New cathedral is 'the centre of the whole Church', says Archbishop

After a long and frustrating delay the Archdiocese of Europe has its new cathedral. The former Anglican church in the city of Stoke-on-Trent has been completely refurbished, and a fine hall has been built alongside. The whole complex is, according to parishioners, 'far beyond our expectations'.

The restoration and new building has cost the Archdiocese nothing. When the former cathedral was scheduled for compulsory demolition as part of a public redevelopment scheme the city council was obliged to find a 'like-for-like' replacement, and fortunately they already owned the redundant church, so it was the obvious choice. However, the council have been generous in going well beyond their minimum obligations, and the result is an impressive complex that has aroused a lot of local interest (and some demand for the renting of the hall, which could become a useful source of income.

At the recent Archdiocesan conference the Archbishop dedicated the new building, remarking that he saw it as a center of worship for the whole world-wide Church. The first major event in the new cathedral was the consecration of Fr John Milnes as an assistant bishop for Europe.