Pope Francis has given his blessing to the Diocese of Salford’s Mercy Bus, which will soon be touring parts of Greater Manchester and Lancashire.
The double-decker bus will have priests available to hear Confession. It will also have live music and volunteers distributing leaflets to passers-by and inviting them on board.
The bus is a response to Pope Francis’s announcement of the jubilee year last March. Bishop John Arnold of Salford said: “The Mercy Bus is a way of reaching out to people who might not otherwise have contact with the Church. We are going to them, rather than expecting them to come to us.”
Archbishop Paul Gallagher, Vatican Secretary for Relations with States, arranged a VIP ticket for Fr Frankie Mulgrew, one of the three priests who will be on the bus, so he could speak to the Pope about the initiative. Francis blessed the project along with badges handed out by volunteers before posing for a photograph.
The bus will be blessed by Bishop Arnold next Saturday, after which it will go out on the streets and to shopping centres, schools and prisons from 11am to 4pm every Saturday until Easter. With Fr Mulgrew, Fr Michael Cooke and Fr Duncan McVicar, the bus will tour Manchester, Salford, Burnley and Blackburn, “following the example of Jesus who spoke in synagogues and also brought the Gospel onto the streets, on hilltops, at dinner in people’s homes”, said Fr Mulgrew.
“We were inspired by the Pope. In fact, when he served as cardinal in Argentina, the Holy Father would officiate open-air Masses in the poorest areas.”
Pro-lifers condemn decision to approve ‘gene editing’
A pro-life charity has condemned a decision by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to allow British scientists to genetically modify human embryos. The decision means the Francis Crick Institute in London could begin experiments next month, only the second time that such a procedure has been undertaken. The first took place in China last year.
Anne Scanlan, education director of Life, said the decision “ignored the warnings of over a hundred scientists worldwide”. She said: “The HFEA now has the reputation of being the first regulator in the world to approve this uncertain and dangerous technology.
“It has ignored the warnings of over a hundred scientists worldwide and given permission for a procedure which could have damaging far-reaching implications for human beings. We do not know what long-term side effects the tampering with some strands of DNA could have on other strands. However, once genetic changes have been made they will be irreversible.”
It is still illegal for scientists to implant the modified embryos into a woman.
Cardinal mourns Sir Terry Wogan
Cardinal Vincent Nichols has said he is praying for Sir Terry Wogan, who died on Sunday. “Along with millions today I mourn the loss of Terry Wogan. I pray the Lord will receive him into his heavenly home there to be at peace,” he said on Twitter. Sir Terry was an atheist but one of his last visitors was Fr Brian D’Arcy, a lifelong friend.
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