Cardinal Nichols on conclusions of bishops' plenary meeting
(Vatican Radio) Prayers for victims of the fighting in Ukraine and for those suffering
from the conflict in South Sudan were at the top of the agenda as the Catholic bishops
of England and Wales met for their plenary assembly in the northern city of Leeds
this week. At a press conference on Friday the president of the bishops conference,
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, also called on Catholics to pray for Christian Unity and
for the success of Pope Francis’ forthcoming visit to the Holy Land where he’ll meet
with Orthodox leader, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.
Among many other
issues discussed by the bishops was the ongoing debate in the UK about legalising
assisted suicide and ways in which the Catholic Church will be marking the centenary
of the First World War. The Church leaders also looked back to the recent conference
in the Vatican on combatting human trafficking and forward to the Synod of bishops
on the family which will take place in Rome in October.
Philippa Hitchen spoke
with Cardinal Nichols to find out more about the conclusions of the four-day meeting