The parish of St Anthony and Our Lady of Mercy in Hull was very fortunate that the Episcopal Visitation of Bishop Terry coincided with the First Communion Mass for three of our children. At the end of the Mass, Bishop Terry gave certificates to them and to the seven children from the Marist parish of Our Lady of Lourdes who had made their First Communion the previous week. During the year, the children and parents from both parishes have joint preparation courses.

Bishop Terry gave an excellent homily and used the items which were part of a display to illustrate the Eucharist. He said that as the wheat was changed into bread and the grapes were changed into wine so the bread and wine offered at Mass were changed into the Body and Blood of Christ.

Earlier in the week, the Bishop had been the chief Celebrant at a special Anointing Mass when some of the house-bound of the parish were brought to church by the SVP members and other helpers. It was a very moving ceremony and was followed by afternoon tea which was a successful social gathering.

Bernard Swift