Worcester Precentor dies suddenly
THE Precentor of Worcester Cathedral, Canon John Paul Hoskins, died suddenly at home on Tuesday, it was announced this week. Canon Hoskins, who was 50, was installed as Canon Precentor in January 2022. The Dean of Worcester, the Very Revd Stephen Edwards, said: “JP was a much-loved friend and colleague and will be greatly missed among the cathedral community. Our prayers and thoughts are with his family at this time.” Watch a video message from the Dean here.
Dr Walker speaks about his cancer diagnosis
THE Bishop of Manchester, Dr David Walker, reflected on his recent cancer diagnosis on Radio 4’s Thought for the Day on Monday. He said: “It began with an abnormal result, found in a routine blood test. An MR scan followed, locating a hotspot, then a biopsy extracted some cancerous cells from my prostate. I’ve not shared this news very widely to date, but I noticed my reaction to King Charles having to cancel appointments last week, and his experience resonated.” His prognosis, he said, was “good” and he would undergo radiotherapy. Reflecting on his mortality, he said: “I don’t blame God for my cancer. . . Being confronted by my illness has gradually helped me to feel ready to go when my earthly life reaches its natural conclusion, be that through cancer or otherwise. But, until then, I’ll seek to continue to live in that love of God which inspires and energises me to seek to be a force for good in a world where the malignant cancers I need to fight are those of gross inequality, hatred, and injustice.”
Bill to ban ‘intimidatory’ protest near places of worship
NEW protections for places of worship are being introduced in an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill, the Government announced this week. The change is to “protect synagogues, mosques, churches, and other religious sites from intimidating levels of disruption caused by protest activity” by giving officers the power to impose conditions on the route and timing of a march where the effect is to intimidate people attending religious sites. The government press release refers to the violent disorder last summer, when “thugs targeted mosques in Southport, Hull, Sunderland and other areas” (News, 9 August 2024). The Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, said: “The right to protest is a cornerstone of our democracy which must always be protected, but that does not include the right to intimidate or infringe on the fundamental freedoms of others.”
Universities targeted for loan fraud
TWO members of the Cathedrals Group, Canterbury Christ Church University and Leeds Trinity University, have been the target of fake student applications; these were made to six universities in exchange for loans that the applicants had no intention of paying back, The Sunday Times reports. The Student Loans Company (SLC) identified 268 dishonest applications, for the current and other academic years, with reference to Christ Church University and worth £3.8 million in total. Some applicants have reportedly signed up for a degree that they do not plan to study for, and taken out a loan paid directly to the applicant: for example, a maintenance loan. A spokesman for Canterbury Christ Church said that the figures had been passed to it only “very recently”, and that the SLC had “not provided the university with information on either the nature or the details of these individual cases. The university has more than 30,000 students and the figures should be considered in this context.” Since 2022, the SLC has identified 1785 suspicious applications linked to six universities, of which £22 million was identified as fraudulent, £14.9 million was recovered, and £7.1 million was paid to students.
Pray for South Sudan, says Bishop North
THE Bishop of Blackburn, the Rt Revd Philip North, has urged Christians to pray for South Sudan during a resurgence of political and social unrest in the country. The diocese of Blackburn is linked to the diocese of Liwolo, whose Bishop, the Rt Revd Joseph Aba, visited Lancashire two years ago. In a message to Bishop North at the weekend, Bishop Aba said: “Religious leaders (like myself) are not going anywhere until peace and stability prevails. If we die, we die as martyrs for Christ and for the cost of peace for our nation. By God’s grace if we live, we live for Christ and for the making of a better nation. We are called into leadership for such a time as this.” In a video posted on diocesan media channels, Bishop North responded: “When Bishop Joseph visited our county in 2023, he inspired us with his profound sense of the gospel and his passionate desire to rebuild his country spiritually and materially. . . This sudden risk of new armed conflict is a new threat to peace. So my appeal is that, in our churches and our schools, please pray for the people of South Sudan.”
AlamyCity figures: The United Guilds service was held in St Paul’s Cathedral last Friday, to mark the work of the livery companies in the City of London
Boost for Gloucester cloister conservation
THE Chapter of Gloucester Cathedral has been awarded a £40,000 grant by the Headley Trust to conserve its 14th-century fan-vaulted cloister. The conservation project was launched in 2022, after a donation of £550,000 from Julia and Hans Rausing (News, 5 August 2022). The Dean, the Very Revd Andrew Zihni, said that the grant “will not only help in preserving the fabric of the cathedral but also invest in the skills and craftsmanship needed to do so”. The cathedral has been used as a film and TV location. It can be seen in the Harry Potter films and the BBC’s Wolf Hall.
Birmingham diocese achieves Eco Silver award
THE diocese of Birmingham is the first diocese awarded the A Rocha Eco Diocese Silver Award in recognition of its commitment to environmental sustainability. Forty per cent of its churches are registered with Eco Church; 30 per cent are achieving bronze awards; and ten per cent have reached silver. The Bishop of Birmingham, Dr Michael Volland, said that the diocese’s award was “a result of an enormous amount of commitment and hard work on the part of many dedicated and faithful people. I hope this award is an inspiration to other dioceses.”
Lord’s Prayer song for children released
NICK and Becky Drake, of Songs for School, who have written more than 80 songs for schoolchildren, have created a song inspired by the Lord’s Prayer. It was released for free on all streaming platforms last week, as part of the Archbishop of York’s Faith in the North initiative (News, 14 March). A press release says that the song “features a catchy melody and thoughtful lyrics that guide children through the prayer’s core themes of reverence, provision, forgiveness, and protection”. This includes the “uplifting chorus”: “The Lord’s Prayer, still our prayer, Through the years, everywhere! Words to lead, words to guide, Words that light up our lives.”
Correction. In our story last week on the 300km cycle ride from Coventry Cathedral, which is to mirror the route of the Long March, Alan Green and his son Stuart Green were given an incorrect surname, for which we apologise.
