'Catholic Herald' Reporter
UROM his diocese that extends away up into the Arctic Jr Circle, Bishop Wernher, the newly consecrated Vicar Apostolic of Northern Norway, came to London on Friday.
He went to Westminster Cathedral Hall, which for two days had become a little corner of Norway, for a festival arranged by the Dominican Sisters, who have a foundation at Bodo.
Cardinal Griffin in opening the festival welcomed Bishop Wember and the Prior of Oslo, Fr. Thorn, recalling that it was only two years since he went to their country for the eighth centenary celebrations of the establishment of the Norwegian Hierarchy by the English Cardinal Breakspear, who later became Pope Adrian IV.
The Cardinal said that he had been able to arrange for the training of a number of Scandinavian ecclesiastical students in this country, and said: "I am glad. to think that in this way priests trained over here may go back to Norway and the other Scandinavian countries to help in the great apostolate of the Church."
Bishop Wember, speaking in Norwegian—because he thought we might like to hear what it sounded like—said that Norway owed a great debt of gratitude to the Cardinal and to the Dominican Sisters.
In Bodo, he said, the Sisters are the friends of the town. Their hostel for student girls is greatly appreciated. Children are delighted to lend their sleighs in bad weather.
In the autumn of 1953 the little group of nuns from Stone, in Staffordshire, set out for Norway. They opened a little convent In Bodo, and there. where the winds may rage in winter, the snow fall ceaselessly, and the sun remain hidden for weeks, Mass is offered daily in the little log church.
Children of Dominican convents in England helped towards the Westminster Festival, which was to help their own " special mission." From Harpenden and Harrow-onthe-Hill they came to perform Norwegian dances and to help with sideshows. raffles and the sale of hand-made goods. On Saturday the Apostolic Delegate. Archbishop O'Hara, addressed the crowds of people who had come to see Norway's temporary corner in Westminster.