Francis and Wesley
Pope Francis received a John Wesley bobblehead from Dr. Ashley Boggan D, top executive of the United Methodist General Commission on Archives and History. (Photo by Matthew A. Lafferty/Courtesy of Ashley Boggan D/Facebook)
John Wesley now resides in the Vatican – in the form of a bobblehead figure presented to Pope Francis during a recent visit by World Methodist Council leaders.
Dr. Ashley Boggan D, top executive of the United Methodist General Commission on Archives and History, presented the figure to Pope Francis as he greeted the World Methodist delegation on the piazza of St. Peter's Basilica.
Dr. Boggan described the encounter in a Facebook post:
A papal gift
Dr. Ashley Boggan D, top executive of the General Commission on Archives and History, displays a John Wesley bobblehead figure that she later presented to Pope Francis during a recent ecumenical visit by World Methodist Council leaders. (Photo Courtesy of Ashley Boggan D/Facebook)
"Today, I marked off a thing I never dreamed could be on my bucket list: we were the special guests of Pope Francis, with front row seats to the Wednesday service and a handshake. I gifted him a John Wesley Bobblehead to which he laughed and said "Wesley. Methodistica". Yay ecumenism!!"
"Definitely a moment I won't forget anytime soon!" posted Dr. Boggan, who also serves as general secretary of the World Methodist Historical Society.
In a separate post, the Rev. Matthew A. Lafferty, director of the The Methodist Ecumenical Office Rome, translated the pope's remark in English as "Wesley the Methodist!"
Dr. Lafferty said the World Methodist delegation included Dr. Amos Nascimento, the Education Committee chair of the World Methodist Council and the executive secretary of the International Association of Methodist Schools, Colleges, and Universities (IAMSCU); the Rev. Dr. Greg Bergquist, an IAMSCU general officer and general secretary of the United Methodist General Board of Higher Education and Ministry; and Dr. Ulrike Schuler, a member of the Methodist Theological Schools of Europe and LEAD Hub Europe director of GBHEM. Dr. Bergquist also preached at Ponte Sant'Angelo Methodist Church in Rome.
After her visit to Rome, Dr. Boggan attended the European Methodist Historical Convocation, which took place Sept. 6-9 in Velletri, Italy.
Vatican Archives Visit
Dr. Simona Turriziani (center), director of the Historical Archives of the Work of St. Peter gave a guided tour to the delegation. Pictured from left are the Rev. Dr. Greg Bergquist, top executive of the United Methodist General Board of Higher Education and Ministry; Dr. Ulrike Schuler, a member of the Methodist Theological Schools of Europe and LEAD Hub Europe director of GBHEM; Dr. Ashley Boggan D, top executive of the General Commission on Archives and History; and the Rev. Matthew A. Lafferty, director of the World Methodist Ecumenical Office in Rome. (Photo Courtesy of Matthew A. Lafferty/Facebook)