 650 bishops who have come to Canterbury for the 14th Lambeth Conference went into spiritual retreat yesterday until Sunday morning. For the next few days, the bishop will follow a schedule, which will be opened by a speech by the archbishop of Canterbury, after which there will be moments of silence, prayer and reflection. "Being into retreat reads a note means leaving all the problems of daily life behind and focus on spiritual life". The Lambeth Conference had been opened on Wednesday 16th July by archbishop Williams’s opening address. "I think said the archbishop that it is important to say we are very sorry that many of our brothers and sisters in Communion have not felt able to be with us over these weeks, we are sorry because we need their voices and they need ours". "I respect and accept the decisions that have been taken, but together and in prayer we must acknowledge the wound that they have opened in our relationship". Then, Williams reasserted his personal commitment, so that "the relations that have been hurt will be healed". Aware that this process is not "so easy", he added: "we hope the opened wounds may somehow open up to receive the work of God’s Spirit in our tasks".” ” ” ” ” “
