Bishops' Diaries

THIS Sunday is Remembrance Day, and will be marked by Bishop Mervyn Alexander of Clifton who attends a parade and service at the city cenotaph in Bristol, and Bishops John Rawsthorne, auxiliary in Liverpool, and Thomas McMahon of Brentwood, who celebrate local services.
Meanwhile, Cardinal Basil Hume celebrates Mass for the Caribbean community at Westminster Cathedral, and Bishop Alan Clark of East Anglia visits the parish of Thetford, Norfolk.
During the week, Bishop Rawsthorne is confirming in Ainsdale, Hillside and Ashton-inMakerfield, while fellow Liverpool auxiliary Bishop Vincent Malone confirms in Skelmersdale and Hunts Cross. Bishop James O'Brien, auxilary in Westminster, confirms in Tring. Rickmansworth and Waltham Cross, and Bishop James Hannigan of Wrexham in Rhyl and Prestatyn, before attending a meeting of CYTUN, Welsh Churches Together, in Abergavenny on Thursday along with Bishop Daniel Mullins of Menevia.
Anniversaries of the week are marked by Bishop Mullins who celebrates an SVP centenary Mass at St David's Priory, Swansea, while Bishop John Brewer of Lancaster celebrates a Golden Jubilee Mass for the Carmel in Preston on Monday. and Bishop Joseph Gray of Shrewsbury celebrates Mass for the diamond jubilee of the SVP and UCM at Holy Cross, Birkenhead. Bishop Howard Tripp, auxiliary in Southwark, celebrates a 50th anniversary Mass at Sanderstead.
Later in the week, Cardinal Hume spends two days with the priests of his Westminster diocese ordained within the last five years,
while Bishop Leo McCartie of Northampton attends a two-day post-ordination course at The Grail in Middlesex, and Bishop Kevin O'Brien, auxiliary in Middlesbrough, attends a day of recollection for clergy in Hull.
In the higher education world, Bishop John Crowley, bishopelect in Middlesbrough, gives a talk on CAFOD at More House Chaplaincy, London, while Bishop Crispian Hollis of Portsmouth attends a governors' meeting at LSU in Southampton, and Bishop David Konstant of Leeds attends a meeting of the Cambridge Chaplaincy Committee on Friday.
At school level, Archbishop Michael Bowen of Southwark and his auxiliary Bishop Tripp have meetings with primary heads and governors in the diocese on Tuesday, while Bishop Augustine Harris of Middlesbrough attends an RE teachers' interdiocesan conference at Ushaw College, Durham. Bishop Vincent Nichols of north London visits Finchley Catholic High School, and meets with secondary heads in Harrow, while Bishop Crowley meets with RE heads and catechists on Thursday.
Elsewhere, Bishop Christopher Budd of Plymouth attends a marriage and family life consultation at London Colney while Archbishop Maurice Couve de Murville of Birmingham travels to Louvain for a meeting of European church leaders.
Obituary
MGR Canon Frank Diamond, an elder statesman of the diocese of Northampton, has died at the age of 82. He was Vicar General and for a time in 1990 he was diocesan administrator.
Frank Diamond was born in Swindon in 1910. He was one of four brothers, two of whom became priests. They were all educated by the Sisters of Jesus
and Mary in Ipswich, but Frank went on to become a banker, eventually joining the "bowler and brolly" brigade in the City of London.
Just before the war, however, he began preparation at the Beda College in Rome, and was ordained on March 20, 1943 in Cambridge, one of three ordained in the diocese that year who went on to become Vicars General.
His first appointment was to St John's, Norwich, where he was an assistant for seven years before becoming parish priest at St Teresa's, Princes Risborough for 11 years a time he described as being "very much like heaven".
In 1968 he was appointed to English Martyrs. Cambridge, and was responsible, during his six years here, for building the present Cathedral Social Club.
At the age of 65, he felt he should resign as Cathedral Administrator and give way to a younger priest, although he retained the title of Vicar General. His hard work and devotion earned him the title "prelate of honour" in 1979.
It seemed as if by now his outstanding work was almost at an end, but this was not to be. When Bishop Francis Thomas died, the Cathedral Chapter asked Mgr Diamond to take on the task of diocesan administrator until a new bishop could be appointed.
At the age of 78, he shouldered the responsibility for the entire diocese, a task which he carried out with his customary humility, care and gentleness until the appointment of Bishop McCartie in March 1990.
By now, Mgr Frank had become a "father figure" of the diocese and he continued to serve the Cathedral parish with graciousness and understanding, despite increasing ill health, until his death on October 24. More than 100 fellow priests and friends attended his requiem Mass in the Cathedral this week.