‘We were delighted and honoured to welcome the Archbishop of York, the Most Rev Stephen Cottrell, to Mass and lunch at the Bar Convent on Friday, 21st July. This was a personal visit to meet the community and learn about the Bar Convent, and we were very pleased that he brought with him his wife, Rebecca and his Chief of Staff, the Venerable Mark Steadman. As the local parishioners now attend the 12.00pm Mass at the Bar we were quite a crowd. Canon Michael Loughlin (on right of photo) our parish priest, was the celebrant.
The Archbishop enjoyed a simple café lunch with us and all three of our visitors were curious, well-informed and keen to know about our history and present apostolate. The Archbishop’s recent visit to Rome, where he met Pope Francis, had clearly made a deep impression on him. Together they had prayed the ‘Our Father’ encouraged by the words that if there is one Father there is one Church. Before he left the Archbishop invited us to visit his official home and office in Bishopthorpe Palace, an offer we gladly accepted.’
Photo – Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York and his wife Rebecca in the centre; and Fr Mark on the right with members of the York Bar Convent CJ Community.