Pope at Requiem for murdered Cardinal
itt an unusual gesture, Pope Paul presided personally at a Requiem Mass in St Peter's Basilica last week for Cardinal Emile Biayenda, of Brazzaville, who was murdered five days after the assassination of the Congolese President Marien Ngouabi.
Vatican officials said that the Pope decided to preside at the Mass, attended by more than 15 cardinals and many bishops, as a special tribute to Cardinal Biayenda, who is reported to have been killed by three relatives of Ngouabi.
Bishop Casey opens new Mass centre
St Peter's new Mass centre at Cranham, Essex, was opened last week by Bishop Patrick Casey of Brentwood at a ceremony attended by all those who had helped in the planning and building. Bishop Casey concelebrated Mass with five former priests of the diocese and Fr David Donnelly, the present parish priest. He said that he remembered Cranham for the remarkable community spirit and expressed the hope that this enthusiasm would continue in the new centre.