A Message from Mgr Dasey

Dear Brother Priests, Deacons, Religious and lay people of our Diocese

It is my task as Diocesan Administrator and Chair of our Trustee Board to present to you our 2006 Accounts. However, 2007 has been a year of significant change in our Diocese that I must make mention of it at the start of this review.

Bishop John became ill in January 2007, and initially took three months sick leave in the hope of a restoration to full fitness. His health did not improve, and sadly in May 2007, the Holy Father accepted his resignation as our Bishop on health grounds. The Diocesan Consultors elected me as Diocesan Administrator responsible for the Diocese until the appointment of a new Bishop. As I write, we have just had the news that Mgr Terence Drainey, President of Ushaw College, has been appointed our new Bishop and will be ordained in the Cathedral on Friday 25th January 2008. Do remember him and, also, Bishop John in your prayers.

So now let me turn to 2006. It was a year of significant change with the appointment following a diocesan wide consultation of a full-time lay person supported by Fr John Lumley, as Priest Director, to lead our Adult Formation Team. With the financial support from the Trustee Board Development Group, we were able to appoint a Youth Manager to work with Fr John Paul Leonard, our Diocesan Youth Chaplain, and expectation to make a further appointment of a Youth Worker in early 2007.

After much discussion and consultation, the Diocesan Pastoral Plan was published in July, and Bishop Crowley determined that the Group to monitor and review progress would be his Council and his Trustees chaired by himself. One of the initial actions was to agree a review of all churches in the Diocese, jointly funded by us and English Heritage. Fr Abbot agreed that the Ampleforth churches should be included in the review.

Bishop Crowley led a ‘Walk for Vocations’ across the Diocese from Hull to the Cathedral. His core group of walkers were joined each day by a local group and each evening there was a celebration of one of the seven sacraments in the local church. Much interest was aroused in the local press and radio. Currently we have three seminarians with others expressing interest.

In 2006, we celebrated a number of jubilees; Bishop Harris the 40th anniversary of his ordination as a Bishop, Bishop Crowley the 20th anniversary of his Episcopal ordination whilst St Aelred’s York celebrated its golden jubilee, St Stephen’s, Hull, its ruby, St Augustine’s primary school its silver, and All Saint’s York, its 20th anniversary. St Gregory’s church in Normanby was closed.

Parish building project work – mainly significant maintenance – continued with work at Sacred Heart, Middlesbrough, roofing work at Acomb, and repairs to the stone masonry and Tower at St Wilfrid’s, York whilst St Aelred’s presbytery was totally refurbished.

Two new school buildings in Redcar opened – Sacred Heart secondary and St Benedict’s primary, the latter formed from the amalgamation of St Dominic’s and St Albans, whilst the second stage of the rebuild of St Francis Xavier secondary school, Richmond (a joint school with the Church of England) opened in September. In addition there were major extensions at St Mary’s, Market Weighton, St George’s, Scarborough and SS Mary and Joseph, Pocklington. The major work at St Margaret Clitherow, South Bank was also completed during 2006.

I would like to mention the work of our Child Protection Team who during the year completed 555 Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) checks. We are deeply grateful to our team in the Curial Office and the parish volunteers for their work in this most important area of the work of the Church. My thanks, also, to the Diocesan Communications Team for their work on Catholic Voice, local radio and our Website. I am deeply grateful to all our priests, deacons, religious and laity for the support they gave to Bishop Crowley in 2006, and have given me throughout 2007. Finally my thanks to the Curial Office staff and all the volunteers who support them as well as our parish volunteers – they do a great job on behalf of all of us.

As we enter a new era with Bishop Terence leading us, let us pray for the evangelisation of our Diocese and our Country.

Gerard M Dasey

Diocesan Administrator