Salford's new bishop has pledged to follow Pope Francis’ exhortation to stay close to his people as he takes over an historic diocese which covers much of Greater Manchester and parts of Lancashire.
Bishop John Arnold also raised the possibility of moving out of his episcopal residence, a Grade I listed manor house - although there are no plans to sell the property.
The Westminster auxiliary, originally from Sheffield, has worked closely with Cardinal Vincent Nichols for the last five years and was appointed to Salford on Tuesday.
The 61-year-old bishop said he believed that Pope Francis was right to “rattle the cage” of bishops and make some rethink their priorities.
“I do believe that a bishop belongs among his people. Sometimes, as Francis says, that is to lead, sometimes to simply be with and sometimes be round the back to make sure no one gets left behind,” he told The Tablet after his appointment was made public.
Bishop Arnold said he would be examining options about whether to live at Wardley Hall, a sixteenth-century recusant home standing on the site of a earlier house dating from 1300. Holding the skull of St Ambrose Barlow, one of the 40 martyrs of England and Wales, Wardley Hall was sold to the diocese in 1930.
While stressing the house’s history and pride people take in it, Bishop Arnold said: “There are lots of different aspects about making a decision in the future about quite what the house might be used for, whether I stay here or move somewhere more central. I think lay all the options open and see what discernment there can be.”
Although much of the old docklands area of Salford has been regenerated and “gentrified” in recent years, poverty still remains a big problem for much of the diocese.
Bishop Arnold, a former barrister who is renowned for his administration skills, said the area had a “cosmopolitan” feel and said that changes can “bring opportunities”. Its latest annual report shows that the diocese has 150 parishes, a weekly Mass attendance of around 58,000 and a total income of £19.3 million. It also has 169 primary schools, 32 secondaries and four sixth-form colleges.
The first priority, said the new bishop, will be to listen and learn about the diocese, although he said he would continue to build on relationships established with other local faiths in areas such as “peace, justice, equality and education”. Bishop Arnold, who is chairman of the trustees of Cafod, entered formation for the Institute of Charity (Rosminians). He then transferred to the Archdiocese of Westminster and was ordained in 1983. In 2006 he received his episcopal ordination as an auxiliary bishop.
At Salford he succeeds Bishop Terence Brain, who has reached retirement age of 75, and will be installed on 8 December, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Salford was one of the first dioceses to be created following the re-establishment of the hierarchy in England and Wales in 1850.
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