June 2026 Pastoral Letter from Bishop Stephen

24 June 2026

The Nativity of St John the Baptist

Dear Friends,

St Augustine teaches us that St John the Baptist is a boundary between the Old and New Testaments – he represents the old while heralding the new. The Church and English society at large are both arguably experiencing something of a boundary between things old and new.  Sometimes it feels as if the birth pangs of the new age are taking far too long and we’re impatient for everything to settle down again.  As everything around us is changing, perhaps our vocation is to be something like the Baptist – a boundary between an old and new dispensation?

We, as Catholic Christians, are rooted in the teaching and practice of the Apostles as they received it from Jesus.  But, as with the Baptist and the Apostles, we live amongst people who are yearning for something new.  Perhaps now, as it was then, people don’t always know what the “new” is that they want.  The “new” that we can offer is, paradoxically, that which the Church has always proclaimed and remains “new every morning”:  the Good News of the Kingdom of God as revealed in Jesus and heralded by John.

My prayer is that we can be those followers of Jesus today who remain confident in that which we have received in order to offer it as a new gift to all who need it.  And for ourselves, as Catholic Christians in the Church of England where there is much change and uncertainty, may we continue to find refreshment in the Word and Sacraments.  We often hear or use the word radical when discussing or considering the need for change. People with radical views are often considered to be somewhat extreme or outlandish.  But the word has another, often forgotten meaning too.  Simply, it means root, from the Latin radix.  To be a boundary between old and new may require us to appear extreme while remaining rooted.  Is that not the model John the Baptist, Jesus and the Apostles gave us?

May we indeed be radical Christians – firmly rooted to that which we have received and be extreme (or outlandish) in proclaiming that that which we have inherited remains groundbreaking and new.

See of Beverley Festival

It is wonderful that as of today 350 people have signed up for the Festival in York Minster on 18^th July.  It would be fantastic if we could double that number.  There is just three weeks to go and for the planning of the day we need an idea of total numbers coming at least a week beforehand if possible.  This is an opportunity for as many people and parishes as possible who look to me as the Bishop of Beverley for pastoral and sacramental care to worship together as one.  It is also an opportunity for us to encourage one another in our mission and vocation.  The theme of this year’s Festival is inspired by St Francis and his radical call to “re-build my church” on the 800^th anniversary of his death in 1226.  Please sign up.  Please come along and bring as many others as you can.  If parishes are having difficulty funding transport please let me know.

Society clergy who wish to robe and/ or concelebrate must sign up early for all the relevant checks to be made.  All booking details are on the website here:

Safeguarding

Please keep up to date with all safeguarding practices and protocols.  Avoidable problems can be navigated if everyone keeps up to date with training and DBS checks.  This is especially important if there are any agreements in place for the protection of individuals.

Ordinations and Vocations

Please pray for Fr Alex Walker, Fr Edward Parker-Sunderland and Fr Robert Garnett who will be ordained to the sacred priesthood this Petertide and for Oliver Murray and Joel Gillin who will be ordained deacon.

Please pray for more vocations too so that the parishes associated with the See of Beverley may continue to serve both the church and society in the future.

Yours, as ever, with a grateful heart for all that you continue to be and do,