The Ebbsfleet Council of Priests has met at the Royal Foundation of St Katharines London to make some strategic plans to ensure the Ebssfleet parishes are both supported and encouraged during the Episcopal vacancy. This meeting was jointly convened by the Bishops of Wakefield and Richborough and we were joined by the Director of Forward in Faith and Catherine Williams from the Ebbsfleet Office.
The two day conference was a very productive time where we were all able to outline particular parishes that make up the Episcopal Area and we heard of some of the challenges and opportunities that each parish faces during these post pandemic times. Each of the Bishops Representatives was able to outline what the Missional Opportunities were in their particular area and it was encouraging to rejoice in some of the really positive things that parishes had been able to do during this pandemic, as well as reflecting seriously on some of the things that really challenges us in the future, not least the need for more priests.
Together we also started the process of identifying qualities that will be necessary in our new Bishop as an invitation has been extended to us to formulate a response to the Archbishop of Canterbury, the question of what we are looking for in the next Bishop of Ebbsfleet.
Although presently the See is vacant we are delighted that Episcopal Care is being shared out amongst the other Catholic Bishops and the Administration of the See is still going through the Ebbsfleet Office and looked after by Catharine who is working from both home and Hill House in Reading.
The Bishop’s Representatives will be meeting again early 2022 and further consideration will be given to the process of appointing a successor and as well as committing themselves to launching a new website the Ebbsfleet Council of Priests also agreed that they would provide regular up dates from their own particular areas of events and opportunities ready for the new Bishop.
