born Derby 1911; educated at the English College, Rome and Christ’s College, Cambridge; ordained priest 1934; taught at St. Edmund’s, Ware, St. Hugh’s, Tollerton, and the Beda College, Rome 1959-1966; Secretariat for Christian Unity 1966- ; died November 1994.

The Rev. Canon William A. Purdy taught for a number of years at the Beda College in Rome before joining the staff of the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity in 1966. He was a pioneer in fostering new contacts between the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion after the Second Vatican Council. His main work was involvement in the relations between the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion and the World Methodist Council. He was co-secretary of the international dialogues with both of theses World Communions, helping to prepare the reports that these dialogues produced. These include the landmark “Final Report” of ARCIC published in 1981. [from the obituary notice in Information Service 88 (1995/I)]

Documents

• ARCJPC-sf-8 ~ Report on approaching the problem of Anglican Orders • Mount St. Joseph, Malta, 30 Dec. 1967
• ARCJPC-12.5 ~ Practical Proposals • Mount St. Joseph, Malta, 30 Dec. 1968
• ARCPJC-6 ~ Growing Together: An Assessment of the Opportunities for Collaboration between the Two Churches • Windsor, 9 Jan. 1970
• ARCPJC-2 ~ Anglican/Roman Catholic Relations since January 1968 • Windsor, 9 Jan. 1970
• ARCIC-29A ~ Correspondence to members of the dialogue • Windsor, 4 Aug. 1971
• ARCIC-33C ~ Growing Together: A Proposed Enquiry • Windsor, 1 Sept. 1971
• ARCIC-52-1 ~ Report on approaching the problem of Anglican Orders • Gazzada, Italy, 27 Aug. 1972
• ARCIC-76-3 ~ Six propositions of International Theology Commission on “The Priestly Ministry” • Canterbury, 28 June 1973
• ARCIC-83 ~ Notes on Approaching the Question of Church and Authority • Canterbury, 27 Aug. 1973
• ARCIC-sf-12 ~ Correspondence sent to ARCIC members in preparation for the 1974 Grottaferrata meeting • Grottaferrata, Italy, 1974
• CFR-RC-52-31 ~ Letter to Rev. Christopher Hill • 15 Sept. 1976
• CFR-RC-52-55 ~ Letter to Bishop John Howe • 28 Mar. 1977
• ARCIC-163 ~ Summary of Criticisms of the Windsor and Canterbury Statements • Chichester, June 1977
• CFR-RC-52-78 ~ Letter to Rev. Christopher Hill • 12 Dec. 1977
• ARCCOW-4 ~ The Ordination of Women and Anglican-Roman Catholic Relations • Versailles, 27 Feb. 1978
• ARCCOW-7 ~ Draft outline • Versailles, 1 Mar. 1978
• CFR-RC-55-25 ~ Personal letter to Rev. Christopher Hill • 23 Mar. 1978
• ARCIC-216 ~ Roman Catholic Comments on the Venice Statement • 14 Dec. 1979