韦尔比大主教在祝贺新教宗的贺辞中称，教宗方济在带领全球罗马天主教信众上任重道远，“我们在此致以所有祝福。”
韦尔比又指教宗方济的当选，对普世圣公宗信徒以至全球基督徒群体而言都意义重大：“我们长久以来一直承认，亦经常强调一点，就是双方总有空间彼此包容。我期盼能与新教宗会晤并与他同行，彼此合作，在圣公宗与天主教的共同传统上有所建树。愿基督的爱结合我们，加强我们在真诚而具果效的普世教会主义中的服侍，好让基督遍布世界各地的肢体得着祝福。”
韦尔比大主教形容教宗方济“一直在拉丁美洲服侍贫苦大众，以慈悲为怀闻名，生活简朴圣洁”，又指对方是位福传的牧者，“将自己对基督的爱的体会，与人分享”。对于新教宗的称号，韦尔比说：“他选择用‘方济’作称号，显示他想提醒世人，要像圣方济一样，时刻亲近上帝，默想天国的事；圣方济当时正是因为如此，为整个欧洲带来转化”。
梵蒂冈电台解释，新教宗选择名号、更改名字的传统，是由公元第一个千年开始成为惯例，目的是提醒新教宗被选为圣伯多禄（圣彼得）继承人后如同重生。新名字亦意味着一个“过渡”，从原本的生活过渡到圣伯多禄宗座职务的生活，在继承教宗职务上更新圣召生活。
May the love of Christ unite us': Archbishop's statement on the election of Pope Francis
Wednesday 13th March 2013
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Archbishop Justin Welby, has offered his warmest welcome to the election of Cardinal Bergoglio as the successor to His Holiness Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.
The full statement reads:
“We wish Pope Francis every blessing in the enormous responsibilities that he has assumed on behalf of Roman Catholics around the world.
“His election is also of great significance to Christians everywhere, not least among Anglicans. We have long since recognized—and often reaffirmed—that our churches hold a special place for one another. I look forward to meeting Pope Francis, and to walking and working together to build on the consistent legacy of our predecessors. May the love of Christ unite us, and intensify our service in a genuine and fruitful ecumenism that can be a blessing for the Body of Christ throughout the world.
“Pope Francis is well known as a compassionate pastor of real stature who has served the poor in Latin America, and whose simplicity and holiness of life is remarkable. He is an evangelist, sharing the love of Christ which he himself knows. His choice of the name Francis suggests that he wants to call us all back to the transformation that St Francis knew and brought to the whole of Europe, fired by contemplation and closeness to God.
“As I begin tomorrow a prayer pilgrimage toward my own inauguration as Archbishop in Canterbury next Thursday, Pope Francis will be much in my own prayers, as he will be throughout the coming months and years.”
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