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The Bishop of Manchester, the Right Reverend Nigel McCulloch, visited the parish of Saint Gabriel's Middleton Junction on October 4th.
St Gabriel's parish is home to British Aerospace, a major local employer.
Local Vicar, Father Ian Cook, was a draftsman there (when it was still known as AV Roe) before joining the RAF himself. During the Second World War, the AV Roe factory designed and built the Lancaster Bomber - the aeroplane flown by the Bishop of Manchester's father as an RAF pilot of 619 squadron. In a poignant moment during the bishop's visit, Father Cook presented the bishop with a special commemorative video about how the aeroplane was designed and built, showing the Lancaster's significance to the local community and its key strategic role in the skies over Europe.
The bishop also visited housebound members of the congregation and met representatives of local employers, Voith GmbH, local head-teachers from St Gabriel's Primary School and Middleton Technology School, as well as local doctors and other care professionals at a buffet reception for the local community. After the reception, there followed a Pilgrimage Service at Saint Gabriel's, during which the story of the church and the local community was celebrated.
Father Cook, still a keen member of the RAF Association, is due to retire in the next few months after twenty-eight years as vicar of the parish.
Reflecting on the bishop's visit, Father Cook said, "We found the bishop's visit a great inspiration and encouragement for the future.
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