A small piece of history was made in Bradford at the weekend (Sunday March 6th) when the Roman Catholic Bishop of Leeds was welcomed by the Anglican Bishop of Leeds to Bradford Cathedral where he was made an Honorary Ecumenical Canon of the Cathedral.
The Right Reverend Marcus Stock, who became Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds in 2014, was welcomed to the Anglican Cathedral of Bradford by the Right Reverend Nick Baines, the Anglican Bishop of Leeds and admitted to the Cathedral College of Canons in a significant service that will be seen as symbolising closer working relationships between the Church of England and Roman Catholic Church in Yorkshire.
Pictured with Bishop Nick Baines (centre) is Bishop Stock (second from right), the Dean of Bradford, the Very Revd Jerry Lepine (right) and the two new Archdeacons in the Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales, Ven. Dr Andy Jolley (far let), and Ven. Bev Mason (second from left).
The Venerable Dr Andy Jolley has become the new Archdeacon of Bradford and the Venerable Bev Mason, the Archdeacon of Richmond and Craven in the North Yorkshire part of the diocese. Both were admitted and installed as Canons of Bradford Cathedral at the same service.
In his sermon, Bishop Nick Baines said, “I am particularly delighted that Bishop Marcus Stock has agreed to be an Ecumenical Canon. Ecumenism is a wonderful thing and a difficult thing …We are united in Christ and yet the working out of that unity is often difficult.
“… We belong together and we need one another. Out unity as Christians matters; that we are brothers and sisters in Christ matters; that we are engaged together in the mission of the church – that is the ministry of reconciliation – matters.”
He concluded, “As the Bishops of Leeds, I trust that we will be able to make a difference to the people of your diocese and mine, and the areas this covers ….. and that as churches together, even bishops together, we may live and proclaim a gospel which offers hope in a world that is characterised by threat.”
Bishop Stock is only the second Bishop of Leeds to be made an Honorary Canon at Bradford Cathedral. His predecessor, Bishop Arthur Roche was also made an Ecumenical Canon at the Cathedral.
Bishop Nick's sermon can be listened to in full here: http://www.bradfordcathedral.org/media/