Following the announcement of the appointment of Canon Peter Collins as the fifth Bishop of East Anglia, Cardinal Vincent Nichols welcomed warmly the appointment and offered prayers for Bishop-Elect Peter Collins as well as his predecessor in the role, Bishop Alan Hopes.
Bishop-Elect Collins, a priest of the Archdiocese of Cardiff, said that 'it is with sincere humility, deep trust and great hope' that he looks forward to the future.
The announcement was welcomed by Cardinal Vincent who said: 'I welcome warmly the appointment of Bishop-elect Peter Collins. The new bishop brings with him a wealth of experience both in Cardiff and in Valladolid. I am sure he will be warmly welcomed not only in his new diocese, but also in the Province of Westminster and in our Bishops’ Conference. I look forward to working with him.
'At this same point, I wish to thank Bishop Alan Hopes for his tireless and dedicated leadership of his diocese – especially during these last years. He will hand over his crozier to his successor with both confidence and relief!
'May God bless our new Bishop Peter Collins and Bishop Alan Hopes in the years ahead.'
Bishop Alan Hopes welcomed the appointment with praise: 'As the new bishop prepares to come and serve God’s people in this diocese, he comes with great personal, pastoral and theological gifts, and with many years of dedicated service to the Church in the Archdiocese of Cardiff.'
Further details about Bishop-Elect Collins and plans for the episcopal ordination are available on the Bishops' Conference website.
Photo: Bishop Alan Hopes and Bishop-Elect Peter Collins (Diocese of East Anglia)
