Bishop Brian Noble of Shrewsbury has stepped down after 15 years as a bishop.He had offered his resignation to the Pope in advance of his 75th birthday next year – traditionally the age that bishops retire.
He is succeeded by Coadjutor Bishop Mark Davies, who has been acting as coadjutor since February 2010. His installation as bishop was expected to take place today.
Bishop Davies was installed as coadjutor bishop at a special Mass at Shrewsbury Cathedral, described by one priest as “the biggest event to be held at the Cathedral in 50 years”.
Archbishop Faustino Sainz Munoz, the papal nuncio, and Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, who retired as Archbishop of Westminster last year, were among those in attendance, as were several of the bishops of England and Wales.
The 11th Bishop of Shrewsbury sat in the Cathedra for the first time as Bishop Noble handed over the crosier, symbolising that he is now responsible for the flock of the diocese.
The 51-year-old Bishop Davies spent 26 years as a priest in the Diocese of Salford before he was “quite unexpectedly” offered the position before Christmas.
He said: “The opportunity you have to make a contribution and be part of the life of so many parishes and communities – that’s the exciting part, the responsibility of course – daunting.”
Bishop Noble will be 75 next April, having served the Church since his ordination in June 1960 at the age of 24.
He was born in Lancaster and later became the chaplain of the university there.
He was appointed bishop in 1995, consecrated by the Birmingham Archbishop Maurice Couve de Murville.
Last year a senior Vatican official criticised Bishop Noble over his closure of a well-attended church in Cheshire.
Archbishop Mauro Piacenzo, the secretary of the Congregation for Clergy, said the closure of Ss Peter and Paul church in New Brighton, on the Wirral coast, did not fulfil the Code of Canon Law requirement that “the good of souls would not be harmed”.
He withdrew the criticism earlier this year, however, after being assured that the parish’s move to an Anglican church was only temporary.
SIC: CHO/UK