New Bishop of Nottingham wants parishes to be outward-looking

THE NEXT Bishop of Nottingham has said he hopes that parishes will be outward-looking and willing to work with other Christian denominations, writes Christopher Lamb.

On Thursday last week Pope Francis appointed Mgr Patrick McKinney as the next Bishop of Nottingham, whose diocese covers Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Rutland. Around 30,000 people attend Mass each week in its 108 parishes.

Mgr McKinney, 61, is the former rector of St Mary’s College, Oscott, in Birmingham and succeeds Archbishop Malcolm McMahon who was transferred to Liverpool last year.

The new bishop said: “I hope more and more parishes will be outward-looking, seeing themselves at the heart of society but there to try to serve and work with others.”

His appointment means that there are now no dioceses in England and Wales waiting for bishops to be appointed.