Britain’s first Syro-Malabar eparchy has taken a major step forward with the ordination of its first bishop.
In a Mass attended by over 12,000 people, Cardinal George Alencherry, the Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church, ordained Joseph Srampickal.
The Mass was held at Preston North End’s stadium, Deepdale. Some attendees reportedly came from as far as Australia. The eparchy – an area under a bishop, similar to a diocese – has been given a cathedral in Preston.
The Syro-Malabar rite Catholic community, one of the Eastern Catholic churches, originates in India. It traces its origins to St Thomas the Apostle. Nearly 40,000 Syro-Malabar rite Catholics live in England, Scotland and Wales, served by 23 priests.
Bishop Srampickal, whose title is now Bishop of the Eparchy of Great Britain of the Syro-Malabar Church, was born in India and was previously vice-rector of Propaganda Fide College in Rome.
Relics of saint in Charles II ‘plot’ to return to London
The relics of two saints who promoted devotion to the Sacred Heart will visit London next month.
The relics of St Margaret Mary Alacoque and St Claude de la Colombière SJ will tour the city from November 9-13.
The visit was organised by the Emmanuel Community and the Jesuits at Farm Street Church.
A Mass to welcome the relics will be led by Auxiliary Bishop Nicholas Hudson of Westminster at Farm Street. The relics will then stop off at Our Lady of Victories, Kensington; St Patrick’s, Soho Square; London Oratory school; and Wormwood Scrubs, the prison.
St Claude is considered a local saint for the Jesuits at Farm Street after spending three years as chaplain to the Duchess of York at nearby St James’s Palace from 1676. He was subsequently accused of taking part in a conspiracy to assassinate King Charles II and was imprisoned. He escaped execution but died soon after returning to France.
St Claude was a confessor to and supporter of St Margaret Mary Alacoque, whose visions inspired the devotion to the Sacred Heart.
Bishop Konstant dies aged 86
Bishop David Konstant, who served as Bishop of Leeds from 1985 to 2004, has died aged 86.
Bishop Konstant was born in Blackheath, London, in 1930. He supervised the translation of the catechism into English in the early 1990s and was Cardinal Hume’s contact with No 10 regarding Northern Ireland.
Archbishop Emeritus Patrick Kelly of Liverpool described Bishop Konstant as a “source of true wisdom”.
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