News Archive 2007 - May

New website celebrates the Papal Visit

Archbishop Kevin celebrated the Feast of Pentecost in the Cathedral, offering Mass and conferring the Sacrament of Confirmation on 27 members of the Cathedral parish.

Priests and Deacons celebrate jubilee of ordination

After Mass in the Cathedral on Tuesday, 22nd May 2007, Archbishop Kevin entertained jubilarian priests and deacons and their guests to lunch in Archbishop's House.

List of priests and deacons celebrating jubilees this year

Portsmouth Diocese celebrates 125 years

Bishop Declan Lang of Clifton, Bishop Peter Doyle of Northampton - both of whom were priests in the Cathedral at Portsmouth before they became bishops - with Archbishop Kevin and Bishop Crispian Hollis of Portsmouth

Bishop Crispian Hollis invited Archbishop Kevin to give the homily during a Mass to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Portsmouth diocese on Monday, 21st May 2007.

Portsmouth was part of the Southwark diocese until 1882 and Archbishop Kevin is Metropolitan of the Southwark province, which includes the dioceses of Arundel and Brighton, Portsmouth and Plymouth.

Read Archbishop Kevin's homily given at Portsmouth Cathedral

Brief explanatory notes about Metropolitans and the pallium

'In full communion ... but still on a journey'

Archbishop Kevin with Bishops John and Paul and Father John O'Toole, Director of the Christian Education Centre

Archbishop Kevin celebrated a Mass for New Catholics at the Cathedral on Saturday, May 19th 2007. Addressing a congregation of around 350 people he warmly welcomed them, encouraged them to continue on their journey of faith and invited them to use their God-given gifts in the service of others. 

A synopsis of Archbishop Kevin's homily and more photos

Interfaith Gold Medallion for HM The Queen

Archbishop Kevin represented the Catholic Church at Buckingham Place on Thursday, 17th May 2007 when, with representatives of other faiths, Sir Sigmund Sternberg, founder of the Three Faiths Forum, presented to the Queen a

specially minted Interfaith Gold Medallion accompanied by a scroll with the following inscription: "On the occasion of the presentation of the Interfaith Gold Medallion – Peace Through Dialogue - we, leading members of the major faith communities, wish to place on record the deep and sincere appreciation of our communities for the lead you have given to the nation in the promotion of respect and understanding for minority faiths and in seeking to include new communities as natural components of this society. By your words and your actions, you have encouraged those of us who serve the faith communities to strengthen our commitment to respectful dialogue between us and to unite our energies for the advancement of the welfare of all Your Majesty’s subjects.”

International Mass

Bishop Paul with concelebrants

The Cathedral was full on Sunday, 13th May 2007 for Southwark's Annual International Mass. Bishop Paul was principal concelebrant and was joined by diocesan and religious priests and many ethnic chaplains.
 

Bishop Paul spoke about the Holy Spirit as a force for change in people’s lives and how the life of the Church is enhanced by the activities of its members. Migrants are a gift to our society and they must listen to the Holy Spirit to learn ways in which they can help to build up the Church in the UK.
 

A few more photos of this joyful occasion

Syro-Malabar Rite Chaplain

Archbishop Kevin invited married couples who are celebrating special wedding anniversaries this year to Mass in the Cathedral on Saturday, 12th May 2007 followed by a reception at Saint George's School.

265 couples attended, together with 639 members of their families:
11 couples celebrating 60 years of married life;  63 couples 50 years; 74 couples 40 years; 83 couples 25 years; 34 couples 10 years.

We pray that they will have many more years of happiness together.

Father Michael Adams with parishioners from Parkwood

Thousands at London's Migrant Workers' Mass

The bishops of the London dioceses - Cardinal Cormac (Westminster), Archbishop Kevin (Southwark) and Bishop Thomas McMahon (Brentwood) - were joined by diocesan and religious priests and ethnic chaplains to offer Mass in Westminster Cathedral on Monday, 7th May in support of London's Migrant Workers. Bishop Patrick was among the concelebrants. About 3,000 people attended.

Archbishop Kevin with Cardinal Cormac in the sacristy of Westminster Cathedral before the Mass

In his homily, Archbishop Kevin called for 'a programme of well considered, just and generous openness to migrant workers and their families'. He stressed that the role of the Church is 'both to integrate new ethnic groups into the already existing community and also to create space to explore and celebrate ethnic diversity, culturally and liturgically'. He also described the Catholic community as 'the seed-bed of social cohesion because of the spirit of dialogue and openness which is now deeply embedded in the consciousness of Catholics'.

Read Archbishop Kevin's homily

More photos of the Mass

'Strangers into Citizens' march and rally

Report on the Westminster Diocesan Website

Dedication of Saint Patrick's, West Chislehurst

Father George Webster SSC (extreme right), Deacon Roger Evans and the people of Saint Patrick's, West Chislehurst welcomed Archbishop Kevin on Saturday, 5th May for the dedication of their church. The parish was established in 1961. The church was a former cinema.

At the reception after the Mass of Dedication: Archbishop Kevin with Father Denis Carter, Columbian Superior for England and Wales and Father Gerry Flood, Parish Priest of Biggin Hill

Mass with the Canons of the Cathedral Chapter

Archbishop Kevin celebrated Mass with the Canons of the Cathedral Chapter on Wednesday, 2nd May. The day marks the sixth anniversary of Archbishop Kevin's Episcopal Ordination.

Visit of the Jordanian Minister for Islamic Affairs

The Jordanian Minister for Islamic Affairs, HE Mr Abdul Fattah Salah, paid a courtesy visit to Archbishop Kevin on Wednesday, 2nd  May. The Catholic community in Jordan is small but influential. It belongs to the Latin Patriachal Diocese of Jerusalem which covers Israel, Palestine, Jordan and Cyprus. The coadjutor Patriach of Jerusalem, Archbishop Fouad Twal, is himself Jordanian. Bishop Selim Sayegh, his auxiliary, is based in Amman and responsible for Jordan. Many Christians fleeing sectarian violence in neighbouring Iraq are emigrating to Jordan. Please keep the Church there in your prayers.