ANNIVERSARIES and jubilees occupy a number of the bishops this week, beginning with Cardinal Basil Hume who conducts a mass to celebrate a 25th anniversary in Redbourne, Hens, on Wednesday. On Friday he joins priestly jubilarians for a celebration at Archbishop's House and on Saturday celebrates Mass to mark the 25th anniversary of Fr Thomas Egan.
Archbishop Derek Worlock of Liverpool is also celebrating jubilees: silver jubilee celebrations in Hampshire on Monday and the golden jubilee of Mgr Patrick Doran. St Lewis in Croft, on Friday.
Thursday sees Bishop Cormac Murphy-O'Connor of Arundel and Brighton officiating at a jubilee Mass at St Joseph's, Littlehampton whilst on Saturday Bishop Mervyn Alexander of Clifton celebrates a Mass for the silver jubilee of the Presentation Convent in Horsham. On the same day, Bishop Howard Tripp, auxiliary in Southwark, is attending a Mass for the Golden Jubilee of Fr Bovington at Old Coulsden.
Many of the bishops are also in Lourdes this week leading their respective diocesan pilgrimages. Archbishop Maurice Couve de MurvIlle of Birmingham will be there, together with his auxiliary, Bishop Terence Brain, as will Bishop Augustine Harris of Middlesbrough. Bishop Daniel Mullins of Menevia heads the Welsh National Pilgrimage to Lourdes though he travels on Monday, having attended a prior Rerum Novarum group meeting. Meanwhile Bishop Patrick Kelly of Salford heads to Walsingham for the Salford Diocesan Pilgrimage.
Archbishop Michael Bowen of Southwark attends the consecration of St Augustine's church in Parkwood and Wigmore on Friday, the same day that Bishop David Konstant of Leeds is interviewing candidates for the priesthood at Bishop's House in Leeds. Ascension Day on Thursday sees Bishop Alan Clark of East Anglia preaching at a Mass at Oscott College.
Obituaries
FR John Andrew Gibbons OSB, parish priest at St Cuthbert's in Cowpen, Northumberland, has died aged 85.
Fr Andrew was born in Bliley. County Durham, in 1907 and joined the novitiate at Douai Abbey in 1927. He was ordained priest in 1934 at Douai, and worked in a number of parishes belonging to the Abbey, including St Bede's, Bedlington and St Aidan's, Ashington.
In 1956 he returned to Birtley where he was parish priest until 1956 before moving to Cowpen.
Mgr Bernard Lockwood, who was assistant priest at the Cathedral in Lancaster for 17 years, has died aged 82.
Mgr Lockwood was born in Chorley in 1910, and attended St Wilfrid's Primary School in Preston and Preston Catholic College before studying for the priesthood at Upholland Seminary. He was ordained on September 25, 1938 and served as assistant priest at St Peter's in Lancaster from then until 1955.
Mgr Lockwood then took up the post of parish priest at St Joseph's in Lancaster until his retirement in 1980.
A WHITE Father who devoted 58 years to pioneering missionary work in West Africa, Fr Kenelm Haskew, has died less than a year after finally returning to this country. He was 83 years old.
Born in Bilston, Birmingham, Fr Kenelm entered the White Fathers in 1926, was ordained in 1933 and was posted immediately to the Navrongo Vicariate in northern Ghana. He contributed to the growth of the vicariate into a fully established diocese teeming with Catholic life and worship.
Over the years Fr Kerwin] was in charge of the local Lay Apostles Institute, the Seminary for African Priests and the Liturgical Commission (for accurate adaptation of African culture to liturgical use).
He came home to England for health reasons last June and died in April in London.
Coming Soon
PARISHIONERS at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Hayes, Middlesex, are organising a Festival of Flowers daily from May 21-24 as part of the church's 80th anniversary celebrations.
FR MICHAEL Clifton is to give a talk on "The Reformation and its causes" as part of the series run by the Westminster Catholic Evidence Guild. It begins at 8pm at the former Cathedral Conference Centre Hall.
"FORCED migration and national sovereignty" is the theme of a major international conference organised by the Catholic Institute for International Relations (CIIR) to take place at Church House Conference Centre in London between June 19-20. The conference will he opened by Cardinal Basil Hume and will feature key speakers from all parts of the world. For further details contact Mari King on 071354 0883.
THE Christian Dance Fellowship of Britain will be holding its second national conference from July 6-10 at Cliff College, Derbyshire. Workshop teachers and dancers can exchange ideas and establish contacts to fulfil the conference's aim of "sharpening the God-given tools of the performing arts." Details from the secretary on 0904 470821.