Today, the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, has accepted my resignation as Bishop of Middlesbrough and has appointed Bishop Marcus Stock, the Bishop of Leeds, as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Middlesbrough.
I am very grateful to His Holiness for having entrusted the care of this diocese to me for nearly 18 years. It has been a joy and privilege to serve the faithful, clergy and religious.
I will remain living in the diocese in my retirement and hope to be of assistance to Bishop Stock and to the diocese in any way that might be required.
I thank Bishop Stock for taking on the role that the Holy Father has given him and I have no doubt that his ministry among us will bring us many blessings and help us all to journey onwards in the light of the Gospel.