Once I was a clever boy learning the arts of Oxford... is a quotation from the verses written by Bishop Richard Fleming (c.1385-1431) for his tomb in Lincoln Cathedral. Fleming, the founder of Lincoln College in Oxford, is the subject of my research for a D. Phil., and, like me, a son of the West Riding. I have remarked in the past that I have a deeply meaningful on-going relationship with a dead fifteenth century bishop... it was Fleming who, in effect, enabled me to come to Oxford and to learn its arts, and for that I am immensely grateful.


Friday 21 March 2014

New Archbishop of Liverpool


I have just read this post from Fr Tim Finigan about the appointment of the Bishop of Nottingham as the new Archbishop of Liverpool: Congratulations to Bishop McMahon.


Bishop McMahon presides at Solemn Vespers in Merton Chapel in 2007

Image: blogs.telegraph.co.uk


I have not actually met Bishop Malcolm, but I have attended EF Masses he has celebrated at St James Spanish Place and at St Etheldreda's Holborn in London and was at the Merton conference to which Fr Tim refers in his post with its Solemn Pontifical Vespers at which he presided. This appointment should be seen as reassuring to those interested in traditional liturgical practice in the life of the Church. 

I know the Bishiop's name was one that was suggested by some commentators as a possible candidate for Westmisnter at the last vacancy, but that proved not to be the case. Given his known concern for matters of social policy Liverpool may well be the ideal place for him to serve as diocesan and metropolitan.

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