Bishop Marcus Stock said that Pope Leo XIV desires the Dioceses of Middlesbrough and Leeds to ‘journey together in mission, work in close collaboration and gain from each other’s strengths’.
Pope Leo XIV has accepted Bishop Terence Drainey’s resignation as Bishop of Middlesbrough and has appointed Bishop Marcus Stock as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Middlesbrough.
Bishop Stock will retain his current office as Bishop of Leeds. He said that Pope Leo desires the Dioceses of Middlesbrough and Leeds to “journey together in mission, work in close collaboration and gain from each other’s strengths in order to secure the future of the Church’s witness to Christ across the regions we serve”, and that he will undertake to explore how to do this “with the clergy, lay faithful and religious of our two historic sister Dioceses”.
Emeritus Bishop Drainey said in a statement: “I am very grateful to His Holiness for having entrusted the care of this diocese to me for nearly 18 years. It has been a joy and privilege to serve the faithful, clergy and religious. I will remain living in the diocese in my retirement and hope to be of assistance to Bishop Stock and to the diocese in any way that might be required.
“I thank Bishop Stock for taking on the role that the Holy Father has given him and I have no doubt that his ministry among us will bring us many blessings and help us all to journey onwards in the light of the Gospel.”
Bishop Stock said: “Placing all my faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and the prayers of His Blessed Mother, I will do my utmost to fulfil the mission which His Holiness Pope Leo XIV has entrusted to me as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Middlesbrough in addition to my ministry as the Bishop of Leeds.
“It is a comfort to know that in his retirement Bishop Drainey will continue to reside in the Diocese and that I shall be able to call on his knowledge, wisdom and advice to assist me. I look forward to meeting and getting to know the priests, deacons and religious of the Diocese of Middlesbrough, and to serving both them and the lay faithful now entrusted to my care as Apostolic Administrator.
“Both Middlesbrough and Leeds Dioceses share not only the saints and sacred places of the ancient Kingdom of Northumbria, but also the post-industrial heritage of Yorkshire’s historic North, East and West Ridings. We also share a common origin from 1878, when the Diocese of Beverley was divided into the current two sister dioceses by Pope Leo XIII.
“Trusting in God’s providence, I pray that the divine graces we have received in this Holy Year of Jubilee will guide us and shape us on our journey of hope and discover together the future that God wills for us.
“I humbly ask all those I am now called to serve, to pray for me; that Almighty God will grant me the spiritual fortitude I will need to undertake this new role. Through the intercession of Our Lady of Unfailing Help and St Wilfrid, Patrons of both the Middlesbrough and Leeds Dioceses, may Christ our Lord be our Way, our Truth and our Life.”