Farewell Fr Peter
I enclose a message from Fr Peter Murphy who has been asked by the Archbishop to take on a new role assisting in parishes in deepest Lancashire in the northern sector of the Archdiocese.
Fr Peter writes…. ‘After four wonderful and eventful years here at the Cathedral, I am sorry to announce that it will be soon time for me to say goodbye. Last week the Archbishop informed me that I am to move to the parishes of St Gregory and St Oswald in Chorley to assist Fr Graeme Dunne, their Parish Priest, as he takes on an additional role as Episcopal Vicar for Finance.
Unfortunate timing means that I am unable to make this announcement in person as I am on holiday. However, I do hope that I will be able to see you before I leave the hospital and Cathedral on 25th October.
Please pray for me, as I will you.’
In the last couple of years Fr Peter has carried overall responsibility for Catholic Chaplaincy services at our local hospitals of The Royal University Hospital and Clatterbridge and also of the Broadgreen Hospital site assisted by two lay chaplains and by the other priests serving at the Cathedral. It is a demanding role and I’m sure that you would join with me in thanking him for the service and dedication he has shown in this ministry and would want to wish him well as wanting to wish him well in his new appointment.
For the immediate future Archbishop has no replacement priest to send to the Cathedral and we are going to have to manage this chaplaincy service with our existing personnel and hopefully the support of some of the clergy serving in parishes local to the various hospitals.
The week beginning Sunday 6th October will be an extremely busy week here at the Cathedral. On Tuesday and Wednesday of that week we will be welcoming the Catholic Cathedral Deans from across England and Wales to Liverpool for a short two day conference.
Following this there will be BBC radio 3 live broadcast and recordings taking place. Then at the end of the week we will be welcoming the Cathedral Choirs from Cologne who will be singing at both our Cathedrals. The Apostolic Nuncio for this country, Archbishop Miguel Buendia, will be travelling to one of these services to Award a Papal Knighthood to Gerald Pillay the former Vice Chancellor of Hope University. The joint choirs and Dean from Cologne will be taking part in the Sunday celebration of High Mass, celebrated by Archbishop Malcolm, for the Feast of Saint Edward the Confessor. More details to follow next week.
Monsignor Anthony O’Brien
Cathedral Dean
