During the last few weeks it has been good to welcome parts of the Church Universal into our diocese. Just before leaving for Lourdes I was able to welcome Archbishop Zacheus Okoth from the diocese of Kisumu in Western Kenya. I had worked in Archbishop Okoth’s diocese for six years in the late eighties and early nineties. He was on a visit to England to meet with some of the priest who worked in his diocese and some of the bishops who sent those priests. He was able to visit the Cathedral and have a quick look around the northern part of the diocese. Our Lady of Perpetual Help is the patroness of both our dioceses.

We were also able to welcome Father Anthony Chantry, the Superior General of Mill Hill Missionaries and Monsignor John Dale the National Director of Missio to the Cathedral on Sunday 5th June to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of APF/Mill Hill (The Little Red Boxes Campaign).
On the same occasion there were also present members of a Caritas Delegation from Colombia, Monsignor Hector Fabio from the Colombian Bishops’ Conference; Mélida Esther Guevara an Afro-Colombian community leader from the Department of Choco in Colombia and Jesus Alberto Castilla Salazar a peasant community leader from Catatumbo in Colombia. They were here under the auspices of CAFOD, represented by Carol Cross our diocesan manager.
While we focus on our own diocese and the work that is going on here, it is always good to keep the bigger picture in our minds and hearts and give thanks that we belong to the Church Universal.