Diocese of

Hexham and Newcastle

Bishop Robert Byrne CO

The God Who Speaks – The Year of the Word

From 1 December 2019 through to 28 November 2020, the Bishops of England and Wales are inviting us to spend a Year learning to listen more closely to our God Who Speaks.

To help parishes and partnerships prepare for the official launch on the First Sunday of Advent, from 30 September, we will begin making more information and resources available.

Some information is already available through the Bishop's Conference website and a dedicated ‘God Who Speaks’ website will be launched shortly.

Booklets will be appearing in parishes soon and there will be more events, ideas and resources to come!

St. Mary's 175th Anniversary

On Wednesday 21 August, St Mary's commemorated 175 years of service as a place of Christian worship and sanctuary in the busy city of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Designed by Augustus Welby Pugin, opened in 1844 and paid for with 'the pennies of the poor', this church was built to address the needs of the rapidly increasing Catholic population of Newcastle which had been swollen by Irish immigrants in the first half of the 19th century. In 1850 following the Restoration of the Hierarchy in England and Wales however, St. Mary's was raised to Cathedral status becoming the Mother Church of the newly designated Diocese of Hexham (later to be renamed the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle).

Listen to Fr. Dermott Donnelly's interview at BBC radio Newcastle The interview begins 1 hour 38 minutes into the show.

Bishop Robert Byrne CO will celebrate Mass at the cathedral on Monday 30 September from 12noon to mark this occasion.

Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes 2019

The Annual Pilgrimage to Lourdes took place between Friday 26 July and Friday 2 August. Our Pilgrims were accompanied by Bishop Robert, priests and many volunteers, including some from our youth section.

The theme for this year's pilgrimage was “Blessed are the poor, for the Kingdom of God is theirs” and asks us to reflect on the life of Bernadette in the light of this Beatitude from St. Luke’s gospel.

For up to date news visit our Lourdes Pilgrimage page and to view the latest pictures from the Pilgrimage visit the Lourdes Pilgrimage Facebook page.

Canonisation of Cardinal John Henry Newman C.O.

Pope Francis has approved the canonisation of Cardinal John Henry Newman, Sister Mariam Thresia, Giuseppina Vannini, Dulce Lopes Pontes, and Marguerite Bays, which will take place on Sunday 13 October 2019 at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.