Six injured in shooting outside London church
A MAN has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after two children and four women were injured outside St Aloysius’s RC Church, in Euston, central London, on Saturday, when shots were fired from a moving vehicle. A seven-year-old girl is in a stable but life-threatening condition in hospital. The man, aged 22, was arrested in Barnet, in north London, on Sunday, and remains in police custody. The parish priest, Fr Jeremy Trood, told Sky news that he had just finished a requiem mass for a mother and daughter at the church on Phoenix Road when the shooting happened. He said: “There are no words that can describe what had happened, and I can’t imagine why anybody could possibly do such a thing. There were hundreds of people in the church coming out. It was pandemonium.”
Dean of Lichfield to retire
THE Dean of Lichfield since 2005, the Very Revd Adrian Dorber, is to retire on 31 March. He turned 70 last year. Dean Dorber was ordained priest in 1980, and served his title and first incumbency in Oxford diocese. He moved to Portsmouth diocese in 1988, serving as a lecturer and chaplain of Portsmouth University and as an Hon. Chaplain of Portsmouth Cathedral. He moved to Durham diocese in 1997, as Priest-in-Charge of Brancepeth, Diocesan Director of Ministry and Training, and an Hon. Canon of Durham Cathedral.
Charities scoop £1000 Benefact grants
THREE church charities — the Friends of Gloucester Cathedral, Great Casterton Church Charity Lands, and the Church Pastoral Aid Society — are among the 120 organisations to have received a portion of £120,000, as part of the 12 Days of Giving campaign from the Benefact Group (formally AllChurches Trust). More than 219,000 people nominated more than 9600 charitable causes around the UK. The 120 winning charities were picked at random from the nominations, and received £1000 each. The Benefact Group’s chief executive, Mark Hews, said: “In these challenging times, we know that £1000 can make a real difference.”
Safe Spaces extends operating hours
SAFE SPACES, the free national support service for victims and survivors of church-related abuse, will increase operational hours under its newly appointed independent provider, First Light, which took over the service last week. It is available to phone on 0300 303 1056, or via the website safespacesenglandandwales.org.uk. Opening hours have been extended to Monday to Friday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-1 p.m., and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. (excluding bank holidays, subject to review). The Bishop of Southampton, the Rt Revd Debbie Sellin, who is a trustee of the helpline, said: “This new arrangement will support a welcome continuation of Safe Spaces — a vital service for those who have been affected by church-related abuse.”