Archbishop Andrew’s Visit

This last week, Archbishop Andrew Nkea, the Archbishop of our sister-diocese of Bamenda in Cameroon, visited us. It literally a ‘flying visit,’ as he arrived last Monday and then left on Thursday morning for the US. While he was here, we had much time together, discussing the situation in Bamenda and also our Portsmouth-Bamenda links. On Tuesday morning I gave him a whistle-stop tour of Portsmouth, including a trip up the Spinnaker Tower, before coming back to the Cathedral to celebrate the 1215 Mass. He then went over to Southampton to meet with the six Bamenda priests currently serving in our Diocese and also members of the Cameroonian community. He clearly had a joyful time and came back on Wednesday afternoon in time for a meal out with all the Bamenda priests, plus myself and Fr. James McAuley. He left after early morning Mass on Thursday for a week’s visit to Boston and Washington.

Please pray for him and for the clergy and faithful of Bamenda. I am hopeful the Archbishop will be able to visit again at some point in the Spring.