The first phase of ARCIC was held under the aegis of Henry McAdoo (Anglican Archbishop of Dublin) and Alan Clark (Roman Catholic Bishop of East Anglia).
The topics covered by ARCIC II included the doctrine of salvation,[y][z][aa][ab][16] communion,[ac][ad][ae][af][17][ag][ah][ai][18] teaching authority,[19][aj][ak][al][am][an][20] and the role of Mary the mother of God.
[ao][ap][aq][ar][as][at][21] In 2000, ARCIC II supported a meeting of 13 pairs of Anglican and Roman Catholic bishops from around the globe at Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
The opening meeting also noted Catholic—Anglican tensions over the creation of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, directly subject to the Holy See, earlier the same year in order to make easier the transition by Anglican congregations (not just individuals) wishing to move into communion with the Catholic Church.
[31][32] Although ARCIC had just completed the major document on Marian theology in 2003, Pope John Paul II suspended official talks between the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion, owing to the consecration of Gene Robinson, a homosexual man in a non-celibate relationship, as a bishop in the Episcopal Church in the United States.
He also seemed more upset about the warring parties within Anglicanism: "He described the legislation for those opposed to women's ordained ministry in the Church of England as the 'unspoken institutionalism' of an 'existing schism.
[26] The ARCIC III Co Chairmen replied saying each communion was formally committed to continuing this sacred task at the highest level.
They referred to substantial common ground while acknowledging the existence of significant obstacles, but said they trusted in the power of the Holy Spirit to draw the two communions closer.