JOHN SMEATON, DIRECTOR OF SPUC: Congratulations to Alan Hopes, Catholic bishop-elect of East Anglia

Tuesday, 11 June 2013

Congratulations to Alan Hopes, Catholic bishop-elect of East Anglia

I wish to congratulate Alan Hopes, currently auxiliary bishop of the Catholic archdiocese of Westminster, upon his appointment as bishop-elect of East Anglia. Bishop Hopes has given public witness to the sanctity of human life, of marriage and of the family, in particular supporting vigils outside abortion centres - see below a list of my blogposts. In particular, I recall the sermon he gave in Westminster cathedral last November, when he said:

"How marred is our own world by such assaults on the dignity of human life – from the easy discarding of innocent lives in the tragedy of abortion, to the easy discarding of life as it nears its completion in the so called “right to die” and “mercy killing”."
...
"How marred too, is our world by the assaults on the dignity and the sacred nature of marriage and family life. From the beginning God shows us that the family is a sacred unity given by him to provide stability for the human race ... Today’s ideas of living with one another and entering into the commitment of marriage, the acceptance of unfaithfulness and sexual immorality, the provision in law of pre-nuptial agreements which is symptomatic of a general disregard for marriage, the proposed marriage of same sex couples – none of these can replace the ideal of the family – mother, father children - which God intends should provide stability for society as a whole.
...
"Let us pray fervently, today, before the image of Our Lady of Czestochowa that those who are in power will seek to uphold the dignity of human life until the tragedy of abortion and assisted killing is no more; and to support and strengthen the family and the values of family life."

Bishop Hopes preaches the Gospel of Life in Westminster Cathedral (6 November 2012)

I felt proud of Bishop Hopes, the auxiliary bishop of Westminster (31 March 2012)

Catholic bishops in England give increasing support to pro-life vigils (26 March 2012)

Please support Bishop Alan Hopes, under attack from abortionists (19 March 2012)

If Catholics and others followed Bishop Hopes's lead, abortuary would close (26 October 2011)

Bishop Hopes to lead 40 Days for Life vigil in London (13 October 2011)

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About Me

I became involved in SPUC after graduating, when I established a branch in south London in 1974. I have worked full-time for SPUC for 42 years. I became chief executive of SPUC in the UK in 1996, having been general secretary since 1978. I was elected vice-president of International Right to Life Federation in 2005. At UN conferences in Cairo, Copenhagen, Beijing, Istanbul and Rome, I helped coordinate more than 150 pro-life/pro-family groups resulting in pro-life victories in Cairo, Istanbul and Rome. I was educated at Salesian College, London, before going to Oxford where I graduated in English Language and Literature. I qualified as a teacher, becoming head of English at a secondary school. I am married to Josephine. We have a grown-up family and we live in north London.